SYGN 200

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR KNOWING THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN

THIS SYLLABUS.
PLEASEREADITCAREFULLY.

SYGN 200

I.

COURSEOVERVIEW

Globalization.Economicliberalism.Economicnationalism.Globalism.Empire.Nation
State.Thesearedifferenttypesofhumansystems.Howdidwegethere?Whatpeople,
ideas,choices,accidents,systemsandinstitutionshaveinfluencedourcurrentglobalized
planet?Morespecifically,Ithinkitwouldbeimportanttoaskwhyistheresuchgross
inequalityonourplanet,especiallygivenalloftheopportunity,resources,andwealthof
theplanet.
Thiscourseis,insomeways,aworldhistorysince1500,butitisalsoajourneyofusing
internationalpoliticaleconomytounderstandthesehistoricalprocesses.Herearesome
ofthelearningobjectivesforourjourneytogether:

Describingtheeconomic,political,cultural,andsocialtrajectoriesofthe
variousregionsaroundtheworld
Usingthetheoreticallensesofinternationalrelationsandinternational
politicaleconomyasawaytodescribetheeconomic,political,cultural,and
socialtrajectoriesoftheworld
Usingthetheoreticalschoolsofmodernization,dependency,andstatismasa
waytounderstandthenorthsouthdivide
Appreciatinghowgeographyhasimpactedthedevelopmentofsocietieson
ourplanet
Appreciatingthedistinctionsbetweenliberty,democracy,capitalismand
globalization
Presentandwriteaprojectthatincorporatestheseobjectives

Toputallthisanotherway,thepointofthiscourseisforyou,asengineersandapplied
scientists,tothinkabouttheglobalizedworldwenowliveinandtobeawareofhow
whatyoudoharnessingtheearth,energy,andtheenvironmentimpactshuman
systems,societies,andindividuals.
II.

BOOKSANDSTUFF

Thatsatallorder.IwilldoallIcantomakethisachallengingandrewarding
experienceforus.Herearesomeoftheauthorsandfolkswhothinkaboutthesekindsof
thingsquiteabitandmightbeabletogiveussomeinsight:
George Ritzer, Globalization: A Basic Text
Fareed Zakaria, The Post-American World and The Future of Freedom
Instructor will provide additional readings to be placed on reserve as needed. Some
additional readings might include:

SYGN 200

Robert Gilpin, The Political Economy of International Relations

Paul Viotti and Mark Kauppi, International Relations Theory: Realism,
Pluralism, Globalism
Amy Chua, World on Fire
Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel
Robert Marks, The Origins of the Modern World
Robert Tarnas, The Passion of the Western Mind
Ali Mazrui, The Africans
Samuel Huntington, Who are We and Clash of Civilizations?
Benjamin Barber, Jihad vs. McWorld and Consumed
Becauseofthenumberofparticipantsinthiscourse,mostofthecoursewillfollowa
lectureformat.However,theinstructorissensitiveandawareofthevariouslearning
stylesofstudentsandthecoursewillencouragepointsofactiveparticipation.
III.

FACULTY INFORMATION

Derrick Hudson is Hennebach Assistant Professor in the Division of Liberal Arts and
International Studies at Colorado School of Mines. Derrick was raised in New Jersey, just
outside of Philadelphia, PA. He attended and graduated from the United States Air Force
Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Humanities and Middle East Area Studies in
1986. While serving active duty in the Air Force as an Air Weapons Controller with the
Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), he pursued graduate work at the
University of Oklahoma and obtained his Masters of Arts from the University of Central
Oklahoma in 1991. After separating from the Air Force in December, 1991, Derrick spent
a semester studying abroad with the Thomas More College of Liberal Arts in Rome, Italy.
Derrick then came back to Colorado in 1992 to pursue his doctorate in International
Relations at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies (JKSIS) at the University of
Denver, which he completed in 2004. Derricks academic interests include African
politics, international politics, political theory, urban studies, theology, and religion and
politics in South Africa. He served as the Program Director for the Issachar Community,
which is an Urban Studies and Leadership Program designed to train indigenous
leadership for urban neighborhoods in Denver. He has taught at The University of
Michigan, Metropolitan State College of Denver, University of Colorado Denver,
Colorado Christian University, and American Pathways University.

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III.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

Studentswillanalyzethetextandotherreadingsassigned.
Lectureswillreinforcesocial,nationalandculturaltrendsasdiscussedinreading
assignments.
Socraticdialoguebetweeninstructorandstudentswillallowopportunityfor
furtherdevelopmentfortheframeworkofunderstanding.
Applicationofcourseknowledgewillbedemonstratedinparticipation,
presentationsandpapers.
Filmsandvideoonparticulartopicsandevents.

IV.

