XIDS2301 Introduction to Global Studies

1. Gregory C. Dixon gdixon@westga.edu Office: Pafford 125 Phone: 678-839-4992 XIDS2301Introduction to Global Studies

2. Who am I? • Dr. Gregory C. Dixon • Specialty – International Relations • Areas of interest / research: • International Institutions • Conflict Management • Globalization and Global Governance

3. Office Hours and Contact • Office: Pafford 125 • Office Hours: • Before class (aprox. 11:45 – class) • After class (as needed) • and by appointment • Email: gdixon@westga.edu

4. Online Content • http://www.westga.edu/~gdixon • Under “current courses” pick XIDS2301 • CourseDen • All course information • Electronic Submission of Assignments

5. Learning Outcomes • Analyze the interconnected nature of the world of the 21st century • Assess the origins of globalization in its modern form in historical context • Assess the major themes of inquiry and the broad general approaches to the study of these themes • Develop an understanding of the vocabulary used in discussing issues related to global studies • Analyze the ideas of the course and demonstrate an understanding of the material in writing

6. Assignments • Commentary Papers (4)20% each • Class Participation 20%

7. Commentary Papers • Weekly response papers • A written response to a selection from the Annual Editions text • Apply material from the broader course • Demonstrate critical thinking and analytical skills • Answers should be 2 - 4 single spaced pages

8. Grading • 90% and up = A • 80 – 89% = B • 70 – 79% = C • 60 – 69% = D • 59% and below = F • No curves or mathematical adjustments will be applied to the grades

9. Assumption of Adulthood • All students are assumed to be adults • You are expected to familiarize yourself with the requirements of the course • You are expected to meet the requirements of the course • It is expected that you will do the required reading for the course. • It is expected that you will complete all required assignments.

10. Class Participation • Daily discussion • Discussion will be assigned readings in the course • All students are expected to do the daily readings

11. Late or Missed Assignments • Late assignments will suffer a penalty of one letter grade for each business day late • The commentary papers are take-home, so extensions will be extremely rare • Absolutely no extensions will be given for the final commentary paper due date

12. Special Needs • Students with special needs as identified by the University will be accommodated in accordance with University policy

13. Attendance • Attendance will not be taken and is not required as part of the course grade • Attendance is vital • Missing lectures may significantly reduce their chances of passing the course • It is the responsibility of the student to get the notes from that day of class from another student in the class

14. Acts of the Gods • On very rare occasions truly terrible things happen • If such an event happens, don't wait until the last day of the class to deal with it

15. Email & Privacy • Nothing related to grades, exams, or any other course information specific to a student will be discussed via regular email - period • Grades and related information will only be discussed via one of these methods: • In person during office hours or after class • Via the CourseDen email system

16. Classroom Decorum • Please arrive on time • Please turn off any device that makes noise • Please do not read the newspaper, sleep, etc. during the class time • Mutual respect and politeness is required in the classroom at all times • Violations of appropriate classroom decorum will result in penalties

17. Academic Honesty • All students are required to be aware of the University rules regarding academic honesty. • Cheating, fabrication, and/or plagiarism of any kind will not be tolerated. • Any student caught committing any violation of the Honor Code on any assignment will receive an F in the course and will be reported to the University for further action as per University policy • The professor reserves the right to seek the harshest possible penalty for any and all violations regardless of the value of the individual assignment

18. Academic Honesty • If you are unsure as to what constitutes academic dishonesty, please consult the University of West Georgia Student Handbook • Ignorance of the Code will not be accepted as an excuse for violations of it • Many things which are perfectly acceptable in high school are considered cheating in college • If you have a question about cheating, ask, don’t just assume that you are ok

19. Globalization and Global Studies

20. Globalization • While the term globalization is new, the phenomenon is not • Human interconnectedness • Speed and frequency of connections is accelerating • Globalization as the interconnection of human activity across the world • Globalization is many things to different people

21. Global Studies • Interdisciplinary understanding of the world • Draws ideas and issues from a wide range of sources • Focus on understanding interconnections between the actors and structures in the world today

22. The Odd Nature of History • We think of history as deterministic • We are where we are • The world of today was destined to be • This is wrong • Chance plays a major role • Randomness happens • This is a good thing • Individuals can play a big role

23. Why History? • To understand today’s world we need to see where it came from • History sets the context • History says how we got here • History leaves its mark

24. Globalization of Humanity • Modern humans emerge roughly 200,000 years ago • We spread from Africa to cover the whole world by 12,000 years ago at the latest • As we develop new tools, these spread through networks of human contact

25. Human Migrations

26. Example: Neolithic Revolution • The development of agriculture • Takes place in a few isolated areas • Changes our basic way of life • Once discovered, it spreads widely • Creates the foundation of civilization

27. Civilization & the Will to Power • Rulers seek to expand their power – in every civilization we know of • Prototype in the West: • Alexander the Great • Not the first large empire in the West • Lasting influence comes from spread of ideas • Greek ideas and writings spread widely • Alexander becomes the model in the West for the great conqueror

