I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Introduction to Global Studies

2. Course Prefix & Number:
GLST 1401

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 3

Lecture Hours: 3

Lab Hours: 0

4. Course Description:

This course introduces students to the basic concepts, trends, perspectives and interconnections of global society. Through readings, discussions, videos, webcasts and other activities, students examine the interdependence of people around the world and global issues that affect these relationships. It will provide an overview of the history and theoretical approaches that have created a global society through topics such as global politics, human rights, the natural environment, population, disease, gender, information technology, war and peace. This is a required course for the Global Studies Emphasis.

5. Placement Tests Required:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

9. Co-requisite Courses:

II. Transfer and Articulation

1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:

Century College, GST 2010 Introduction to Global Studies, 3 credits
Minneapolis Community & Technical College, GLOS 1500 Introduction to Global Studies, 3 credits
Riverland Community College, GLST 1500 Introduction to Global Studies, 3 credits

III. Course Purpose

2. MN Transfer Curriculum (General Education) Courses - This course fulfills the following goal area(s) of the MN Transfer Curriculum:

• Goal 5 – History and the Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Goal 8 – Global Perspective

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Employ the methods and data that historians and social and behavioral scientists use to investigate the human condition. MnTC Goal 5
• Examine social institutions and processes across a range of historical periods and cultures. MnTC Goal 5
• Develop and communicate alternative explanations or solutions for contemporary social issues. MnTC Goal 5
• Describe and analyze political, economic, and cultural elements which influence relations of states and societies in their historical and contemporary dimensions. MnTC Goal 8
• Analyze specific international problems, illustrating the cultural, economic, and political differences that affect their solution. MnTC Goal 8
• Understand the role of a world citizen and the responsibility world citizens share for their common global future. MnTC Goal 8

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1. Going Global.
• Why Global Studies?
• What We Talk About When We Talk About Globalization.
• Dimensions of Globalization.
• Global Citizenship: Rights, Responsibility, Inequalities, and Connections.
2. Nation-state System.
• Nations, States, and the Nation-state System.
• Emergence of the Nation-state System.
• Struggling States.
• The Nation-state’s Challenges and Competitors.
3. International Organizations.
• Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs).
• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
4. Human Rights.
• Where Do Human Rights Come From?
• Human Rights in the Modern Era.
• What Is Torture?
• How Are Human Rights Monitored and Enforced?
• Emerging Human Rights.
• Human Rights and Non-state Actors.
• Human Rights Abuses: Why They Affect Us All.
5. The Natural Environment.
• Global Climate Change.
• Ongoing Global Environmental Challenges.
• Waste Production.
• Environmental Discrimination.
• International Environmental Protection Efforts.
6. Population and Consumption.
• Global Population.
• Population Pressures.
• Consumption.
• Global Consumption Patterns.
7. Infectious Disease and Globalization.
• Microbes and Infectious Diseases: A Brief Overview.
• Infectious Disease and Globalization: The Current Picture.
• The Global Fight against Infectious Disease: Current Challenges.
8. The Gendered World.
• Defining Our Terms.
• Gender, Poverty, and Development.
• Labor and Migration.
• Human Security and Human Rights.
• Education and Health.
9. Information and Communication Technologies.
• Information and Communication Technologies.
• The Information Age.
• Networked: The Impact of the Internet.
• The Digital Divide.
• New Media.
10. War and Violent Conflict.
• When Does Violent Conflict become War?
• Types of War and Violent Conflict.
• War and Pre-history.
• The History of War.
• Causes of War.
• Ethical and Legal Dimensions of War.
• The Costs of War.
11. Peace.
• What Constitutes Peace? Defining Our Terms.
• Origins of the Modern Peace Movement.
• Waging Peace.
• Global Connections: The Personal Dimension of Peace.