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Global Studies

Program Director. Jack Lule, Ph.D. (Georgia) Professor and Director of Global Studies and the Globalization and Social Change Initiative and Chair and Professor of Journalism & Communication; 610-758-4177; jack.lule@lehigh.edu

Professors. Marie-Helene Chabut, Ph.D. (U.C. San Diego), Chair and Professor of Modern Languages and Literature; Bruce Moon, Ph.D. (Ohio State), International Relations

Associate professors. Vera Fennell, Ph.D. (Chicago) Political Science and Global Studies; Janet Laible, Ph.D. (Yale) Political Science; Rob Rozehnal, Ph.D. (Duke) Religion Studies and Director of Global Islamic Studies; John Savage, Ph.D. (NYU),History

Assistant professors. Kelly Austin, Ph.D. (North Carolina State), Sociology & Anthropology; Bill Bulman, Ph.D. (Yale), History; Nandini Deo, Ph.D. (Yale), Political Science; John Jirik, Ph.D. (Texas), Journalism and Communication and Global Studies; Bruce Whitehouse Ph. D. (Brown) Sociology and Anthropology and Global Studies.

Global Studies. Terrorism. Poverty. The dollar. Global warming. The World Cup. Immigration. MTV International. The United Nations. Ethnic cleansing. McDonald’s.

Almost every aspect of human existence has been touched by the dynamic of globalization, which may be the defining characteristic of the 21st Century.

Yet, the origins, history, evolution, and impact of globalization – even its very definition – are subject to intense debate. We can surely say, however, that every student leaving college and entering the workforce – the world – should have a fundamental understanding of globalization.

Such understanding will give students crucial knowledge and skills that will set them apart in this new world and help them succeed in an increasingly globalized context. It will help them anticipate the social, cultural, economic and political changes brought about by globalization — and the resistance to globalization. It will better prepare students to draw connections in an interdependent and interconnected world.

Global Studies is a relatively new and increasingly popular major at universities worldwide, including Yale, UCLA, the London School of Economics and others. Different from study in an individual department, Global Studies is emphatically interdisciplinary, with professors from anthropology, journalism, sociology, modern languages and literature, religion studies, political science, history, international relations, and others. Increasingly, the most important questions cannot be answered by one discipline but by the combined efforts of multiple disciplines.

Although study of globalization has gone on at Lehigh for years, the University formally created the Globalization and Social Change Initiative in Fall 2006, and the major in Global Studies followed soon after.

The Initiative’s three main areas of focus are Global Communication, Culture and Identity, and Politics and Social Structures. Rooted in these areas of interest, the major examines how the forces of globalization shape and are shaped by history, culture, economics, politics, communication, and other fundamental aspects of the human condition.

In many Global Studies programs, students choose from a sprawling array of courses tied together loosely by virtue only of international content. Global Studies at Lehigh directs students in a more focused manner to core courses that confront, from the perspectives of multiple disciplines, perhaps the single, central force shaping the world today – globalization.

The program requires a total of 40 credits, intermediate language proficiency, a semester of study abroad, and a global studies research project undertaken as part of a capstone seminar.

The program also takes advantage of Lehigh’s NGO (non-government organization) status at the United Nations. Students have the opportunity to meet and work with UN officials. A number of Global students become delegates to the UN for international NGOs while they are still at Lehigh.

Careers in Global Studies. Career opportunities are numerous for graduates of Global Studies. Professions in the 21^st century increasingly are demanding global understanding and expertise as well as the ability to take on interdisciplinary work across boundaries. People trained in the interdisciplinary field of GlobalStudies have increasing advantages over those trained in a single discipline.

Through the Global Studies major, students acquire a strong grounding in global affairs and an understanding of the complex phenomenon of globalization. They engage in problem-solving across boundaries and cultures. They are able to critically and analytically evaluate information from a comparative perspective. They learn to be effective communicators and learn to argue and defend complex views in writing, such as policy papers, and public speaking, such as individual and group presentations, to a variety of global audiences. Careers paths include work with:

Global culture industries music, film, sports, –MTV, Disney, the NBA, Coca Cola

Global environment World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace, Sierra International

Global Studies Major

Introductory Course

Core Courses (4 courses; 16 credits): One course from each core area that explores how globalization shapes and is shaped by:

History

Culture

Political Economy

Politics

Advanced Coursework (2 courses): Students can choose from a wide variety of Global Studies courses each semester, including but not limited to:

One advanced course can be replaced by an approved, overseas internship or relevant, supervised experiential learning in the United States. The program will work to develop a network of global internships.

