Assignments and Due Dates. Credit

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1 Alternatives to Capitalist Globalization Fall, 2013 The Evergreen State College Faculty Office Mailbox Phone Office Hours Peter Bohmer Lab 2, 2271 Lab 2, 2 nd floor x6431 bohmerp Friday, 4:15-5:30pm Steve Niva Lab I 1005 Lab I x5612 nivas Tues. 4-5pm Weekly Schedule Tuesday 10:00-1:00 Lecture Sem II, D3105 2:00-4:00 Seminar Sem II, E3107 (Peter), E3105 (Steve) Wednesday 10:00-1:00 Workshop Sem II, D3105 Friday 10:00-1:00 Lecture Sem II, B1105 2:00-4:00 Seminar Sem II, B3107 (Peter), B3109 (Steve) Description At the end of the 20 th century, global elites and international financial institutions such as the WTO, IMF and World Bank claim that there are no alternatives to capitalist globalization. They claim that the world must be restructured according to free market and free trade principles that open up countries to the products, services, and investment of multinational corporations, reduce social relations to commercial transactions and impose Western development models on diverse cultures. By contrast, in this program we will study diverse social movements and thinkers who are offering alternative visions and ideas for organizing global society and meeting human needs. Many alternative visions have developed within the global justice movement of the past few decades, and have been renewed through more recent occupy and anti-austerity movements in Europe (Greece and Spain), the United States and the Global South. We will look at how diverse social movements and thinkers have formulated alternative visions for creating just, liberatory, democratic and sustainable societies influenced by socialist, Marxist, anarchist, anti-authoritarian, ecological, feminist and perspectives emanating from the Global South. We will devote time researching and evaluating case studies of existing or possible alternatives, including Cuba and Venezuela, Argentina and Bolivia, and those derived from cooperatives, intentional communities, participatory socialism, and eco-feminist alternatives in the U.S. and elsewhere. We will analyze alternatives to NAFTA and other free trade agreements such as ALBA, and global visions of equity and justice, including climate justice. Required Books David McNally, Global Slump: The Economics and Politics of Crisis and Resistance Christos Laskos and Euclid Taskalotos, Crucible of Resistance: Greece, the Eurozone and the World Economic Crisis Aviva Chomsky, A History of the Cuban Revolution Robin Hahnel, Economic Justice and Democracy: From Competition to Cooperation Juliet Schor, True Wealth: Creating an Ecologically Sustainable Economy Vandana Shiva, Earth Democracy: Justice, Sustainability and Peace David Graeber, The Democracy Project: A History, A Crisis, A Movement Optional Book, Michael Yates, Naming the System (good introduction to how capitalism functions) 1

2 Assignments and Due Dates Microthemes and seminar papers: Write a brief half page answer to the questions you will find on the syllabus for many seminar periods this quarter. Type and turn into seminar faculty at the seminar. ASSIGNMENT #1: What is the Cause of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis? 3 page thesisdriven paper (DUE:, Week 2) Write a short paper that identifies the ultimate (structural) and proximate (event or action) cause of the 2008 global financial crisis. Handout on Wednesday Week 1. ASSIGNMENT #2: What is your Alternative to Capitalist Globalization? How could a more just or good society be organized? 3 page paper on your views as you enter the program (DUE: Thursday, Week 4). Handout on Friday Week 2. ASSIGNMENT #3: Global Rebellions Case Study. Group Public Presentation and individual 5 page analysis (DUE: Wednesday, Week 8). You will choose a case study of a current global rebellion and conduct a group research project and presentation open to the campus on Week 8. You will also write up a short paper on your chosen topic. Handout on Wednesday Week 3. ASSIGNMENT #4: Theorizing Alternatives to Capitalist Globalization Page paper and brief presentation (DUE: Tuesday, Week 10.) You will build upon or change your ASSIGNMENT #2 paper to offer your theorizing on Alternatives to Capitalist Globalization what you think about an alternative or a strategy for transformation today. You must refer to all texts in the program this quarter as you develop your own view. Credit Full credit can be earned by doing all of the following: Reading assigned texts in advance of class Participating in class activities (participation is defined as active listening, speaking, and thinking) Attending class (as attendance is a precondition of participation, absences will diminish your ability to earn full credit) Completing all assignments by the date due Writing a narrative self-evaluation for your transcript Attending an evaluation conference at the end of the quarter If you do all the above at a level that meets basic program expectations, you will earn sixteen credits. The quality of the work you accomplish will be described in a narrative evaluation. Evaluation: Your evaluation will consist of your seminar leader's written evaluation of your work, your self-evaluation, and the evaluation conference. You will be evaluated on your level of comprehension of the material, on your skills (writing, thinking, speaking, listening, research, presentation), and on your intellectual engagement with the major themes of the program as reflected in assignments and seminar. 2

