GEOG 103: Introduction to Global Studies
Citrus College Course Outline of Record
| Heading | Value |
|---|---|
| Effective Term: | Fall 2024 |
| Credits: | 3 |
| Total Contact Hours: | 54 |
| Lecture Hours : | 54 |
| Lab Hours: | 0 |
| Hours Arranged: | 0 |
| Outside of Class Hours: | 108 |
| Total Student Learning Hours: | 162 |
| Strongly Recommended: | ENGL 101. |
| District General Education: | D2. Behavioral Science |
| Transferable to CSU: | Yes |
| Transferable to UC: | Yes - Approved |
| Grading Method: | Standard Letter |
Catalog Course Description
Course Objectives
- Examine world issues of cultural, political, economic and environmental consequence, examining the result of globalization on development, economic inequality and climate change.
- Learn relevant concepts that can help explain developments in the global economy and identify the role of structures and actors that have shaped the current global economy.
- Develop a deeper historical understanding of how the global economy has evolved and the impacts made on the environment, air quality and global fresh water supply.
- Demonstrate the ability to recognize major place names, landscape features and capitol cities on a map of the world.
- Compare the ideas, innovations, achievements and strategies for resolving major global issues of inequality, conflict and the environment.
- Explain how Thompson's Demographic Transition Model can be used to predict development patterns and issues of inequality.
Major Course Content
Module 1: Issues of Inequality (30% of semester)
· Class and social order
Global economic inequality
Theories on Class and Economies
Poverty
Labor and International Trade
Unions
Child labor
Human trafficking
WTO, World Bank, IMF
· Gender
Access to reproductive care/Family planning
Sexual Orientation and LBGTQ rights
Marriage laws
Human trafficking
· Education
Global systems of education
National education issues
Issues of Public and Private education services
Access to education in urban neighborhoods and racial inequality in education
Charter School/Public schools
Unions and labor
Module 2: Issues of Conflict (35% of semester)
Crime
The Global Drug trade
Case study- Afghanistan, Equator, Colombia, Mexico
The U.S. Prison system and private prisons
· War and conflict
Limited and total war
Terrorism
Religious conflicts
Domestic security and border conflicts
· Democracy and human rights
Nationalism
Democracy
Ethnic national pride vs. human solidarity
· Ethnicity and Religion
Religious Extremism
Ethnic sovereignty
Racial discrimination
Conflict in the holy land and occupation of Israel/Palestine
Module 3: Environmental Issues (35% of semester)
· Urbanization
Central Place Theory
Sustainable development
Issues with waste and drinking water
Case study of India and China
Counterurbanization
· Population and Health
Demographic Transition
Population Control
Disease, Pandemics and epidemiology
Health Care reform
John Snow, mapping Cholera and connection to Geography
· Technology and Energy
Internet access
Privacy and domestic spying
Censorship, privacy and identity issues
Types and uses of energy. Oil, Natural gas and economic futures
· Ecology
Global climate change/carbon emissions
Human modification of the environment/sustainability
Alternative energy resources
Suggested Reading Other Than Required Textbook
Zeeya Merali, Brian J. Skinner, Visualizing Earth Science, 1st Edition. Wiley, 2009
James M. Rubenstein. The Cultural Landscape. 11th edition. Prentice Hall, 2013.
Scholte, Jan Aart. 2005. “Globalization in History.” In: Jan Art Scholte, Globalization. A Critical Introduction. 2nd ed. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Pp.85-120.
Thomas, George M. 2007. “Globalization: The Major Players.” In: George Ritzer, ed., The Blackwell Companion to Globalization. Malden, MA: Blackwell. Pp.84-102
Harvey, David. 2005. “Freedom’s Just Another Word...” In: David Harvey, A Brief History of Neoliberalism. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Pp.5-38
Examples of Required Writing Assignments
Chapter 1-12 Review and Discussion Questions from Global Problems: The Search for Equality, Peace and Sustainability. 10 Points each. Due each week. Chapter 1-12 Making Connections Assignments from Global Problems: The Search for Equality, Peace and Sustainability. 10 points each. Due each week.
Assignment #2 Research Project on Global Issues: 1st- Students will perform a search of prior knowledge on historical and current issues facing the world and synthesize articles on their chosen topic. 10 points 2nd- Students will answer a series of questions on global issues. Responses should be typed. 10 points 3rd- Students will prepare a detailed summary on a particular issue and a people/place affected by the issue. 15 points 4th- Students will present to the class a comprehensive, cohesive and creative summary of their work. 15 points
Assignment #3 Two Dollars per Day Writing Assignment An estimated three billion of the world’s population subsists on less than U.S. $2 per day. Research and write a four-to-five page descriptive essay (approximately 1200 words) describing in detail what your life on this income ($700 per year) would be like. Make sure to include: •What do you do for work? •Describe your daily routine. •What happens when you become sick or injured? •What are your most pressing concerns? •What are the hopes for the future for yourself and your family?
Examples of Outside Assignments
Documentary: Last Call at the Oasis by Jessica Yu. (2012: 105 minutes) Available on DVD and Amazon Instant Video
Documentary: International Trade, Multi-National Corporations and The New Rulers of the World by John Pilger (2001: 50 mins): http://johnpilger.com/videos/the-newrulers- of-the-world
Video: The Take by Avi Lewis (2004) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEzXln5kbuw&list=PL5AFAD883AF178802
Movie: Capitalism—a love story, by Michael Moore (2009, 2hr 7mins), available on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNl_G0m_ABU
Documentary: Life and Debt. The 2001 film by Stephanie Black presents the case against the IMF’s structural adjustment policies in Jamaica. The theme of the film contrasts the tourist experience with the lives of everyday Jamaicans in poverty. Available in the Citrus Library or on DVD and Amazon Prime.