Global Issues & Society - IDST 2205 - Spring 2000
Dr. Jeffrey P. Blick
Meeting Place and Time: Arts & Sciences 272; Tuesdays 2:00-3:50 PM
Blick’s Office: 2-14 A&S; 445-0937; jblick@mail.gcsu.edu
Office Hours: T&TH 8:30-9:30 AM, 11:00 AM-12:30 PM & by appt.
Web Pages:
http://www.faculty.de.gcsu.edu/~jblick/
http://www.faculty.de.gcsu.edu/~dvess/gissues/global.shtml (Click on Syllabus)
Required Textbooks and Activities:
*State of the World 1999 edited by Lester R. Brown et al. (W.W. Norton & Co., 1999)
*Global Issues 99/00 (15th ed.) edited by Robert M. Jackson (Dushkin/McGraw-Hill,
1999)
*Student Atlas of World Politics (4th ed.) by John L. Allen (Dushkin/McGraw-Hill,
2000)
*Students will be expected to stay up to date regarding current national and international
news by listening to National Public Radio, CNN, and/or other news sources.
Course Description:
Global Issues & Society (IDST 2205) is a thematic course addressing contemporary global concerns that may require a relatively uniform global solution, especially as we approach the transition to the 21st century. Issues to be explored include globalization vs. tribalization, economics & development, energy & resources, forests & biodiversity, oceans & waters, risks & hazards, food & population, conflict & violence, urbanism & city life, global inequality, gender inequality, and ideals & values. This course will be approached primarily from the anthropological and geographical perspectives. That is, we will look at the above issues as they relate to human culture, the place of humans in the world, and the spatial distributions of human cultural and social phenomena. Since many of the topics to be covered are controversial (at least in part), this class is bound to be exciting and thought provoking. Students in the modern world must be prepared to face up to the ramifications of mass human behavior and they must also learn to formulate their own ideas and opinions regarding how to deal with such complex global issues.
Course Objectives:
1. To develop an appreciation for differences between peoples and cultures.
2. To develop a sense of world mindedness.
3. To develop an awareness of the different ways people inhabit, modify, and adapt
culturally to natural environments.
4. To develop the ability to understand and react to complex international and
intercultural issues.
5. To develop an awareness and understanding of other cultures, countries, and peoples
from cultural, social, geographic, political, economic, and other points of view.
6. To develop an understanding of global social and economic development.
7. To develop an understanding of health and family issues across the globe.
8. To develop an understanding of global conflict and diversity.
9. To develop an understanding of issues related to world governance.
10. To develop intercultural problem solving strategies.
11. To develop the ability to think logically and critically, and to apply knowledge from
multiple disciplines to many different contexts.
12. To develop the ability to locate, identify, and use sources of information from
multiple disciplines to address global problems.
13. To read various texts on global issues and to address those issues verbally and in
writing.
Course Requirements and Grading Procedure:
There will be 2 quizzes during the course of the semester. There are also Midterm and Final Exams. Quizzes and exams are generally in the multiple choice format.
This class uses the 10 Point Grading Scale (90-100=A, 80-89=B, 70-79=C, 60-69=D, 59 and below=F). Unexcused absences and missed quizzes or exams due to unexcused absences cannot be made up. Excuses must be signed by a doctor or other official giving a valid explanation for the absence. In the event of a missed quiz or exam, the student must notify the professors within 48 hours of the absence.
20% of your grade is based on attendance (see above)
20% of your grade is based on quizzes (2) at 10% each
30% of your grade is based on the Midterm Exam
30% of your grade is based on the Final Exam
100% : TOTAL POSSIBLE PERCENTAGE POINTS
Course Schedule:*
You will be expected to have read the assignments listed PRIOR to coming to class.
T 1/11/00 Bureaucratic & Administrative Details. Introduction to Global Issues.
T 1/18/00 Globalization vs. Tribalization
Read: Global Issues 2, 4, & 15
The Many Faces of the Future
Redefining Security: The New Global Schisms
The Complexities & Contradictions of Globalization
Read: Student Atlas of World Politics
Map 1, Current World Political Boundaries
Map 8, World Religions
Map 9, World Languages
Map 19, Linguistic Diversity
Table B, World Countries: Form of Government, Capital City,
MajorLanguages
T 1/25/00 Economics & Development
Read: State of the World, Ch. 1
A New Economy for a New Century
Read: Global Issues 14, 16, & 17
We Can Build a Sustainable Economy Prosper or Perish?
An Illusion for Our Time
Read: Student Atlas of World Politics
Part III - The Global Economy (Maps 29-39)
Map 44, Total Labor Force
Map 46, Illiteracy Rates
Map 47, Unemployment & Labor Migration
Map 49, The Index of Human Development
Table I, World Countries: Education & Literacy, 1995-1997
T 2/1/00 Energy & Resources
QUIZ 1 Read: State of the World, Ch. 2 & 3
Reinventing the Energy System
Forging a Sustainable Materials Economy
Read: Global Issues 13 & 40
The Rush for Caspian Oil
The Future of Energy
Read: Student Atlas of World Politics
Map 53, Energy Production Per Capita
Map 54, Energy Requirements Per Capita
Map 55, Energy Dependency
Map 56, Flows of Oil
Map 57, Production of Crucial Materials
Map 58, Consumption of Crucial Materials
Table L, World Countries: Energy Production & Use, 1980-1996
Table N, World Countries: Energy Efficiency & Emissions, 1980-
1996
T 2/8/00 The Environment, Part I: Forests & Biodiversity
Read: State of the World, Ch. 4 & 6
Reorienting the Forest Products Economy
Appreciating the Benefits of Plant Biodiversity
Read: Global Issues 1, 10, 11, & 12
A Special Moment in History
The Global Challenge
The Great Climate Flip-Flop
Stumped By Trees
Read: Student Atlas of World Politics
Part VI: Environmental Conditions (Maps 59-62)
Map 2, World Climate Regions
Map 3, World Topography
Map 4, World Ecological Regions
Map 6, Land Use Patterns of the World
Table K, Land Use & Deforestation, 1980-1996
T 2/15/00 The Environment, Part II: Oceans & Waters
Read: State of the World, Ch. 5
Charting a New Course for Oceans
Read: Global Issues 9
Angling for Aquaculture
Read: Student Atlas of World Politics
Map 61, Air & Water Quality
Table M, World Countries: Water Resources
T 2/22/00 Risks & Hazards
Read: Global Issues 36 & 37
Peace Prize Goes to Land-Mine Opponents
Child Labour: Rights, Risks, & Realities
Read: Student Atlas of World Politics
Map 5, World Natural Hazards
T 2/29/00 MIDTERM EXAM on all material covered to this point.