28. The Hellenistic Empires

29. Alexander’s Legacy • Greek ideas spread and are preserved • Libraries preserve Homer, Socrates, Thucydides, Aristotle, Plato, etc. • The classical foundation of Western Civilization • These ideas will have a huge impact on how we think today

30. The Legacy of Rome • Roman architecture • Roman Law • Christianity • Constantine adopts Christianity • Constantine settles what it means to be “Christian” Council of Nicea • Creates a religion that outlives the Roman Empire itself

31. Justinian's Flea • In 530 – 540 the Byzantine Emperor Justinian is poised to restore Rome • Roman armies have retaken North Africa and most of Italy • Persia and Byzantium are at peace • It looks like the potential for a rebirth of the Roman world • Then it all goes to hell

32. 536 – The Year of Hell • Something happens – we don't know what • Global climate changes significantly for a two year period • This creates a unique climate window in Egypt • Climate change allows fleas to reach Alexandria from interior of Africa • The resulting plague kills 30 – 40% of the population of the Eurasian land mass over a decade • Byzantium and the Persian Empire are both devastated – they will never recover

33. Mohammed and Islam • In 622 Mohammed moves from Mecca to Medina • By 632 Mohammed has returned to Mecca and united most of the Arabian peninsula under his banner • Following Mohammed's death in 632, Islam begins rapid expansion via conquest • Islam creates an empire that extends from France to India

34. Muslim Conquest http://www.maps.com/ref_map.aspx?pid=11393

35. The Crusades Begin • In 1095 Pope Urban II calls for Holy War against Islam • Goal: to retake Jerusalem from the Muslims • Motivation was to stem flow of power in Europe from Church to secular rulers • Jerusalem had been in Muslim hands for two centuries • Muslim rule had been generally tolerant by the standards of the day • All faiths were free to practice • Non-muslims simply paid higher taxes

36. The Sack of Jerusalem • In 1099 after a series of victories the Crusaders took the city of Jerusalem • Sack of Jerusalem is a terrible atrocity • Nearly half the remaining population is butchered • The surrender agreements are broken by Crusaders and Muslim prisoners are massacred • Jews and non-Catholic Christians are killed in large numbers • This leaves a lasting image of “crusade” to the present day

37. A Manichean Struggle • East-West struggle dates back to Classical Greece • To each side, the symbol of the other is important • A dark and terrible enemy • A barbarian at the gates seeking to destroy “us” • Both sides cycle between periods of mercy and brutality • This push and pull shapes the shared experience of Christendom and Ummah

38. Loss of Classical Learning • Pre-Christian learning is a problem for the early Church • The drive to destroy “pagan” learning dominates after Constantine • This led to the destruction of many of the classic works • In Roman territory, classical learning is deliberately destroyed as evil

39. Islam Saves the West • In Persian territory, the classics were preserved • Islam's powerful scholarly community preserved classical learning • Viking age (after 793) sends Irish monks to the continent • Two-fold drive to preserve knowledge creates the ideal conditions for returning classical knowledge to Europe

40. Irish Influence

41. Barbarians at the Gates • Temujin unites the Mongols • Mongol conquests re-write the • This disrupts the whole region • Trade routes are disrupted • Alternative routes are sought • Temujin's conquests last until his death in 1227 • Temujin's Empire does not survive

42. Eurasia Before Temujin

43. Heirs of Temujin

44. Timur the Lame • Temujin's conquests create a new balance of power • Timur conquers in the name of Islam • Creates centers of learning in conquered areas – makes Samarkand a center of learning and culture • Timur also sets a whole new standard of brutality in his conquests • Timur conquers from China to Europe

45. The Mongol Legacy • The old order in central Asia is torn apart • A new order based on the Mongol successor kingdoms replaces the old order • Their successors will invade India and establish the Mughal (Mongol) Empire there • They spread cultural contact from East to West and back again through the centers of learning they create in cities like Samarkand

46. Travelling the World • Marco Polo (1254 ~ 1325)‏ • IbnBattuta (1304 ~ 1377) • These men were wandering commentators • They wandered the world and wrote about what they saw and did • They fire the popular imaginations of their respective cultures with the wider world • They inspire interest in the unknown

47. The Travels of Batuta and Polo

48. Travelling the World The world of 1400 is an interconnected one • Trade crosses land and sea to bring goods of all shapes and sizes to all the cities of Eurasia • Africa, Europe, Asia, are all integrated in a world trade system that spans the entire landmass • Trade routes are fragile • Travel times are long • Technology is still very limited

49. Major Trade Routes – 1330

50. Birth of the Modern World: 1400 1400 – 1800 is a key period in history • Colonialism (1439 – 1980's)‏ • A single world trade system • The basic ideas that will form the foundation of modern thought: • Renaissance (14th - 17th centuries)‏ • Protestant Reformation (1517)‏ • Enlightenment (17th - 18th centuries)‏ • Peace of Westphalia (1648)