SEMESTER AT SEA COURSE SYLLABUS

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1 SEMESTER AT SEA COURSE SYLLABUS Voyage: Fall 2013 Discipline: Comparative Politics PLCP 2500: America in the World Division: Lower Faculty Name: Lauri McNown Pre-requisites: Although this course has no specific requirements some background in social sciences would be helpful. Above all an open mind and a desire to learn about our ports and how America influences and is influenced by the ports is essential. COURSE DESCRIPTION Every time that I spend a significant amount of time outside of the United States I find that I gain perspective on what being an American means and how America fits into world. This course is designed to explore the issues of Americanism, how America has influenced the world and how America, in turn, has been shaped by events. The United States is the fourth largest country in the world in land area and the third largest country by population. The US has the biggest GDP, the most active military personnel, and the biggest defense budget in the world. By any measure The United States of America is important in the world. Yet often, when we explore the world we tend to treat the US an other. For each region or country we will explore a different issue. Sometimes we will compare America and that region, sometimes we will see how America has been involved in events in that country. Sometimes we will see how events in that region can affect American domestic politics, and sometimes we will see how issues in American politics affect domestic politics in other countries. Although we will typically look at these issues through a political lens we will be using information from all the social sciences. COURSE OBJECTIVES This course will seek to: Understand how America has influenced and has been influenced by events in the countries we will visit. Learn to think in political terms about the issues we will explore. Learn to use concepts from other social sciences to supplement understanding of issues. Although there will be some lectures in this course they will rarely comprise an entire class period. Discussions, debates, and presentations by participants of the course will be an important aspect of this course. Therefore, another objective of the course is to develop speaking and participation skills in class. [1]

2 REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS AUTHOR: Sheldon Anderson, et. Al. TITLE: International Studies: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Global Studies, ISBN #: (paperback), (e-book) DATE/EDITION: 2013, second edition METHODS OF EVALUATION / GRADING RUBRIC Components of Final Grade Percent of grade Three map/info quizzes, each worth 5% 15% One Midterm 15 Two papers, each worth 10% 20 Participation 10 Participation in the Field Lab and Synthesis 20 paper Final Exam % Map/Info Quizzes For each continent there will be map and information quiz. The information will be taken from the chapters in Anderson as well as some additional information that will be made available. Papers Two papers will be assigned. In addition you must complete a synthesis paper on the field lab. Participation--The participation grade will reflect attendance, discussion, and oral reports on assigned articles. Laptop policy Laptops are not allowed in class. My experience, backed up with academic research, indicates that laptops create a physical and social barrier to class connections and discussion. The absence of laptops allows the class to better focus on the material. Paper 1 -- Part I of International Studies: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Global Issues features five chapters that relate social science disciplines to the study of global issues (History, Geography, Anthropology, Economics and Political Science). Choose one of these of chapters for the basis of Paper I. How does the chapter you have chosen inform your observations of your time in Europe? Be specific with your references to both the chapter you have chosen and your experiences in the counties we visit. For example, the chapter featuring Anthropology argues that the only way to study culture is through a comparative approach. Using this framework (specifically) what cultural comparisons (either with America or among our European ports) have you found that help you understand those cultures? Or, the chapter on geography states that the field embodies six elements: space, place and region, physical, human, environment and uses. How can you apply an [2]

3 understanding of these elements of your chosen discipline to your observations of your time in Europe? You will want to choose a specific focus for your paper. Your three to four page paper is due, in class, on A8. Paper 2 The course packet includes a number of articles on the Marshall Plan as well as a number of articles on aid to Africa. How do the descriptions of the Marshall Plan (many of them written in the 1940s and 1950s) compare with the articles on foreign aid to Africa? Using your knowledge of America, Europe and Africa, account for the differences in the tone and substance of the articles? Your three to four page paper is due, in class, on A12. HONOR CODE Semester at Sea students enroll in an academic program administered by the University of Virginia, and thus bind themselves to the University s honor code. The code prohibits all acts of lying, cheating, and stealing. Please consult the Voyager s Handbook for further explanation of what constitutes an honor offense. Each written assignment for this course must be pledged by the student as follows: On my honor as a student, I pledge that I have neither given nor received aid on this assignment. The pledge must be signed, or, in the case of an electronic file, signed [signed]. [3]

4 EUROPE What are the ties that bind Europe and America? What is the role of ideology? What can the social sciences teach us to help us understand Europe (and the world?) [Please note: an asterisk * indicates that this reading may be found in the course packet.] Class/ Date A1 Aug 26 A2 Aug28 Topic Reading Assignments/ In-class/etc. Introduction to the Course and Syllabus. Why are Americans * Anti-Americanism: Is Anger at the U.S. Map/Information loved/hated, Growing? CQ Researcher, March 2007, Quiz on Europe. welcomed/rejected, around pp first 30 minutes the world? A3 Sep 3 What is Americanism and how does it differ from Europeanism? Anderson, chapter 6, Europe and the Modern World. A4 Sept 9 Is America exceptional? *Seymour Martin Lipset, American Exceptionalism: A Double-Edged Sword, 1997, ch. 1. A5 Sep 11 A6 Sep 18 The Marshall Plan What are the roots of American Foreign Aid? What is the legacy of the Marshall Plan? What if Europe Fails? *George Marshall s Speech, *Kunz, Diane B., The Marshall Plan Reconsidered: A Complex of Motives, Foreign Affairs; May/June *Chollet, Derek and Goldgeier, James,Washington, Faulty Premises of the Next Marshall Plan, Washington Quarterly, 2005.op *Thomas Wright What if Europe Fails? The Washington Quarterly, Summer Guest speaker on European Financial Crisis, Professor Robert McNown A7 Sep 24 Major Global Issues. How do the EU and the US view major issues? Group reports and class discussion on: Genetically modified The class will be divided into groups to present reports. [4]

