Course Description

The perspective of the course is the global economy and its consequences for the population and ecosystems of the global south, with particular emphasis on Afrida and the Caribbean. The course relates the conditions of the lives of the populations of Africa and teh Caribbean Basin (including Latin America). Particularly, we will focus on real effects of neo-globalization on the lives of the majority of the population that suffer its negative effects and on the environment in which this majority lives. The focus is on corporate globalism, on resistance, and on possibilities for alternatives. Case studies will examine the role of U.S. corporations, tourism, resistance movements, and rural alternatives.

Required reading:

  1. Reader, available at Zee Zee Copy, 2431C Durant Avenue, Sather Lane Mall
  2. Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith, eds. The Case Against the Global Economy. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books, 1996.
  3. Polly Pattullo. Last Resorts. London: Cassell, 1996.
  4. Arundathi Roy. Power Politics. Cambridge, Massachussetts: Southend Press. 2001.
The books are all available at Revolution Books in the mall between durant and Channing west of Telegraph avenue.

Course requirements:
45% 3 Midterm Examinations
15% Final Group Project
30% Final Examination
10% Class Presentation

MIDTERM:
There will be three mid-term examinations. Each exam will count for 15 percent of the grade. The examinations will be in-class essays. They will cover the three books Last Resorts, In the Shadows of State and Capital, and Development from Within.

FINAL GROUP PROJECT:
Students will be divided up into four groups covering the four parts of the book The Case Against the Global Economy. The two chapters of the introduction of the book will be covered by the group dealing with Part Three: Engines of Globalization. Each group will collaborate to do a report on each of the four sectiosn of the book. The report must be between 35-50 pages. The reports will be presented on May 4th. Group reports are due on the last day of classes (May 9th). Each report will cover issues raised in teh part of the book for which the group is responsible: The Multiple Impacts of Globalization, Panaceas that Failed, Introduction and Engines of Globalization, and Steps Towards Relocalization. It must be a critical discussion and elaboration of the issues covered in each of teh chapters of the section. The report must be based on additional research and show evidence of additional readings.

FINAL EXAMINATION:
There will be a final examination covering Power Politics and The Case Against the Global Economy.

CLASS DISCUSSION:
Each student will be responsible for presenting one chapter from the section of The Case Against the Global Economy to which her/his group is assigned. Every week at least one person from each group will be required to do a presentation of the chapter to which she/he has been assigned by the group. It is up to the group to make the decision as to which person will be assigned to each chapter. Presentations should be made in the order of the chapters. In other words, the group doing part one will begien with chapter 3, part two will begin with chapter 15, part three with chapter 1, and part four with chapter 33. For the first presentation, therefor, students doing chapters 1, 3, 15, and 33 will do the presentation. There may be need, at times, for more than one person from each group to present so that all the chapters will be covered by the end of the semester. Students doing presentation will be expected to prepare a written summray of the chapter of between one and two pages to be handed in to the class. All students will be expected to do the reading and to come prepared to discuss each of the readings.