3 Weekly Schedule Week One: Capitalist Globalization and the Crisis of 2008 Reading McNally, Global Slump Tuesday Lecture (10/1) Introduction to Program and Syllabus Introductions Wednesday (10/2) Understanding the Global Financial Crash of 2008 Steve, Handout Assignment #1; Film: Inside Job; Peter Q&A Friday Lecture (10/4) Global Financial Crash 2008, Cont. Steve, Structural Crisis; Peter, Structural Causes Read McNally, pp Microtheme: What are three ways the era of Neoliberalism (after 1982) differs from that of Great Boom (after WWII) which came before it? Week Two: Reading Tuesday Lecture (10/8) Theory and Practice of Capitalist Globalization McNally, Global Slump Global Capitalism as a System (Peter) Read McNally, Global Slump, pp Microtheme: What caused the housing boom and bust? Wednesday (10/9) Globalization, Debt and Structural Adjustment (Steve) Film: Life and Debt 1:30-3:30 Optional Workshop on Yates book and capitalism led by Peter Seminar 2, D3107 Friday Lecture (10/11) Week Three: Additional Reading Global Rebellions and Alternatives Steve, Genealogies of Resistance; Film: Un Poquito de Tanta Verdad (On Oaxaca, discussion, Peter) Handout Assignment #2 Read McNally, Global Slump, pp. 146-End ASSIGNMENT #1 DUE: CAUSES OF 2008 CRISIS Greek Rebellion Laskos, Crucible of Resistance Selected readings from Revolt/Crisis in Greece PDFs on moodle for week Tuesday Lecture (10/15) Context and Causes of the Greek Crisis (Peter) Laskos, Crucible of Resistance: pp Microtheme: Describe three ways that Greece adopted Neoliberal policies prior to 2008 Wednesday (10/16) Unexpected Insurrection: Dynamics of Greek Rebellion (Steve) Handout Assignment #3 Case Studies 3

4 Friday Lecture (10/18) Week Four: Additional reading: Tuesday (10/22) Seminar in vans Wednesday (10/23) Thursday (10/24) Friday Lecture (10/25) Week Five: Greek Demands, Visions and Alternatives (Peter) Laskos, Crucible of Resistance: 113-end; PDFs on moodle. Microtheme: What is the SYRIZA solution to the Greek crisis? The Socialist Tradition and Cuba Chomsky, Cuba Skin Color, Nation, Identity and Culture, in Esteban Morales Domínguez, Race in Cuba, pp , PDF on moodle for week FIELD TRIP TO PORTLAND (8:30-EVENING) Read Chomsky: pp Microtheme: What are three ways the Cuban Revolution created an alternative economic system? Marxism and Socialist Alternatives (Steve) 12-2 Guest Lecture: Chris Crass, Towards Collective Liberation ASSIGNMENT #2 DUE Cuba and Socialist Alternatives (Peter) Read Chomsky, Cuba: pp. 91-End. Read article by Morales Domínguez (on moodle site) Microtheme: What is one success of the Cuban revolution and what is a major contemporary challenge for Cuba? 20 th Century Alternatives to Capitalism Hahnel, Economic Justice Tuesday Lecture (10/29) Workshop on 20 th Century Alternatives and Economic Justice (Steve) Wednesday (10/30) Friday Lecture (11/1) Week Six: Tuesday Lecture (11/5) Read Hahnel, Economic Justice: pp (Parts I, II). Microtheme: What distributive principle for economic justice does Hahnel advocate? Values and Alternatives to Capitalism (Peter) Group Meeting Assignment #3: Research Academic Statement Work in class Optional Guest Lecture, Noon to 2:00, Jules Lobel, President Center for Constitutional Rights on the California Prisoner Hunger Strike Academic Statement Work Participatory Economics Hahnel, Economic Justice Cynthia Peters, The Art (and Serendipity ) of Kinship, Ideas about Family, Sexuality and Caregiving in a Better World, in book, Real Utopia, C. Spannos, ed. PDF on moodle site Political Economy of Participatory Economics (Peter) Read Hahnel, Economic Justice, pp (Part III). Read article by Cynthia Peters Microtheme: Describe three elements of a participatory planning system? 4

