Global and Regional Studies: Mobility&CulturalGlobalization

An advanced interdisciplinary seminar that examines the social, political, economic, natural, and cultural dimensions of globalization and transnational interdependencies. Topics vary by offering; periodic offering at intervals that may exceed four years. Prerequisites: Global Studies major; minimum second-semester Junior standing.

GRS 1500 minimum junior standing; GRS majors or minors only PACE students by permission and override

The Global Studies capstone seminar offers an opportunity to apply the cross-disciplinary knowledge and insights you’ve accumulated throughout your Global Studies major to the analysis of particular problems or questions in the field. In our section, we will explore how global-scope processes intersect with human cultures, focusing in particular on the implications of travel and other forms of globalization-linked mobility. How, for example, does the cross-cultural movement of people, products and ideas intersect with community identity? In what ways have such activities been a source of cultural engenderment or cultural destruction? How might (or should) these various outcomes change in today’s globally-interconnected world? And what might the experience of travel and cross-cultural encounter mean for our own individual lives? We will take an interdisciplinary approach to questions such as these, discovering how contemporary social theorists have interpreted the causes, effects, and power dynamics at work in instances of cross-cultural mobility, as well as some of the ways that individuals have sought to convey these issues, and channel our understanding of them, through written and visual media.

Students are expected to keep up with course assignments and to attend the class sessions well-prepared and ready to participate actively in discussion of the themes, perspectives and debates introduced throughout the semester. All course materials are available on Brightspace.

Coursework will culminate in a group research project/presentation at the end of the semester. Remaining assignments are largely designed to stimulate and enrich class discussion opportunities, and include a collaborative guided discussion activity, discussion board, and occasional short written responses to course readings or films.