SPRING 2015 COURSES: FOUNDATIONS OF GLOBAL STUDIES (INTL390) AND DEVELOPMENT-URBANIZATION-WORK (INTL407)

FOUNDATIONS OF GLOBAL STUDIES (INTL390) - SPRING 2015

“I'm no prophet. My job is making windows where there were once walls.” - Michel Foucault

“When I say “capitalism,” I mean a full, pure, uncontrolled, unregulated laissez-faire capitalism—with a separation of state and economics, in the same way and for the same reasons as the separation of state and church.” – Ayn Rand

Short Course Description:This course is designed to give an overview of social and political theories, and will examine questions of state and society; in so doing, we will address theoretical questions such as: What are the origins of current social, political and economic transformations? What is the relationship between the individual and society? How is alienation created in modern economic structures? How has the state formed and how has it changed over time? What is the relationship between the state and citizen? Do you think we are more obedient and less free than 50 years ago? Are we becoming more individualistic, and if so, why? What is organic and mechanic solidarity? Do you think we live a more community-oriented life or a societal life (which is compromised of interconnected individuals)? What is the one-dimensional man? Are we believers, individuals, citizens or consumers? What are our rights in the nation-state, and how has this changed under modern neoliberal conditions? Are corporations replacing the role of the nation-state?

READINGS:

1. Social Theory The Multicultural, Global, and Classic Readings By Charles Lemert (Author) March 2013. 
2. Readings in Globalization: Key Concepts and Major Debates By GeorgeRitzer (Editor), Zeynep Atalay (Editor) 2010.

DEVELOPMENT, URBANIZATION AND WORK (INTL 407) - SPRIGN 2015 

Urbanization is not about simply increasing the number of urban residents or expanding the area of cities. More importantly, it's about a complete change from rural to urban style in terms of industry structure, employment, living environment and social security.  Li KeqianG

Short Course Description: The subject of this course is work, urbanization and development in the globalized world. These three concepts cannot be understood separately, they are all related with, and influence one another. In this class, we will explore these three components of modern life.

READINGS:

1. Timmons Roberts and Amy Hite (Editors). The Globalization and Development Reader: Perspectives on Development and Global Change. 
2. Saskia Sassen. The Global City: New York, London, Tokyo. Princeton University Press 2001. 
3. Keith Grint, The Sociology of Work, Polity Press, 2005.