Area Studies (2 courses): Two courses from one Area Studies program, including area studies coursework from study abroad approved by adviser:

Africana Studies

Asian Studies

Latin American Studies

European Studies

Senior Seminar (1 course; 4 credits):

Collateral Requirements:

Intermediate language proficiency: (Intermediate II or equivalent) in a language taught at Lehigh, other than the student’s native language

Study abroad: 12 credits of study abroad, taken in one semester, or one 6-credit summer sessions with approval of adviser, for financial or academic reasons. In all cases, coursework can be substituted, with the guidance of an adviser, if student is financially or academically unable to study abroad)

Global Studies Minor

A minor in Global Studies consists of four courses, including GS 1 and three courses from the list of core and advanced classes, with one class at the 200 level or above. Visits to the UN as well as study abroad or Lehigh Abroad are strongly recommended.

Course Listings

GS 1 Introduction to Global Studies (4)

MTVInternational. Islam. Yao. The UN. Global warming. Terrorism. McDonald’s. Almost every aspect of human existence has been touched in some way by the dynamic of globalization. The historical and continuing integration of peoples, cultures, markets and nations, globalization may become the defining characteristic of the 21st Century. It has been a Janus-like force of two faces, with advantages and disadvantages, surfeit and suffering. In this emphatically interdisciplinary course, the foundation class for the Global Studies major and intended for freshmen and sophomores, students will be introduced to a variety of historical, critical and analytical perspectives, methods and vocabularies for continued study of globalization and social change. Lule (SS/GCP)

GS 3 (POLS 3) Comparative Politics (4)

The political systems of foreign countries; approaches to the study of comparative politics. (SS)

GS 6 (MLL6) Globalization and Cultures (4)

This course is a reflection on the processes of globalization and their consequences, both good and bad, on the world’s societies and on our concepts of culture and identity. It provides a multidisciplinary examination of what cultures gain and lose from their interaction with the rest of the world and what it means to be a citizen of a globalized yet diverse world. (HU)

GS 100 (PHIL 100, POLS 100) Introduction to Political Thought (4)

A critical examination of political ideologies: Liberalism, Marxism, Fascism, and Islamism. Matthews (ND)

GS 101 (HIST 101) Histories of Globalization (4)

Critical historical perspectives on current debates around “globalization” and the varied paths and responses to modernity, using recent scholarship associated with the New Global History. The “Rise of the West” paradigm, Industrial Revolution and modernization theory; creation of global financial markets, nation-building and New Imperialism; Great Depression and World Wars as global historical events; postwar decolonization, Cold War and emergence of North-South relations; impact of consumerism, movements for women's rights, ethnic nationalism and religious fundamentalist movements in tradition-bound societies. Savage (HU)

GS 106 (ANTH 106) Cultural Studies and Globalization (4)

This course closely examines the complex relationship between culture and globalization. The impact of globalization on local culture is an essential topic. But the interaction of globalization and culture is not a oneway process. People around the world adapt globalization to their own uses, merging global cultural flows with local practices in transformative ways. The course will study the interaction of local culture with globalizing forces; immigration and culture; the localizing of mass culture; cultures of diasporic and migratory groups, and globalization, gender and identity. (SS)

GS 107 (HIST 107) Technology and World History (4)

Development of technology and its relationship to political, economic, military, and cultural aspects of world civilization from pyramids to the present period. Smith (SS)

GS 126 (SSP 126) The Political Economy of Globalization (4)

This course studies the relationship among economic, political and cultural forces in an era of globalization. Focus is on how global capitalism, the world market and local economics shape and are shaped by social, cultural and historical forces. Topics include political and cultural determinants of trade and investment; culture and the global economy; global capitalism, especially studied through the lens of culture; globalization and patterns of economic growth; cross-cultural study of consumerism; poverty and inequality; the interplay of foreign and domestic economic policy; international economic organizations, such as the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank, and globalization and national development. (SS)

GS 201 (POLS 201, ASIA 201) Democracy and Dictatorship in South Asia (4)

Theories of democracy and democratization explored in the South Asian context. Relationship of democracy to economic development and identity considered. How do historical legacies of colonialism and conflict shape contemporary outcomes. Deo (SS)

