Introduction to Global Studies

This course explores globalization from the social, cultural, economic, and political dimensions. Through reading, research, writing about global experience and discussions of major social-scientific theories students examine and analyze the complexity of variety of our societies and the common features of their changing environments. The course addresses the historical context in which globalization emerged, including the rise of global institutions and the legacy of colonialism, the global economy and its impact on labor and financial markets, the media, the social and cultural movements, global politics, religion in the global context and the rise of global terrorism. The course also studies the global social issues and problems such as gender and the aggregation of global poverty.