Whether they were "Bernie bros" or Trump supporters, last year millions of Americans voted against globalization (whether they knew it or not). From the left, they voted against free trade, privatization, and unregulated Wall Street. From the right, against free trade and the flow of people, cultures, and religions across national borders. In both cases, one thing is now certain: We are living in a moment of profound push-back against the very idea of globalization and a rejection of the belief that (as globalization cheerleader and Minnesota native Thomas Friedman once put it) the world is "flat."
In this class we will work to answer two primary questions: (1) How can we put the ethno-nationalism, increased militarization, environmental destruction, and rampant neoliberalism that defines our national political landscape in a global context? We will consider the rise of authoritarian and populist political candidates across Europe, the rapid neoliberalization of India, and the implications of the rise of China as a global power. We will discuss how US policies about war and peace in the Middle East impact the so-called "refugee crisis." And we will consider how anti-globalization movements in the Global North impact the social, cultural, and economic conditions in the Global South. (2) Within this socio-political reality, how are artists, activists, organizers, and even "deep state" bureaucrats fighting back against regressive policies and beliefs in order to advocate for social justice? How can we engage with both the local and the global in an attempt to create a more just and equitable interconnected world?
This will be a discussion-based class. You should expect regular short writing assignments (probably Moodle posts) and a final research project on a local social justice issue or movement.