MEASURING STUDENT PROGRESS

A. Essay
B. Quizzes (1)
C. Midterm Exam
D. Journal/Group Work
E. Final Exam
TotalPoints

250 points
100 points
150 points
250 points
250 points
1000points

GradingwillbeconsistentwithacademicstandardsestablishedatTheColoradoSchool
ofMines.
Assignedreadingsshouldbereadbythetimeoftheclassmeetingtoensureadequate
dialogueandevaluationofthesignificanceofevents,individualsandtrendspresentedin
thereadings.
A. Attendance. Self-explanatory. The more consistent your attendance, the greater
likelihood you will benefit from course content. The course teaching assistant will be the
go-to person to insure your attendance.
B. Quiz. There will be one quiz given. The quiz will be designed to assess retention of
factual information, describe key events, or name the significance of important figures. It
is a low stakes event meaning that the points awarded are low and will serve as a
barometer for the rest of the course.
C. Midterm. The midterm will build on the quiz, and will be a combination of multiple
choice, short answer, and an in-class writing exercise.
D. Journals and Group Work. Participants will keep a journal throughout the semester
in which they reflect on themes and questions posed from readings, lectures, and other

SYGN 200
conversation. Participants will also work in a smaller group for the duration of the
semester in which a set of themes will be presented to others in the course.
E. Essay. This will be the longest writing assignment, and the length will be 2-3 pages.
Students will synthesize and analyze several key themes raised in the course.
V.

SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES AND ASSIGNMENTS

Weeks of August 23rd and 30th

Ritzer, Chapters 1-3, 6 and 7
Globalization I and II
Globalization and Related Processes I
Global Political Structures and Processes
Structuring the Global Economy
Zakaria
The Future of Freedom, Chapter 1
Post-American World: Rise of the Rest, Chapter 1
Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel, DVD Series, Part 1 and 3
Vincent Khapoya, The African Experience, Chapters 4-6
Naomi Chazan, Contemporary African Politics

Weeks of September 6th and 13th

Ritzer, Chapter 5
Neo-Liberalism
Robert Gilpin, International Political Economy
Paul Viotti and Mark Kauppi, International Relations Theory: Realism, Pluralism,
Globalism

Zakaria
Post-American World, Cup Runneth Over, Chapter 2
Ali Mazrui, The Africans DVD Series/Selected Sections
Robert Marks, The Rise of the West?

COURSE QUIZ, September 17th

Weeks of September 20th and 27th

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Harvey Cox, The Oxford Handbook of Global Religions, Thinking

Globally About Christianity
Niebuhr, Christ and Culture
Azevedo, Religion in Africa
Hudson, The Role of the Prophetic Church in South Africa
Said Amir Arjomand, The Oxford Handbook of Global Religions,
Thinking Globally About Islam
Zakaria
The Future of Freedom, The Islamic Exception, Chapter 4
SEMESTER EXAM, October 1st
Weeks of October 4th and 11th
Ritzer, Chapters 14 and 15
Global Inequalities I and II
Amy Chua, World on Fire, Introduction and Selected Chapters
Zakaria
The Future of Freedom, Illiberal Democracy , Chapter 3
Post-American World, American Power Chapter 6
ESSAYS DUE, October 15th
Weeks of October 18th and 25th
Ritzer, Chapter 4 and 16
Globalization and Related Processes II: Americanization and AntiAmericanism
Dealing with, Resisting, and the Future of, Globalization
Zakaria
Future of Freedom, Death of Authority and The Way Out, Chapter 6 and
Conclusion

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Post American World, American Purpose, Chapter 7

Samuel P. Huntington, Who Are We?, The Clash of Civilizations, and The
West, Unique, Not Universal
Benjamin Barber, Consumed
Weeks of November 1st and 8th
Group Presentation prep week
Group Presentation, November 5th
Group Presentations, November 8th, 10th, and 12th
Weeks of November 15th and 22nd
Group Presentations, November 15th and 17th
No Class, November 19th
Group Presentations, November 22nd
Thanksgiving Break, November 24th-26th
Week of November 29th
Group Presentations, November 29th, December 1st and 3rd
Dead Week, December 6th-9th
Dead Day, December 10th
Finals, Week of December 13th

VIII.PLAGIARISM.Thereisaclimateofintellectualhonestyandintegrity
expectedbyallstudentsandfacultymemberswhichincludesavoidingallformsof
plagiarism.Plagiarismisdefinedastakingsomeoneelseswords,ideas,orprojectsand
claimingthemasyourownuniquewords,ideas,orprojects.
IX.
SELFPLAGIARISM.Anotherformofplagiarismwhereapaperorproject
thathasbeencreatedforaclassisthenusedinadifferentclassandpresentedasanew
projectorpaper.Pastpapersorprojectsmaybereferredtoinanotherpaperorproject,

SYGN 200
butitcannotsimplybereplicated;thepapermustbedifferent.Allformsofcheating,
dishonestyorplagiarismareunacceptableandwillresultinafailinggradeand/or
suspension/expulsionfromthiscourse.Pleasebeadvisedthatfacultyhaveaccessto
computersoftwarethatcandetectsignsofplagiarism.Pleasedoyourownwork!
X.
OTHERPOLICESANDPROCEDURES.Thiscourseissubjecttothe
policiesandproceduresfoundintheStudentHandbookattheColoradoSchoolof
Mines.
XI. DISCLAIMER STATEMENT. The syllabus may be altered as the course
proceeds. The student will be notified of any changes, but students are ultimately
responsible for changes or missed work.