What's posted here?
Schedule of readings, notes, slides, tests, and due dates: Shows what you should read before the class on each date. Some readings are in the textbook. Others are links to online material. The schedule also shows dates of tests, assignment due dates, and so on. Lecture notes for each class are usually posted in advance, while the Powerpoint slides are usually posted after it. Some people print the the lecture notes and bring them to class to take notes on, rather than trying to write everything down. The notes are useful for studying and preparing assignments, but they do not necessarily make sense on their own, and they do not cover everything in the readings. They are no substitute for reading the assigned material and attending class.
The schedule will be adjusted during the semester, so check it frequently for current readings and deadlines.Handouts: The syllabus, assignment details, study guides, and so on.
Links: Links to other web pages about subjects we cover. These are completely optional, but may help you study or pursue questions raised by the course. Many have good photos or maps that add a visual element to the readings. All are recommended, and many are fun.
Email: Click the "Email me!" button to ask me a question or make a comment, or to turn in the computer version of an assignment. If you are not using your own computer, be sure to include your email address in the message so I can reply.
Everything on this site has been scanned for viruses and is safe to the best of my knowledge.
So why come to lectures?
First, hearing me explain the notes and slides will be far clearer than trying to figure them out without help. Second, numerous studies show that you understand and remember things better if you get the information in various different ways, like reading, hearing, and seeing. Third, you can ask questions, and listen as others ask questions that you might not have thought of. Finally, I fill in details, explain arguments, and highlight the important points, which should make it easier to see the big picture rather than getting lost in the details.
Schedule of readings, notes, slides, tests, and due dates
This schedule will change, so don't rely on a printed copy. Read the assignments before the class session. Scroll down for more. Most items are PDF (Adobe Acrobat) files and should open in a new window to view, save, or print. Move it aside or close it to see this one again. If the PDF files do not open, install the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.
The slides are the Powerpoint presentations you see in class. They do not include all the information in the notes. They should open in a new window. Navigate with PageUp/Down, Arrow Left/Right, Space/Backspace, Mouse clicks and scroll wheel, and Home/End to jump to the start or end of the presentation. Esc or close the window to quit. If your browser downloads the file, just double-click the file to open it. If your computer does not have Powerpoint, install the free Powerpoint viewer for Windows or Impress, part of the free OpenOffice for Macintosh.
User ID and Password: Due to copyright restrictions, many items require the class user ID and password. These are different from your Peoplesoft ID and password. If you can't recall them, email me.
Be patient: Some items may take many seconds or minutes to load, especially with a telephone modem.
- Wednesday, Aug. 26:
- First half: Introduction to the course and some key ideas
- Notes (34 Kb)
No slides for this class
- No reading
- Notes (34 Kb)
- Second half: Video: Affluenza
- No additional notes or slides
- No reading
- Video we will watch in class: Affluenza (56 minutes). Click the link to watch on any computer with reasonably fast internet access.
- First half: Introduction to the course and some key ideas
- Wednesday, Sept. 2:
- First half: Follow the money - but like an anthropologist (part 1)
- Notes (40 Kb)Slides (852 Kb)
- Robbins: Introduction to Part I, pp. 1-13. (13 pgs)
- Optional: Where did all the money come from? How banks create money by loaning out deposits.
- Notes (40 Kb)
- Second half: Follow the money - but like an anthropologist (part 2)
- Notes and slides are included in the material posted for the first half, above.
- Robbins: Chapter 1, pp. 14-27. (14 pgs)
- First half: Follow the money - but like an anthropologist (part 1)
- Tuesday, Sept. 8: Furlough day: No email replies
- This furlough day does not affect a class meeting, but I cannot reply to emails while on furlough.
- Wednesday, Sept. 9:
- First half: Constructing the consumer
- Notes, part 1 (42 Kb)Slides, set 1 (187 Kb)
- Notes, part 2 (28 Kb)Slides, set 2 (501 Kb)
- Robbins: Chapter 1, pg. 27-39 (13 pgs)
- Why Simple Living as a Political Act Is Wrong. Summary of an argument against the conclusion of "Affluenza".