GS 244 (GCP/REL 244) Globalization and Religion (4)

This course examines the complexity of globalization and its multi-layered impact on religious identity and piety. Though comparative in methodology and historical framework, the class will give special attention to Islam and Hinduism in South Asia. Topics include: European colonialism; Orientalism and its legacy; religious nationalism; Islamophobia; and the Internet and mass media. Rozehnal (HU)

GS 246 (JOUR/IR 246) International Communication (4) summer

The subject matter is crucial to understanding modern life: the role of international news media in world affairs. The class studies the social, political and economic contexts that frame the reporting of international events by U.S. news media, such as politics, war, disasters, and other crises, as well as U.S. reporting on international issues, such as poverty, disease, and environmental change. The course also surveys reporting practices in nations around the world, including the varying systems of journalism and mass media and the brutal censorship and repression facing many foreign journalists. Lule (SS)

GS 248 (COM 248) Global Communication (4)

This class studies, from an historical and cultural perspective, how globalization shapes and is shaped by communication and media structures and processes, with special emphasis on transnational media corporations and their interaction with cultures around the globe. Topics include: globalization, media and culture; mass media and development; the flow of entertainment programs and debates on cultural imperialism; media and migration; the imbalanced flow of information in the world; the debate on the New World Information Order; and forms of resistance to transnational media from world governance institutions, such as UNESCO, state regulatory responses, and alternative media, such as citizen blogs and pirate radio. Jirik. (SS)

GS 315 (ANTH 315) Seminar in Globalization and Culture (4)

Advanced seminar that focuses on research and discussion of specialized topics in globalization and culture. Subjects vary by semester. May be repeated for credit. Junior or senior standing and departmental permission required. Whitehouse. (SS)

GS 318 Seminar in Globalization and Communication (4)

Advanced seminar that focuses on research and discussion of specialized topics in globalization and communication. Subjects vary by semester. May be repeated for credit. Junior or senior standing and departmental permission required. Staff (SS)

GS 320 (ANTH 320, GCP 320) Global Capitalism (4)

Anthropological approach to the forms and effects of global capitalism. Topics include the structure of contemporary global capitalism, including the growth of multinational corporations, flexible corporate strategies, overseas manufacturing, and global branding and marketing; the impact of global capitalism on the environment and on the lives of people in “Third World” countries; consumer culture and the diversity of non-Western consumption practices; alternative capitalist systems, especially Asian capitalisms. Staff (SS)

GS 321 (MLL 321, MLL 421, GCP 321) Intercultural Communication (4)

Language is ambiguous by nature and discourse is interpreted in cultural and linguistic contexts. This course covers different cultural and linguistic strategies individuals use to communicate with each other, essential concepts for interacting with individuals from other cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and different strategies of communication as defined by specific cultures. Covering the theory and practice of intercultural interaction, this course examines assumptions about language and culture, and includes practical advice to help students develop the cultural sensitivity essential for communication today. (HU/ED)

GS 322 (GCP 322, HMS 322, SSP 322) Global Health Issues (4)

Sociological dimensions of health, illness, and healing as they appear in different parts of the world. Focus on patterns of disease and mortality around the world, with special emphasis on major epidemics such as HIV/AIDS, and malaria; the relative importance of ‘traditional' and ‘modern' beliefs and practices with regard to disease and treatment in different societies; the organization of national health care systems in different countries; and the role of international organizations and social movements in promoting health. Lasker (SS)

GS 324 (ANTH 324, AAS 324) Globalization and Development in Africa (4)

Course examines the challenges Africa presents to expectations of modernization and development. It poses these questions: Have African societies been left behind by globalization, shut out from it, or do they reflect an unexpected side of globalization processes? What is Africa’s place in the neo-liberal world order? What role does “African culture” play in generating or blocking social change? How can anthropology illuminate prospects for change on what has long been regarded as the “dark continent”? Whitehouse (WI) (SS)

GS 325 (POLS 325) Nationalism in Comparative Perspective (4)

Examination of major theoretical and policy debates in contemporary studies of nationalism. Focus on the emergence and endurance of nationalist movements in the modern era. Discussion of efforts to evaluate the legitimacy of nationalist claims and to resolve nationalist conflict. Prerequisite: POLS 3. Laible

GS 328 (SSP 328) Global Food Systems (4)

