Learning objectives
The course aims to acquire a historical vision of the phenomenon of globalization (evolution over time of the world society) that contains both the economic and the socio-cultural dimensions, hypothesizing the different interactions between the production plan and the cultural one.
We then favor the development of a comparative perspective (understanding the different evolution of the nation state in the world, the crisis of the old European imperialist systems, the emergence of new forms of global domination, for example inherent in the management of borders and migratory flows) .
In particular, therefore, we want to strengthen the ability to read the new "cultural traffics" in the post-European colonial era, the new Asian capitalist, etc., framing these transformations as "deep dimensions" of the new international relations of force, of political effects and juridical ones that translate into the emerging conflicts of the global age.
Prerequisites
No
Course unit content
The course aims to frame the historical process of "globalization" in its complex economic, cultural and political dimensions.
FIRST PART: GLOBALIZATION AS A CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL PHENOMENON
In a first part of the lectures, the evolution of the "world system" in the "second modernity" (the contemporary era) will be theorized, with particular attention to:
1. evolution of the global capitalist system (immaterial and cognitive financial capitalism from a side, extractive capitalism on the other);
2. evolution of migratory processes and new faults of the disputed mobility dimension;
3. Colonialism and post-neo-colonial scenarios; post-European global world order; G-local socio-cultural dimensions;
4. Future foreseeing about globalization: alter-hegemonic globalization, social global mobilizations; new political imaginaries of globalized young.
SECOND PART. “Open classes”: participatory teaching with the protagonists of globalization.
After a theoretical introduction to the main social and economic changes in the world system, we will deepen the issues through the comparison with associations, movements and collectives that deal specifically with these issues, lecturing with people who have personally experienced mobility, plurilingualism, interculture and so on.
In the course of the year 2019\ 2020 the cycles of study will be on:
1. Postcolonial Feminism Cycle, in collaboration with the Sguardi Incrociati table of the Intercultural Center of Parma: the theme of female identity in migration
2. A World of Refugees cycle: stories of asylum seekers discussed together in the classroom with particular attention to the reconstruction of the routes (passeurs and debts) and daily interactions with our society ("daily racism")
3. Cultures and Religions cycle, in collaboration with local interreligious associations, including ass. of second generations (young muslims): reading authors of contemporary Islamic thought and debate on elements of central interest in the debate on possible global justice (to the exploration of the fathers of contemporary thinking about global Islam and Umma, social Islam and movements, and so on)
4. An Unimaginable World cycle: film on migrations in progress (the expectation of those who cross the Mediterranean, internal migrations to China, detention camps in Libya, with Zalab video makers association).
Full programme
The course review is structured as follows:
• Final oral exam (3 questions) is based on the indicated books and essays, to evaluating the knowledge acquired on the economic, political and cultural aspects of globalization.
• The examination starts with a “dissertation paper” (“tesina”), based on particularly significant word learned (examples: "postcolonialism", "financial capitalism", "g-localization" and so on) of 5 folders.
The formality of composition of the paper of dissertation is explained to the students in the classroom and inside the site Elly.
The course aims to frame the historical process of "globalization" in its complex economic, cultural and political dimensions.
FIRST PART OF THE COURSE: Lectures. GLOBALIZATION AS A CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL PHENOMENON
In a first part of the lectures, the evolution of the "world system" in the "second modernity" (the contemporary era) will be theorized, with particular attention to: 1. evolution of the global capitalist system (immaterial and cognitive financial capitalism from a side, extractive capitalism on the other); 2. evolution of migratory processes and new faults of the disputed mobility dimension; 3. New post-colonial and post-European scenarios of world order; 4. G-local cultural dimensions.
1. The theme of the globalization of goods, of financial, immaterial and cognitive capitalism, and above all the emerging new global "social stratification" linked to the new capitalism, of the productive elites, gated community, will be explored; the question of the global precarious proletariat; migrants, invisibility, black labor markets in the West.
2. We will then discuss the theme of "cultural landscapes" created by the technologies of global capitalism, the "specular" and "dialogical" dimension in the construction of cultural identities, which redefine each other (short journey in the "Orientalism" and in the "Occidentalism" "Contemporaries); we will place these discourses within the analysis conducted by post-colonial studies.