- Optional: Forget Shorter Showers. The full article summarized above for those who want the whole story.
- Optional: The Self-storage Self (New York Times, 2 Sept. 2009; 3 pgs). Recent figures on ballooning consumption. Guess where much of it ends up...
- Short video that we were to watch in class (but didn't): Advertising - What psychological tricks do they use? (4 minutes)
- Notes, part 1 (42 Kb)
- Second half: Constructing the laborer (not actually covered in class)
- Notes and slides are posted under Sept. 23.
- Robbins: Chapter 2, pp. 40-65 (26 pgs)
- An Eclectic List of Events in U.S. Labor History. US history they didn't teach you in high school. Skim.
- Bananas: Our Fruit, Their Labor and Global Reality. Union-busting thugs, child labor, and starvation wages bring you a tasty snack.
- Life on the Line. A glimpse of the people who work in sweatshops making jeans. Can you understand their feelings?
- First half: Constructing the consumer
- Wednesday, Sept. 16:
- First half: Constructing the capitalist: History of traders and industrialists (not actually covered in class)
- Notes and slides are posted under Sept. 30.
- Robbins: Chapter 3, pp. 66-92 (27 pgs)
- Second half: Rise of the corporation (not actually covered in class)
- Notes and slides are posted under Oct. 7.
- Robbins: Chapter 3, pp. 92-108 (16 pgs)
- Assignment details: Interview with an Immigrant instructions. Due by email by midnight, Sunday, Oct. 25.
- First half: Constructing the capitalist: History of traders and industrialists (not actually covered in class)
- Wednesday, Sept. 23:
- First half: Constructing the laborer
- Notes (26 Kb)Slides (236 Kb)
- Video: Modern Times, Part 1 of 9 (9 min 14 sec) Opening portion of the Charlie Chaplin classic. Why does it start with a clock? With sheep?
- Video: Modern Times, Part 2 of 9 (9 min 18 sec) Feeding machine demo. What is the message here? The tramp has a breakdown. Why?
- Video: Modern Times, Part 3 of 9 (9 min 22 sec) What color is the flag? What interests are the police supporting?
- Optional: The rest are available under "Related Videos". Some are quite funny. Parts 5 and 6 comment on consumption in a mid-1930's department store.
- No new reading for the first half, but there may be another quiz on the readings for "Constructing the laborer". Review the earlier readings:
- Robbins: Chapter 2, pp. 40-65 (26 pgs)
- An Eclectic List of Events in U.S. Labor History. US history they didn't teach you in high school.
- Notes (26 Kb)
- Second half: More on "Constructing the laborer"
- Notes and slides are posted under the first half of Sept. 23, above.
- No new reading for the second half, but there may be another quiz on the reading for "Constructing the capitalist". Review the reading for last time:
- Robbins: Chapter 3, pp. 66-92 (27 pgs)
- First half: Constructing the laborer
- Friday, Sept. 25: Furlough day: No email replies
- This furlough day does not affect a class meeting, but I cannot reply to emails while on furlough.
- Wednesday, Sept. 30:
- First half: Constructing the capitalist
- Notes (58 Kb)Slides (2.8 Mb)
- There may be another quiz on the reading for "The rise of corporations". Review the earlier reading for that:
- Review Robbins: Chapter 3, pp. 66-92 (27 pgs)
- Notes (58 Kb)
- Second half: Start "The rise of corporations" (not actually covered in class)
- Notes and slides on "The rise of corporations" are posted below, under October 7.
- Robbins: Chapter 3, pp. 93-108 (16 pgs)
- Factsheet: The IMF at a glance (imf.org) Read the page, then explore a bit.
- The World Bank: About Us (worldbank.org) Read the page, then click around. Try the links at the bottom for "World Bank Group Brochure" and "10 Things You Never Knew"
- What is the World Trade Organization? (wto.org) This page is sufficient for us. What are the underlying assumptions of this organization?