T 3/7/00 Food & Population
Read: State of the World, Ch. 7
Feeding Nine Billion
Read: Global Issues 1, 5, 6, 8, & 9
A Special Moment in History
Before the Next Doubling
Worldwide Development or Population Explosion: Our Choice
How Much Food Will We Need in the 21st Century?
Angling for Aquaculture
Read: Student Atlas of World Politics
Map 6, Land Use Patterns of the World
Map 7, World Population Density
Map 40, Population Growth Rates
Map 41, Infant Mortality Rate
Map 42, Average Life Expectancy at Birth
Map 43, Population by Age Group
Map 45, Urban Population Map 50, Production of Staples - Cereals, Roots, Tubers
Map 51, Agricultural Production Per Capita
Map 52, Calories Available as a Percentage of Need
Map 60, Soil Degradation
Table A, World Countries: Area, Population, & Population
Density, 1998
Table F, World Countries: Population Growth, 1950-2050
Table G, World Countries: Basic Demographic Data, 1975-2000
Table H, World Countries: Mortality, Health, & Nutrition, 1997 Table J, World Countries: Agricultural Operations, 1994-1997
Table K, Land Use & Deforestation, 1980-1996
T 3/14/00 Conflict & Violence
Read: State of the World, Ch. 9
Ending Violent Conflict
Read: Global Issues 7, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, & 36
Refugees: The Rising Tide (also Map 15 in Student Atlas)
The Post-Modern State & World Order
The New Arms Race: Light Weapons & International Security
Ethnic Conflict: Think Again
Nuclear Brinkmanship in South Asia
Uncertainty, Insecurity, & China’s Military Power
Russian Foreign Policy in the Near Abroad & Beyond
The Case for Nuclear Deterrence Today
Taking Nuclear Weapons Off Hair-Trigger Alert
A Watchful Eye: Monitoring the Conventional Arms Trade
Justice Goes Global
Read: Student Atlas of World Politics
Part II - States: Alliances & Conflicts (Maps 11-28)
Table C, Defense Expenditures, Arm Forces, Refugees, & The
Arms Trade
Table D, Armed Conflict in the 1990s
T 3/21/00 Urbanism & City Life
QUIZ 2 Read: State of the World, Ch. 8
Exploring a New Vision for Cities
Read: Student Atlas of World Politics
Map 6, Land Use Patterns of the World
Map 45, Urban Population
Table K, Land Use & Deforestation, 1980-1996
T 3/28/00 NO CLASS: SPRING BREAK (March 27-31)
T 4/4/00 Global Inequality & Gender Inequality
Read: Global Issues 3, 39, & 42
Life is Unfair: Inequality in the World
A Fourth Way?: The Latin American Alternative to Neoliberalism
Women in Power: From Tokenism to Critical Mass
Read: Student Atlas of World Politics
Map 18, Global Distribution of Minority Groups
Map 30, Rich & Poor Countries: Gross National Product
Map 31, Gross National Product Per Capita
Map 32, Relative Wealth of Nations: Purchasing Power Parity
Table E, World Countries: Basic Economic Indicators, 1997
Map 41, Infant Mortality Rate
Map 42, Average Life Expectancy at Birth
Map 48, The Gender Gap: Inequalities in Education &
Employment
Map 49, The Index of Human Development
Map 51, Agricultural Production Per Capita
Table H, World Countries: Mortality, Health, & Nutrition, 1997
Table I, World Countries: Education & Literacy, 1995-1997
T 4/11/00 Building a Sustainable Society
Read: State of the World Ch. 10
Building a Sustainable Society
Read: Global Issues 14
We Can Build a Sustainable Economy
T 4/18/00 Ideals & Values: Wrap-Up & Synthesis
Read: Global Issues 33 & 38
The First Fifty Years: The Main Achievements
Universal Human Values: Finding an Ethical Common Ground
T 5/2/00 FINAL EXAM, 2:00-4:45 PM. Material will be on everything from the
second half of the semester (i.e., since the midterm).
*This schedule is an outline of planned course activities which may be modified as necessary.
Requests for Modifications:
Any student requiring instructional modifications due to a documented disability should make an appointment with the instructor as soon as possible. An official letter from GC&SU documenting the disability will be expected in order to receive accommodations.
In Case of Fire:
In the event of a fire alarm signal, students should exit the building in a quick and orderly manner through the nearest hallway exit. First and second floor classes should exit through ground level exits; third floor classes should exit through the nearest stairwell to a ground level exit. Do not use the elevator. Third floor stairwells are areas where disabled people may communicate with rescue workers. Be familiar with the floor plan and exits of this building.
The Deadline for Dropping This Course Without Penalty Is March 2, 2000.
