Young Buddhist Monk, Yangon, Myanmar

Texts --      

• Global Struggles and Social Change--on Syllabus and Blackboard

• The New Global Politics--online here

• Online readings linked on the syllabus and Blackboard

Course Description:  This course will focus on the process of globalization, it's current problems and the popular resistance to these problems around the world.  The course is interdisciplinary, meaning that we will examine globalization from the perspectives of many traditional academic disciplines:  political, economic, cultural, historical.  Our aim is to critically analyze and evaluate the phenomenon we study, and write about these phenomenon in a clear and concise manner.  

GIS Mission Statement

Human beings speak and act from positions that reflect their historical, economic, political, and

cultural contexts. Social factors such as power, gender, race, sexuality, and class shape global

institutions and practices in our twenty-first century geopolitical landscapes. Global

communities demand citizens who can analyze intersectional identities, overlapping diasporas,

and the historical structures that produce them. Global Interdisciplinary Studies (GIS) prepares

students to bridge a range of disciplines and equips them for international careers that contribute to the common good.

GIS Learning Goals and Objectives

Knowledge

• Power structures

• Global literacy

• Digital literacy

• Intercultural competencies

• Race, gender, class histories

• Written and oral dialogic skills

• Diversity of identities

Skills

• Critical thinking

• Analyses of social/cultural forms

• Integration of theory & practice

• Interdisciplinary research

Values

• Social justice

• Experiential learning

• Global citizenship

• Application of knowledge

Online Syllabus -- Check and refresh the online syllabus daily. Assignments may change, due dates may be altered, class may even get cancelled.  Unless you frequently check the online syllabus, you will be missing important information.  Do not print out the syllabus.  Let's save trees!

Classroom Etiquette: 

• NO use of cellphones

• Use laptops only when instructed to do so; otherwise, keep them closed.

• Please take care of personal needs before class. If at all possible, avoid leaving while class is ongoing, doing so is rude and disruptive and will negatively affect your class participation grade. 

• NO eating in class.  Drinks are fine.

• If these rules are not respected, your class participation grade will suffer.  (It counts for 25% of your final grade.)

Absences --  Three absences permitted per semester.  In addition, all students are permitted one personal day/absence per semester.  Please inform me in advance if you plan to take a personal day off.  

Class Participation -- Class discussion of the readings is a very important part of the course. You will be graded on the effectiveness, frequency and usefulness of your class remarks. Prepare for class discussion by noting aspects of the readings that interest you. It is up to you to speak up (more than a yes/no answer). See Participation Grading Scale below.

Reading -- You will have a reading assignment for every day of class.  Complete the readings before class. 

Quizzes -- Many readings will have an associated quiz on Blackboard >Content Homepage > Assessments. The quizzes are to be taken before class.  They are open book.  They will be closed at class time the day they are assigned.

Missed Quizzes--There are no make-up quizzes.  You must take them when they are assigned.  Students who are not satisfied with their quiz grades may also turn in a 3 page summary paper which will result in a grade of 100% on the quiz. See Quiz Makeup Essay in the sidebar.

Assignments -- There are 3 over the course of the semester (Links to Assignment details on the sidebar.)

1. Assn #1 -- Presentation -- Students will be assigned a 15-20 minute oral presentation once over the semester.  You will be given an article to summarize and illustrate with a PowerPoint.  Then you will write up your presentation in a short paper.

2. Assn #2 -- Scholarly journal article evaluation

3. Assn #3 -- Research paper and survey

See grading highlighting key below

Class Participation Grading Scale

Extra Credit Discussion Blog:  

• Share your opinions about current events or the course readings as they relate to the "real world" or anything else. For every two posts to this blog over the semester (5 sentences per post), you'll get a point added to your class participation grade--as long as all other class requirements are met on time.  Maximum 6 posts, 3 points.  Posts should appear over the course of the semester, not added at the end.

The Villanova Writing Center: Support for Writers at Work--Students are strongly encouraged to visit the Writing Center on the 2nd floor of Falvey Library with all writing projects and assignments. Staffed by well-trained undergraduate and graduate peer tutors, the Writing Center offers supportive advice during all stages of a student’s writing process.The Writing Center is open Sunday 3:30p.m. to 7:30p.m., Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and on Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. While students should call in advance for an hour-long appointment 610-519-4606, tutors will also do their best to work with "drop-in" writers.   

Office of Disabilities (ODS) and Learning Support Services (LSS)

It is the policy of Villanova to make reasonable academic accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. All students who need accommodations should go to Clockwork for Students via myNOVA to complete the Online Intake or to send accommodation letters to professors. Go to the LSS website http://learningsupportservices.villanova.edu or the ODS website https://www1.villanova.edu/university/student-life/ods.html for registration guidelines and instructions. If you have any questions please contact LSS at 610-519-5176 or learning.support.services@villanova.edu, or ODS at 610-519-3209 or ods@villanova.edu.

Academic Integrity

All students are expected to uphold Villanova’s Academic Integrity Policy and Code. Any incident of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for disciplinary action. For the College’s statement on Academic Integrity, you should consult the Student Guide to Policies and Procedures. You may view the University’s Academic Integrity Policy and Code, as well as other useful information related to writing papers, at the Academic Integrity Gateway web site:

https://library.villanova.edu/research/subject-guides/academicintegrity

Absences for Religious Holidays

Villanova University makes every reasonable effort to allow members of the community to observe their religious holidays, consistent with the University’s obligations, responsibilities, and policies. Students who expect to miss a class or assignment due to the observance of a religious holiday should discuss the matter with their professors as soon as possible, normally at least two weeks in advance. Absence from classes or examinations for religious reasons does not relieve students from responsibility for any part of the course work required during the absence. https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/provost/resources/student/policies/religiousholidays.html

Use Gender Neutral Language and appropriate pronouns

Grade: Your final grade will be based on your grades for assignments, exams, reading quizzes, blog posts and class participation grade--see Chart below.  The class participation grade will be derived from attendance and participation.

Grades are recorded in the class Blackboard gradebook.

To pass the course, all work must be completed by the dates stipulated in the syllabus