Rethinking Globalization
Nature, Culture, and Justice
Itinerary Curriculum
Two Semesters, 32 Credits
September 2008– May 2009
The 2008/2009 International Honors Program on Rethinking Globalization offers students a chance to explore what have been the realities of "development" over the past 50 years. Given the enormous environmental, social and cultural problems facing the world today, can we indeed still talk of "development" as if it were a power for good? Rethinking Globalization students will have the opportunity to meet some of the world's most important critics of the notion of development and will see for themselves the consequences of a globalized economy that has now reached into every part of the world, affecting the lives of every single individual. They will visit urban and rural landscapes and communities affected by globalization; they will learn first-hand about the movements that have arisen to combat such changes and will learn about alternatives to the dominant worldview and practice. A curriculum of interdisciplinary courses draws on the fields of anthropology, ecology, political economy, and environmental policy to examine ways of understanding how globalization, development and progress impact the planet and its inhabitants, not least in terms of the consequences of global warming and climate change.
This two semester around-the-world program, begun under the leadership of Edward Goldsmith, the founder of The Ecologist magazine, is in its eighteenth year studying issues of globalization, ecological sustainability and social justice. The program pairs traveling faculty from a cross section of disciplines with in-country faculty and guest lectures. Students learn directly from place-based examples and local people about global-national-local interrelationships and realities, and the multiple ways in which a more humane, just and ecologically secure world is being shaped.
Accommodations: Students will be hosted by a diverse mix of institutions, organizations, and families in both urban and rural communities. The homestays and varied accommodations (i.e., dormitories, camping, community centers, hostels, and retreat destinations) in each country constitute an integral part of the IHP learning experience.
COURSES / 32 CREDITS:
• International Issues in Development Economics
• Ecology and Comparative Conservation Practices
• Anthropology Theory and Field Methods
• Environmental Policy and Governance
Back to top