Introductory description

Globalisation has changed our perspectives and experiences of the world through multidimensional, fluid and complex processes that interlink cultural, economic, ideological, political, social and environmental factors. In our increasingly interconnected world, the importance of developing, promoting and enhancing our intercultural awareness and understanding of global connections shouldn’t be underestimated. In the wake of counter-globalisation forces and the rise of the national populist movement, a rich and pluralistic appreciation and understanding of 'the global' will be relevant to all Warwick graduates in their personal and professional lives.

'Global Connections' offers a transdisciplinary approach to learning through an innovative and research-led discussion format which encourages students to share insights as co-collaborators. Seminars, workshops and practical activities guide the learning experience, and are facilitated by specialists from a range of subject areas who are engaged in globally-oriented projects. Students are encouraged to integrate their own disciplinary knowledge, personal experiences, and reflections as they examine the complexities of global connections throughout the module.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Seminar 1: ‘Global Connections’: A Transdisciplinary Approach
This introductory session will explore the two overarching themes of ‘global connections’ and ‘transdisciplinarity’. Students will be introduced to key ‘globalisation’ theories and begin exploring perceptions of what a ‘global connection’ means in today’s world. This session will set the foundation for the module, including a discussion on transdisciplinary assessment.

Seminar 2: Global Cultural Flows
This seminar will explore the notion of ‘Culture’: how we define and understand it, the extent of its complexity in a globally-connected world, and the power structures that are embedded within these understandings. This seminar will be contextualised by a case study involving transnational cultural flows.

Seminar 3: Trade, Commerce and Commodities
This session will explore commodities, trade and commerce as a globally-connected theme, and the power structure that it constructs- creating a global disparity between actors. A sample case study is Caroline Knowles’ (2009) ‘Journey of a Flip Flop’, which explores the global processes linked to the production of a flip flop.

Seminar 4: Peace and Conflict
This seminar will explore the theme of Peace and Conflict as related to ‘global connections’. It covers areas of global organised crime, the role of identity in conflict, the changing nature of warfare, as well as peacekeeping and peacebuilding. It also looks at the human consequences of conflict.

Seminar 5: Migration
This seminar explores the interplay between migration and global connections. It will examine how certain diasporas are contextualised and perceived as 'global', 'regional', 'national', 'local' issues and responsibilities. It will explore the multi-faceted issues associated with South-South mass-migration as a result of complex globally-oriented issues. It will build on the previous session's topic, as mass-migration movements are often linked to Conflict.

Seminar 6: Global Knowledge Economy
This session will explore the theme of education as a globally-connected, powerful economy which is embedded within power structures supported by external bodies. It will draw on the previous week's discussion on migration, as the global knowledge economy relies on international and transnational communication and mobility. The seminar will therefore contextualise this problem as related to ‘international education’ – what this means, who receives it, who finds this type of education attractive, relevant and beneficial. Opportunity for mid-semester feedback.

Seminar 7: Health
This seminar will explore global connections under the topic of health and well-being. A possible case study could an interdisciplinary look into global responses to pandemics - how measures are implemented, who takes responsibility, and the implications of these responses in local, regional, national and international contexts.

Seminar 8: Climate
This seminar builds on discussions from Week 7's seminar on responses to global issues - this time examining how global climate change is affecting different regions of the world, who is taking responsibility, and how global action can be delivered.

Seminar 9: Media
This session will explore the media’s role in reproducing and maintaining global connections. Students will be able to consolidate the module’s content here by exploring how the issues covered so far have been reproduced within the media and the ensuing impact of this, globally, nationally, regionally and locally.

Seminar 10: Peer Review & Feedback / Module Summary
This session will be an opportunity for students to informally present their SDA work and to receive formative feedback from their peers. Students will get the opportunity to reflect on their learning journey over the course of the module, as a concluding activity.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• 1. Demonstrate a theoretical knowledge base and understanding of the complexities of globalisation and/or global connections.
• 2. Critically reflect on their progress, including its applicability beyond academia, in response to and engagement with module content, independent research, and collaboration with peers.
• 3. Critically analyse disciplinary/interdisciplinary boundaries (benefits and limitations) in addressing globally-oriented problems.
• 4. Reference and communicate ideas in a way that demonstrates a familiarity with and grasp of professional and scholarly practice.
• 5. Apply an interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary approach towards their learning, including towards an independent research project.
• 6. Develop a coherent and informed argument and thesis in response to interrelated, global issues/problems.

Indicative reading list

Appadurai, A. (1996) Modernity at Large: Cultural Dimensions of Globalisation. London and Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

Lechner, F.J. (2019) The Globalization Reader. 6th edn. Hoboken NJ: Wiley.

Perkins, H.C., Thorns, D.C. 2012. Place, Identity and Everyday Life in a Globalising World.

Steger, M.B. (2017) Globalization: A Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Steger, M.B. & James, P. (2019) Globalization Matters: Engaging the Global in Unsettled Times. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Research element

All students will undertake an individual, supervised research project in the form of a Student-Devised Assessment (SDA). Students will work closely with their tutor to develop an interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary project in an agreed format which best articulates their ideas, and will satisfy the learning outcomes for this module. Students who do not choose a traditional academic writing structure for this project (e.g. essay, report) will be required to supplement their piece with an accompanying document which will satisfy the learning outcomes for this module.

Interdisciplinary

This module introduces the theme of ‘global connections’ by examining interdisciplinary themes as they relate to globally-oriented problems. Each week, students will be exposed to a new theme relating to ‘global connections’, as approached in an interdisciplinary manner by a guest speaker and interdisciplinary specialist. Students will then be given the opportunity to consolidate their knowledge and weekly readings in a transdisciplinary format. Each guest speaker will be asked to provide a case study example of how their interdisciplinary approach towards a problem contextualises the theories/concepts introduced, so that students are made aware of problem-based learning and the benefits/limitations of tackling them via this approach. Both assessment formats will encourage students to examine a source or an issue in an interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary manner, and are designed to facilitate reflective thinking as a significant component of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary work.

International

The ‘Global Connections’ module is, in its very nature, international. One of the central objectives is to explore the ‘global’ as it sits within/among imbalanced, uneven local, national and international orientations and frameworks. Each week, students will be exposed to case studies which are located within a global-local nexus – in the workshop and in their readings. In the consolidation session, they will reflect these perceptions as they relate to disciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary conceptualisations. The guest speakers come from different parts of the globe and their research will reflect this diversity.

Subject specific skills

1. Understand and articulate global issues from a variety of perspectives.

2. Study globally-oriented topics of trade, conflict, migration, culture, health, media and climate in a scholarly manner.

3. Ability to contextualise theories, concepts and methodologies related to the aforementioned themes and overarching topic of 'global connections'.

4. Work with and reflect on case studies to formulate arguments and generate discussion.

Transferable skills

1. Apply critical reflection towards problem-based learning and the development of a transdisciplinary orientation.

2. Analyse a range of approaches towards a problem and appraise their effectiveness.

3. Consider audience in the communication of ideas, information and critical responses in different formats.

4. Challenge existing beliefs, conventions, norms in the pursuit of developing innovative, novel and original responses.

5. Take initiative of individual learning development (academic, professional, scholarly) in a resourceful and ethical manner.

6. Manage time effectively in reflective work, and developing a research project.