GLOBALIZATION, LABOR AND ENVIRONMENT
                       Wed. 3:15 - 5:05 in 260 - 003
 

A. Overview

This is a service-learning course based, in part, on a student-initiated course on corporate responsibility in the local and global environment.  This course’s themes are the impacts of globalization on labor and environmental standards around the world.  Subthemes are
corporate accountability and northern extractive industries colluding with repressive governments, and the resulting harm that befalls local people ? mostly in the south.  We will examine the three primary institutions of globalization ? the World Bank, the Int’l Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization.  Following introductory readings, the class will read and discuss materials developed and assembled by class members on the above themes and subthemes (corporate accountability, the institutions of globalization,
the labor side of globalization and the environmental side of globalization).
 

B. Course Responsibilities

Besides preparing and discussing the readings, class members will prepare a case study of 8 to 10 pages dealing with the impact of particular multinational corporate activity on local people.  These case studies will be posted on the class website and discussed in class and in discussion groups. Each class member will take part in one of two weekly one-hour discussion groups, led by present or former class members.  The class may invite environmental or labor NGO leaders to share their experiences.

There will also be an internship with one of six Bay Area NGOs involved with globalization issues.  Working in teams of three or four on a project selected by the NGO, each team will provide a total of 80 person-hours (20 - 27 hours per team member) of research on the project.  There will be two site visits to the team’s NGO, and debriefing on alternate weeks with Stan Wanat, the hum bio service-learning coordinator, or with me (Armin).  Each team will share its internship experience and findings with the whole class. The internship research product will be evaluated by the NGO contact person and me.

C.  Weekly Assignments:

Week 2:  Friedman, The Lexus and the Olive Tree - Understanding Globalization
  CHOOSING OF INTERNSHIPS and PREPARATION OF READER

Week 3:          Sen,  Development as Freedom
  MEETINGS WITH ARMIN TO ORGANIZE CASE STUDIES

Weeks 4 ? 7:    readings from the (class-constructed) Reader, and preparation of                              case studies

Week 4:  Corporate Responsibility and Accountability

Week 5:   Int’l Institutions of Globalization: WTO, World Bank, IMF

Week 6:    Globalization and Labor

Week 7:    Globalization and Environment

Weeks 8 & 9:   reading and discussion of case studies

Week 10:  completion of internship, preparation of research product, and                  sharing of internship experiences and findings
 

D.  Grading:

Course grades will be based on the following  elements:

Case study   1/3
Internship research product   1/3
Seminar and discussion group participation   1/3