5 A8 Sep 26 foods. The Death Penalty Fighting Terrorism Occhipinti Gun Politics Separation of Church and State Major Issues continued. Group reports and class discussion on: Trade Issues involving food products Green energy Health care Gay marriage Paper 1 due [5]

6 AFRICA What is foreign aid? Is foreign aid for humanitarian, political or security purposes? What are the strengths and weaknesses of various types of foreign aid? What is Apartheid? What role did the U.S. play in the fall of Apartheid? What has happened in South Africa since the fall of Apartheid? Class/ Date OCT 2 A9 Oct 8 Topic Reading Assignments/ In-class/etc. Study Day How has foreign aid changed Anderson, ch. 10, Africa and the since the Marshall Plan? International Community. What kinds of foreign aid have been given to Africa? * Foreign Aid: An Introduction to U.S. Programs and Policy, CRS, 2011, pp Oct 10 A10 Oct 11 Why do we have foreign aid? Comparing Foreign Aid: How are The Marshall Plan and aid to Africa similar or different? * Aiding Africa: Is More Foreign Assistance the Answer?, CQ Researcher, August 29,2003. *Derek Chollet, Faulty Premise of the Next Marshall Plan, Washington Quarterly, Map/Info Quiz on Africa, in class, first 30 minutes. A 11 Oct 13 Is the Peace Corp foreign aid? What are NGOs? Are NGO another kind of foreign aid? What are the strengths and weaknesses of NGOs? *Karaim, Reed. Peace Corp Challenges: Has the Venerable Agency Outlived its Purpose? CQ Researcher, January, *Bond, Michael. The Backlash Against NGOs in Lechner, Frank J. and Boli, John. The Globalization Reader, fourth edition, Wiley-Blackwell, pp Oct 18 FIELD LAB--ACCRA Visit to production facility and retail out of Global Mamas Depart from ship at 830 Return to ship at 1700 Oct 19 A12 What is Apartheid? What was *Antoinette Handley, The New South Paper 2 due. [6]

7 Oct 20 the history of Apartheid in South Africa? Africa a Decade Later, Current History, May A13 Oct 22 Oct 23 A14 Oct 25 What role did the U.S. government and U.S. citizens play in the struggle against South African Apartheid? After the end of Apartheid Truth and Reconciliation and Realities. *U.S. Role in South Africa s Future, CQ Researcher, Synthesis Paper on Field Lab Due [7]

8 SOUTH AMERICA What are the historical ties between South America and the U.S.? How the U.S. involved in important issues in South America such as human trafficking, the rights of indigenous people and environmental concerns? Class/ Date Oct 31 A15 Nov 2 Nov 4 A16 Nov 5 Nov 8 A17 Nov 7 A18 Nov 10 A19 Nov 18 A20 Nov 28 After Slvdr A21 Nov 30 Topic Reading Assignments/ In-class/etc. MIDTERM EXAM What are historical connections between the U.S. and Latin America? What is Human Trafficking? Human Trafficking continued Brazil on the Rise and where does the U.S. fit in? What rights do indigenous peoples have? Anderson, chapter 11, Latin America. * The US and Latin America Through the Lens of Empire Current History, *United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols, October * Trafficking in Persons in Latin America and the Caribbean, Congressional Research Service, January 23, *Human Trafficking and Slavery: Are Governments Doing Enough to Eradicate the Illicit Trade? CQ Global Researcher, October 16, * Brazil on the Rise, CQ Researcher, June 7, The Expanding Middle, The Economist, March 25, Latin America s Inequality Success Story Current History, February *Rodrigues, Maria Guadalupe Moog. Indigenous Rights in Democratic Brazil, Human Rights Quarterly, May Map/Information Quiz on South America first 30 minutes. Film Call+Response [8]

9 Nov 27 A22 Dec 3 A23 Dec 5 How are issues of climate change and migration linked? How will this affect America? U.S. and Latin American connections: immigration. Final thoughts and wrap-up. *Michael Werz and Laura Conley Climate Change, Migration, and Conflict: Addressing Complex Crisis Scenarios in the 21st Century Center for American Progress, Jan *Anderson, ch. 18, Global Population Projections. Dec 7 A24 Dec 8 FINAL EXAM * Changing Demographics, CQ Researcher, Nov FIELD LAB [9]

10 Please note: Attendance and active participation in the Field Lab is MANDATORY. Nonattendance and participation in the field lab with result in a zero for 20% of your total course grade. The field lab will visit Global Mamas, a non-profit, fair trade organization in Ghana. Global Mamas assists women in Africa to become economically independent through the production and distribution of their handcrafted products. Global Mamas create over 180 products which are exported to North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The field lab will visit a production site, visit with the Mamas, discuss the process of starting and running an NGO with the founder and Executive Director, participate in a roundtable on Fair Trade, and visit the Accra retail outlet. Academic Objectives: 1. Understand the role of small NGOs in development. 2. Understand the bureaucratic obstacles in Ghana and importing countries for a Fair Trade NGO. 3. Understand argument for and against Fair Trade. A four to five page paper synthesizing information on Fair Trade and the visit to Global Mamas will be due on October 25. [10]