3. Finally, the local repercussions of the new global structures will be addressed: intercultural dimensions of the meeting, for example: post-colonial feminisms that mix precarious European women and precarious migrant women in new forms of association; forms of union engagement of migrants in some work contexts, such as agriculture; involvement of migrants as operators and mediators in ways of managing the welfare state and reception. The aim is to imagine how cohabitation today is a prelude to a future and possible world of global citizens.
SECOND PART OF THE COURSE. “Open classes”: participatory teaching with the protagonists of globalization.
After a theoretical introduction to the main social and economic changes in the world system, we will deepen the issues through the comparison with associations, movements and collectives that deal specifically with these issues, lecturing with people who have personally experienced mobility, plurilingualism, interculture and so on.
In the course of the year 2020\ 2021 the cycles of study will be on:
1. Postcolonial Feminism Cycle, in collaboration with the Sguardi Incrociati table of the Intercultural Center of Parma: the theme of female identity in migration;
2. A World of Refugees cycle: stories of asylum seekers discussed together in the classroom with particular attention to the reconstruction of the routes (passeurs and debts) and daily interactions with our society ("daily racism");
3. Cultures and Religions cycle, in collaboration with local interreligious associations, including second generations (young muslims): reading authors of contemporary Islamic thought and debate on elements of central interest in the debate on possible global justice (to the exploration of the fathers of contemporary thinking about global Islam and Umma and so on);
4. An Unimaginable World cycle: film on global changes (internal migrations to China, urbanization in India).
Bibliography
The course is based on two types of materials:
a) Reading and analysis 2 complete books:
- Pellegrino V., L’occidente e il Mediterraneo agli occhi dei migranti, Unicopli, Milano 2009 ;
- Pellegrino V. (a cura di), Sguardi Incrociati: contesti post coloniali e soggettività femminili in transizione, Mesogea editore, Messina 2015 ;
- Pellegrino V., Futuri testardi, la ricerca sociale per l’elaborazione del “Doposviluppo”, ombre corte, Verona 2020.
b) Essays centered on globalization and on the change in progress, in particular some essays extracted from the following texts (for a total of about 100 pages), for exemple:
Danilo Zolo, Definire la globalizzazione;
Vincenza Pellegrino, Le pratiche post-coloniali oggi;
Boaventura de sousa Santos, Un’altra globalizzazione è possibile.
[.]
And others that will be uploaded to the Elly system with the progress of the lessons.
Each year the essays specifically related to the thematic analysis will be uploaded to the Elly system (it is recommended to select the academic year 2020 on the Elly 2020\21).
c) ONLY FOR STUDENTS who have not attended classes:
General definition essays on globalization will also be added to facilitate understanding of language and sociological topics, including extracts from books:
- Zygmund Bauman, Inside globalization. The consequences for people, Laterza 2002;
- David Harvey, 17 contradictions and the end of capitalism, Feltrinelli 2014.
The essays will be uploaded to the Elly system 2020\21.
Teaching methods
The course is set on different types of lessons:
1. Theoretical lessons conducted by the teacher with final debate centered on some key words, lessons aimed at learning the main socio-economic theories on globalization;
2. Vision of films centered on the theme of migration in the world, with particular attention to the exploration of places, faults, fractures not visible from the European observation points (China, Libya, Nigeria and other worlds);
3. Open classes. Seminars with "guests" (experience experts). The theoretical lessons are interspersed with open classes, ie seminars conducted in co-presence with witnesses (migrants, video makers "globe trotter" and so on) that produce their own representation of globalization and with which the students can dialogue. In particular, many associations will be involved including: CIAC onlus, Intercultural Center, Inter-religious Center, Solidarity Forum and so on.
4. Laboratories: during the course the students are offered some interactive workshops (the students are subdivided into sub-groups and work actively producing analyzes and written materials).
Assessment methods and criteria
The course review is structured as follows:
• Final oral exam (3 questions) is based on the indicated books and essays, to evaluating the knowledge acquired on the economic, political and cultural aspects of globalization.
• The examination starts with a “dissertation paper” (“tesina”), based on particularly significant word learned (examples: "postcolonialism", "financial capitalism", "g-localization" and so on) of 5 folders.
The formality of composition of the paper of dissertation is explained to the students in the classroom and inside the site Elly.
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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