UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Syllabus

Globalization and Regionalism (SPA 517)
Semester III: 2021-2022
Instructors: Dr. Siti Zuliha Razali and Dr. Muhammad Febriansyah


Class meetings: Wednesday (8 pm on webex)

Course Description:

Globalization shapes our surroundings and our thinking on how we view the world. This course will address the main questions of how do we get to where we are now in history, and what kind of world do we live in? Globalization is a huge topic to explore, and no one course could cover its vast dimensions. This course aims to give students to explore the most fundamental aspects of globalization with selective case studies. Students will examine the basic concepts, the central themes under the political, socio-cultural and economic dimensions of globalization. The exploration effort also addresses the past and current dynamics of globalization. Students will learn how global systems have evolved into their current forms.
As much as globalization explains world order, regionalism today is emerging as a potent force in the global restructuring of power and production. Regionalism is a political process marked by cooperation and policy coordination. While globalization tends to deemphasize boundaries, regionalism appears to be an attempt by state actors at re-imposing them at a different level, consequently creating a new, larger space out of smaller territorial spaces bounded in nation-states. This course will explain a relationship between these two seemingly opposing phenomena.
Through an examination of various paradigms and perspectives on issues that the world is facing currently, students will be able to make judgment calls about the situation we are in and also the direction that global affairs is taking us. This course encourages students to come up with ideas on where and how the world should be directed.

Course Learning Objective (CLO)
1. Explain basic concepts and theories of globalization and regionalism to understand global issues
2. Discuss assignments in team to produce analysis and recommendations on global issues.
3. Utilize critical and creative thinking skills as well as scientific thinking to identify and solve problems.
4. Communicate well orally and in writing and display relevant information from a variety of up-to-date sources to unravel global issues.

Course Outline:

Class 1 (17.08.2022) – Introduction and Logistic
Class 2 (24.08.2022) – Economic Globalization
Class 3 (07.09.2022) – Political Globalization
Class 4 (14.09.2022) – Socio-Cultural/Ideas Globalization
Class 5 (19.09.2022) – Religion & Globalization
Class 6 (20.09.2022) – Regionalism & Security Challenges
Class 7 (21.09.2022) – Regional Integration
Class 8 (22.09.2022) – Brexit and future regionalism in Europe
Class 9 (26.09.2022) – ASEAN as model of regionalism
Class 10 (27.09.2022) - reflection

Reading Materials:

Throughout the course if necessary, instructors will post on the E-learning some reading materials for your perusal. There is a huge range of Globalization and Regionalism and International Politics textbooks in the Hamzah Sendut library. Simply type in ‘globalization and regionalism” into the library search engine. These will take you to books which will be relevant to many of the topics we cover in the course.

Main text:
1. Kauppi, M. V., & Viotti, P. R. (2020). International relations theory. Lanham ; Boulder ; New York ; London Rowman et Littlefield;
2. Baylis, J., Smith, S., & Owens, P. (2019). The globalization of world politics: An introduction to international relations. New York, N.Y: Oxford University Press.
3. Chomsky, N., Barsamian, D., & Naiman, A. (2011). How the world works. Berkeley, CA: Soft Skull Press.
4. Haynes, J. (2007). Introduction to international relations and religion. Harlow, England: Pearson Longman.
5. Bigelow, B., & Peterson, B. (2002). Rethinking globalization: Teaching for justice in an unjust world. Milwaukee, Wis: Rethinking Schools Press.
6. And More from Dr. Febrianshah

 
According to http://www.openeducation.net/

• More than 4 million books available on Amazon alone.
• More than 60 million blogs available online.
• More than 4 million entries on Wikipedia.
• More than 6 million videos on YouTube.
• More than 3.5 million songs available on iTunes.
• … and counting

(Note: But of course do not forget to give credit to those who have worked hard to share their ideas with you online and in written works; a humble request
for your ethical values).