Where does our food come from? How does it get to our tables? Why are there famines in some parts of the world and obesity epidemics in other parts of the world? This course will investigate these questions by focusing on food systems – the chains of social action that link food producers to food consumers. We will also explore a range of alternatives to global food systems that emphasize food democracy, security, and sustainability. (SS)

GS 329 (SSP 329) Global Migration (4)

International migration is transforming societies at both the global and national levels, and in both origin and destination areas. Why do people move? What are the consequences of these movements? We will investigate the political and economic explanations for international migration and explore how each act of migration contributes to the trans-nationalization of social relations, alters existing livelihoods, transforms economic production and social support arrangements, and recreates racial, ethnic, and national identities. (SS)

GS 339 (POLS 339, ASIA 339) The Rise of the State in Modern East Asia (4)

An examination of the role of Asian nationalism in the construction of the modern state form in Asia. Fennell (SS)

GS 342 (POLS 342, WGSS 342) Gender and Third World Development (4)

Focus on gender implications of contemporary strategies for Third World economic growth, neo-liberalism. How do economic theories affect ‘real people?' How do economic theories affect men vs. women? What is the role of people who want to ‘help?' Some background in economic theories and/or Third World politics desired, but not required. Prerequisite: POLS 1 or WGSS 1.

GS 343 (AAS 343, ASIA 343, POLS 343) Global Politics of Race: Asia and Africa (4)

An examination of the concept of “race” and its impact on domestic and international politics. Fennell (SS)

GS 351 (HIST 351) Gangs of New York (3)

The course will use the Martin Scorcese film “The Gangs of New York” as a window to examine the social economic transformations of New York City in the middle of the nineteenth century. Emphasis will be on immigration, slum gangs and street violence, politics, the Draft Riot of 1863, and the Tweed Ring. A recurrent theme will be to compare the historical record with the film’s depiction of those events. There will be a required evening showing of the film. NOT AVAILABLE FOR PASS/FAIL. Simon (HU)

GS 355 (HIST 355) Destruction and Reconstruction of Europe, 1879-1950 (3)

An analysis of the decline and disintegration of European civilization through two world wars and Europe's reintegration in the era of the European Union. Emphasis on the development of the European state system, international conflict, and political thought. Baylor (SS)

GS 365 (PSYC 365) Human Development in Cross-Cultural Perspective (4)

The formation of mind and personality is shaped in profound ways by the sociocultural contexts within which individuals develop. This course introduces students to basic theoretical and methodological issues and explores important examples of cross-cultural variation and diversity, using comparisons between different societies and between different subcultures within American society. Topics include cognition, language, personality, moral development, socio-emotional development, identity, attachment, and socialization. Materials drawn from anthropology, sociology and education in addition to psychology. Prerequisite: PSYC 107 or PSYC 109 or PSYC/SSP 121 or ANTH 1 or consent of instructor. Department permission required. Nicolopoulou (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

GS 375 Senior Seminar in Global Studies (4)

Advanced seminar with readings, in-depth discussion, and independent research. The goal of the seminar is for each student to produce a research project that might prepare him or her for the first steps after graduation. For example, students interested in global culture industries might do research on issues or organizations in that area. Students interested in human justice might do research on issues or organizations on that area. Staff (WI) (SS)

GS 390 Readings in Global Studies (1-4)

Directed course of readings for students with interests in Global Studies not fully explored in regular course offerings. Junior or senior standing required. May be repeated for credit. Departmental permission required. (HU)

GS 391 Special Topics in Global Studies (1-4)

Research and study for students with interests in Global Studies not fully explored in regular course offerings. Junior or senior standing required. May be repeated for credit. Departmental permission required. (SS)

GS 392 Internship in Global Studies (1-4)

Supervised work relevant to global studies, including internships at the United Nations, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), government organizations, and other public and private agencies. May be repeated for credit. Department permission required. Lule (SS)

GS 394 Honors Thesis in Global Studies (1-4)

To graduate with honors in Global Studies, students need to attain a 3.5 grade point average in Global Studies classes; a 3.5 grade point average overall, and complete 4 credits of GS 399 Honors Thesis at the time of graduation. The four credits may be taken in one semester or split over two semesters. The honors thesis is an intensive project of original research, undertaken under the direct supervision of a faculty adviser. Senior standing required. May be repeated for credit. Departmental permission required. (SS)

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