Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

The study of issues related to work and/or trade unions not offered in regular courses. Students who have completed special temporary topics course LBST 389 cannot complete this course for further credit when it is offered as "Studying Labour Through Film."

COURSE DETAILS:

It has been more than thirty years since political leaders began crafting the system of agreements and policies that collectively we refer to as globalization. In that time there has been an enormous amount of scholarship, and even more popular discussion, examining and debating the nature of this new era.  Yet despite how widespread discussion of globalization is, it remains a topic rife with confusion and contradiction. One the one hand the new populism rising in the USA and Europe frames globalization as the enemy of every nation’s citizens; on the other neo-liberal politicians insist that it is the only path forward. In part the contradiction emerges from the scope and scale of globalization – it is an enormous phenomenon that shapes the lives of nearly everyone on the planet in some way. But the confusion also emerges from the simple fact that globalization impacts people differently depending on the geographic and socio-economic location in the world. Thus examining globalization requires attention to these complexities.

This course is an attempt to explore some of these intricacies, particularly from the viewpoint of workers. It will explore the debated nature of globalization as a phenomenon, and then move to examining the economic and social effects of globalized neo-liberal capitalism. It will finish by exploring some of the resistance to globalization, and discussing the potential for other versions of internationalism that might be more beneficial to workers. In the process we will explore as a group how globalization shapes our lives, and how we feel about the changes it has wrought. Finally, we will talk about how to reclaim the power to make sure that the future of globalization works for us.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Students will finish this course with a deeper understanding of the contested notion of globalization, as well as concepts like neoliberalism, capitalism, and free trade. They will also better understand the nature of international economic and political agreements, and the way they shape the everyday lives of people. They will also be acquainted with potential alternatives to contemporary globalized capitalism, from a broad range of philosophies. More practically, this course will help students develop research skills (both academic and of grey literature), argumentative writing skills, and especially capacity for critical debate and discussion. The class will work to develop the ability to analyze and evaluate complex and contradictory ideas and concepts, and to share insights with classmates.

Grading

Materials

REQUIRED READING: