ASSIGNMENTS & PROJECTS

All assignments are to be typed, and handed in on the due dates.
You will receive a final grade upon the completion of all the assignments.

I. Attendance and class participation: 20% of your grade.

II. Lead and facilitate class discussion, communicate ideas and make presentation. (20% of the grade)

III. Synthesize and Summarize arguments to support your position on the topic (40% of your grade)

IV. Research Paper 20% of your grade

I. Attendance and class participation: (20% of your grade)

The course requires attendance and reading by all. Students are expected to have studied the assigned reading selections for the week in advance of the class meeting.

Bring to class Each week a one page (150- 200 words) written summary/notes based on that week's readings, and at least 1 question for class discussion.
Each student must engage in class discussions, communicate ideas, to demonstrate course preparation.

II. Discussion Leader: Lead and facilitate class discussion, communicate ideas and make presentation. (20% of the grade)

There will be a “discussion leader” for each class meeting. The role of the discussion leader is two-fold. First, they are expected to prepare a 5 minute overview presentation of the reading (handout, a slides, photo/image or some other ‘take-away’ may be useful) A) The overview should contain the following information:

§ a brief overview of the major point(s) of the assigned reading;

§ a critique of the reading (i.e., what the discussion leader thinks that people should take away from the reading); and

§ points of contention with the reading

In all the critique should entail roughly one/two pages of notes per reading for distribution to the other students. The purpose of the overview is intended to give context to the subsequent discussions.

Class Presentations
III. Synthesize and Summarize arguments to support your position on the 2 topics (40% of your grade):

1. “What is Globalization” – Drawing from the class discussions, and your readings from the text as well as outside sources that you think are relevant, develop a careful definition of the term “globalization”. Then describe how you see it applying to cultural, economic, and or political processes in the world today. Argue and defend your position as (i) Globalists, (ii) skeptics or (iii) transformationailsts.

2. Is a global culture in the making? If you are asserting that culture is becoming global, what specific ideas, beliefs, values and norms are becoming global/universal (following the argument of homogenization or more hybridization)? Is it producing convergence or divergence? Does it undermine the authority of Nation State? Is there loss of identity and loss of culture or even cultural ‘colonialization’? Is Globality different from Modernity?

Each of your essays are 20% of the grade and should be a minimum of 1000 words and follow the conventions of the MLA Style Guide.

IV. Research Paper 20% of your grade

Research and make your arguments on a final paper on:

Is Globalization Civilizing or Distructive; Inclusive or Alienating; Uneven or Flat?

And Is the “global village” indeed open to all? Using the trope of “network society”

Relate your research to some aspect of cultural globalization; the anti-globalization movement; terrorism and globalization; global social movements; using examples from your own métier. Final papers are required to be 2500+ words and a minimum of five scholarly sources are required, these may included journal articles, scholarly books, and government reports. Supplemental articles from the popular press are encouraged for anecdotes and case studies only. Please use the MLA Format when citing materials.