Honors 4000: Global Perspectives
Honors 4000: Global Perspectives
Spring, 2015
Wednesday 2:00-4:50 pm, Sage 355
Instructor: Dr. Tom Miles
Email:
Office: Sage 259
Office Hours: M 1-3; T, Th 9-12, F 8-12, and by appointment.
Course Description/Objectives:
What is globalization, and what are its consequences? Is it necessarily good? What are the advantages and disadvantages? Is globalization inherently exploitative? This class will focus on the intersection of these issues, drawing upon insights from history, social psychology, ecology, geography, sociology, law, etc.
This course will be similar to a graduate seminar. Class meetings will be discussion driven and centered on the assigned readings. The course is structured and taught so that by the end of the semester students will:
1) Understand the social, economic, and political origins of violence and poverty.
2) Be able to utilize different theories and approaches to understand and explain these problems
3) Critique these theories and approaches through use of the scientific method so that students can see where knowledge has advanced and how knowledge has been applied
4) Devise new approaches and solutions to confront these problems.
More important even than these learning objectives are your beliefs when leaving this course. Even though we will be talking about seemingly intractable problems, some pretty harrowing stories of the conditions many people live under, and the usual criticisms of human nature you should finish this course thinking about what difference you will make.
Course Materials:
o Collier, Paul. 2008. The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries Are Failing and What Can Be Done About It. New York: Oxford University Press.
o All additional readings, videos, and web links will be posted on Blackboard.
All honors courses have the following general objectives:
1. Honors courses emphasize development of analytical and evaluative skills through readings from primary sources, journal articles and other supplementary materials.
2. Honors courses encourage students to engage in high-level thinking and learning through activities such as intensive discussion; writing in small, collaborative learning settings; and intensive research papers and projects.
3. Honors courses promote independent thinking by making students accountable for important aspects of their learning.
4. Honors courses place material in a conceptual context that illustrates its importance and relationship to other knowledge.
5. Honors courses provide enhanced opportunities for students to develop research skills and produce independent, original research or creative products as part of the course requirements.
6. Honors courses include innovative approaches to course content and teaching so that honors courses can serve as campus-wide prototypes.
The six tips to succeed at UNT are:
1. Show up. Go to class every day, take notes and participate in discussions. It’s a pretty big campus, but we’ll help you find your way.
2. Find support. Everyone needs help sometimes. Whether you need tutoring for a tough class or a check-up from the health center, we’ve got you covered.
3. Take control. Know where you’re going and what you’re doing. Use tools to help you choose a major and tips to make the most of every minute.
4. Be prepared. Do your homework and study. Conquer a college-sized workload with speed reading classes, writing skills labs and much more.
5. Get involved. New people, places and perspectives are coming your way. Join a student organization and explore the campus and the community.
6. Be persistent. College is hard, but you’re not alone. Meet your challenges head on and ask for help when you need it.
Blackboard: A Blackboard conference is maintained for this course. Students are responsible for checking Blackboard for assignments and notices. You should check Blackboard frequently to ensure that you are up to date on all class-related information. Readings, slides, and supplemental materials will be found there. All assignments will be submitted via Blackboard and grades will be posted there as well.
Grading:
Final Paper (40% of course grade): You will be asked to write a paper, of around 15 pages detailing your proposal for dealing with a major global issue. You are asked to detail the origins of this problem/issue; investigate theories for dealing with it effectively, and devise an approach for dealing with it.
Response Papers (30% of course grade; 2 * 15% each): As is frequently required in graduate courses, you will be asked to write 2 critical essays on readings of your choice.
Attendance/Participation (20%): This course will also be graded “holistically,” with a portion of your grade coming from the quality and quantity of your participation in classroom discussions. You are asked to come to class with a basic understanding of the reading(s) and few notes to guide discussion. Please come ready to talk!
Discussion Leader (10%) You will pick one week in which you will be asked to facilitate discussion. Bring notes on the assigned reading and questions to stimulate discussion.
General Class Expectations:
Acceptable Student Behavior: Student behavior that interferes with an instructor’s ability to conduct a class or other students’ opportunity to learn is unacceptable and disruptive and will not be tolerated in any instructional forum. The university’s expectations for student conduct apply to all instructional forums, including university and electronic classroom, labs, discussion groups, etc.
Academic Integrity: The instructor will adhere to and enforce UNT’s policy on academic integrity (cheating, plagiarism, forgery, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty and sabotage). Violations of academic integrity in this course will be addressed in compliance with the procedures laid out in this policy.
o The complete UNT Code of Student Conduct can be found at: https://policy.unt.edu/sites/default/files/untpolicy/18.1.11_Code%20of%20Student%20Conduct%20and%20Discipline.pdf
Accommodations: If you anticipate the need for reasonable accommodations to meet the requirements of this course, you must register with the Office of Disability Accommodation in order to obtain the required official notification of your accommodation needs. Please plan to meet with me by appointment or during office hours to discuss approved accommodations and how my course requirements and activities may impact your ability to fully participate. Full information can be found at: www.disability.unt.edu
Course Outline:
The following represents an approximate calendar of class discussions. Every attempt will be made to adhere to this schedule. Departures from the schedule may occasionally occur. However, assignment dates should be considered firm.
Week 1 (January 21): Topic: Introduction
No Reading
Week 2 (January 28): Topic: Globalization, trade, and exploitation: core vs. periphery.
Readings: 1) Excerpt from Globalization and Its Discontents, on Blackboard.
2) Also, please skim Collier, Chapter 1, pp. 3-13.
Week 3 (February 4): Topic: Women’s rights
Readings: See the website: http://www.hrw.org/topic/womens-rights
2) Collier, Chapter 10.
Week 4 (February 11): Topic: Human rights and slavery/trafficking
Readings: UN Global Trafficking Report (select sections), on Blackboard
Week 5 (February 18): Topic: Global poverty
Readings: Excerpt from The End of Poverty, on Blackboard
Week 6 (February 25): Topic: Global health
Readings: Daniel G. Bausch & Lara Schwarz. (2014). Outbreak of Ebola virus disease in
Guinea: where ecology meets economy. PLOS, 8, e3056, on Blackboard.
Week 7 (March 4): No class—I will be in Austin for a conference
Work on your paper; try to have a broad outline ready to discuss next week.
Week 8 (March 11): Topic: NGOs, aid, and the cycle of dependency
Readings: 1) Excerpt from Dambisa Moyo, Dead Aid, on Blackboard.
2) Collier, Chapter 7, pp. 99-122.
**No Class March 18, Spring Break**
Week 9 (March 25): Topic: The Economics of Terror
Readings: Excerpt from Mark Juergensmeyer, Terror in the Mind of God, on Blackboard.
Week 10 (April 1): Topic: Terror
Readings: Excerpt from Mark Juergensmeyer, Terror in the Mind of God, on Blackboard.
Week 11 (April 8): Topic: War
Readings: Excerpt from America Unbound, on Blackboard
Week 12 (April 15): Topic: War
Readings: 1) Collier, Chapter 2.
2) Collier, Chapter 8.
Week 13 (April 22): Topic: Energy and the Environment
Reading: 1) Excerpt from Michael T. Klare, The Race for What’s Left, on Blackboard.
2) Collier Chapter 3.
Week 14 (April 29): Topic: What’s next/what does the future look like?
Reading: 1) Excerpt from Rifkin, The Zero Marginal Cost Society, on Blackboard.
2) Collier, Chapter 11, pp. 173-192.
Week 15 (May 6): Office time; come see me for advice on the final paper.
**Final Paper due no later than 5 pm, May 9**