5 Wednesday (11/6) Friday Lecture (11/8) Week Seven: Participatory Economy Workshop Group Meetings for Assignment #3: Findings/Analysis Strategies for a Participatory Economy Strategies: Revolution and Reform (Steve and Peter) Guestspeaker: Labor and Living Wages Read Hahnel, Economic Justice, pp. 253-end (Part IV). Microtheme: Describe two economic reforms that Hahnel believes can contribute to a transition away from Capitalism. Ecological Alternatives Schor, True Wealth (Plentitude) Tuesday Lecture (11/12) Ecological Alternatives and Capitalism (Steve) Tentative: Guest Lecture, Ecofeminism and Environmental Justice Wednesday (11/13) Read Schor, True Wealth, pp Microtheme: Why does Schor argue that reducing work hours is necessary to transition to an alternative? Growth, Productivity and Sustainability; Green Capitalism? GDP and better alternative measures of well-being (Peter) Group Meetings for Assignment #3: Presentations Friday Lecture (11/15) Week Eight: Guest Speakers: Ecological Alternatives Read Schor, True Wealth, pp. 99-end. Microtheme: What does Schor mean by self-provisioning and how is it part of a strategy towards an alternative? Ecology, Globalization and Ecofeminism Shiva, Earth Democracy Tuesday Lecture (11/19) Globalization, Ecology and Alternatives (Steve) Wednesday (11/20) Read Shiva, Earth Democracy: pp Microtheme: What does Shiva mean by reclaiming the commons? WTO and Intellectual property Rights; Trans Pacific Partnership TPP(Peter) Film: Thirst Wednesday Public Event: Global Rebellions Presentations 4-6:30 Thursday Public Event: Global Rebellions Presentations 4-6:30 Friday Lecture (11/22) Week Nine: Readings: Tuesday Lecture (12/3) Guest Speakers: Ecology, Localization, Food Read Shiva, Earth Democracy: pp. 109-end. Microtheme: What are the central principles of food democracy? Anarchist Alternatives and Occupy Graeber, The Democracy Project Stephen Shalom, Parpolity: A Political System for a Good Society in Chris Spannos, ed. Real Utopias on moodle site Varieties of Anarchism and Horizontalism (Steve and others) 5

6 Read Graeber, Democracy Project pp Read article by Shalom from moodle site Microtheme: What are prefigurative politics? Wednesday (12/4) Friday Lecture (12/6) Week Ten: No Reading Tuesday (12/10) Wednesday (12/11) Friday (12/13) Comparing and Contrasting Anarchism, Marxism and Socialism (Peter) Workshop on Consensus and Direct Democracy Occupy Today: Guest Speakers Read Graeber, Democracy Project pp. 208-end (Ch. 3 optional). Microtheme: How does the Occupy movement resemble the Buenos Aires Strategy? Presentations/Alternatives Final Presentations Final Presentations Final Presentations and Reflections. Turn in all handed back work to seminar leader Evaluation Week: December