- First half: Constructing the capitalist
- Wednesday, Oct. 7:
- First half: Finish "Constructing the capitalist"; Begin "The rise of corporations and neoclassical ideology"
- Notes (35 Kb)Slides (135 Kb)
- Review Robbins: Chapter 3, pp. 93-108 (16 pgs)
- Probable WASC visit and discussion.
- Notes (35 Kb)
- Second half: Continue "The rise of corporations and neoclassical ideology"
- No additional reading for the second half.
- First half: Finish "Constructing the capitalist"; Begin "The rise of corporations and neoclassical ideology"
- Wednesday, Oct. 14: Midterm exam
- No additional reading
- Friday, Oct. 16: Furlough day: No email replies
- This furlough day does not affect a class meeting, but I cannot reply to emails while on furlough.
- Monday, Oct. 19: Furlough day: No email replies
- This furlough day does not affect a class meeting, but I cannot reply to emails while on furlough.
- Wednesday, Oct. 21:
- Second half: Finish "The rise of corporations and neoclassical ideology"
- Review Robbins: Chapter 3, pp. 93-108 (16 pgs)
- Second half: The nation-state
- Second half: Finish "The rise of corporations and neoclassical ideology"
- Sunday, Oct. 25: Interview with an Immigrant paper due by midnight
- Interview with an Immigrant paper due by email by midnight. See the Interview with an Immigrant instructions
- Wednesday, Oct. 28:
- First half: Exernalities; Population growth
- Notes: Externalities (20 Kb)Slides: Externalities (400 Kb)
- Notes: Malthusian views (17 Kb)Slides: Malthusian views (172 Kb)
- Notes: Demographic transition, Wealth flows (31 Kb)Slides: Demographic transition, wealth flows (135 Kb)
- Robbins: Introduction to Part II, and Chapter 5, pp. 141-176 (37 pgs)
- Assignment 2: "A global issue in a specific country" instructions (20 Kb) Due by email by midnight, Sunday, Dec. 6
- Notes: Externalities (20 Kb)
- Second half: Scheduled: Food, hunger, and responses to poverty; Actually covered: Externalities
- Notes: Hunger (26 Kb)Slides: Hunger (767 Kb)
- Robbins: Chapter 6, pp. 177-210 (34 pgs)
- Notes: Hunger (26 Kb)
- First half: Exernalities; Population growth
- Monday, Nov. 2: Furlough day: No email replies
- This furlough day does not affect a class meeting, but I cannot reply to emails while on furlough.
- Wednesday, Nov. 4:
- First half: Scheduled: Environmental impacts; Actually: not discussed. Please review the material on your own
- Notes: Environment (21 Kb)Slides: Environment (1.4 Mb)
- Robbins: Chapter 7, pp. 211-238 (28 pgs)
- Notes: Environment (21 Kb)
- Second half: Scheduled: Disease; Actually: Population (see Oct. 28)
- Notes: Disease (31 Kb)Slides: Disease (779 Kb)
- Robbins: Chapter 8, pp. 239-267 (29 pgs)
- Notes: Disease (31 Kb)
- First half: Scheduled: Environmental impacts; Actually: not discussed. Please review the material on your own
- Tuesday, Nov. 10: Furlough day: No email replies
- This furlough day does not affect a class meeting, but I cannot reply to emails while on furlough.
- Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans' day: No class
- No readings
- Wednesday, Nov. 18:
- First half: Scheduled: Indigenous groups and ethnic conflict; Actually covered: Poverty and hunger (see Oct. 28)
- Notes: Indigenous groups (24 Kb)Slides: Indigenous groups (836 Kb)
- Robbins: Chapter 9, pp. 268-297 (30 pgs)
- Notes: Indigenous groups (24 Kb)
- Second half: Scheduled: Terrorism, resistance, and rebellion; Actually covered: Poverty and hunger (see Oct. 28)
- Notes: Peasant resistance (20 Kb)Slides: Peasant resistance (289 Kb)
- Notes: Peasant rebellions (21 Kb)Slides: Peasant rebellions (1.1 Mb)
- Robbins: Introduction to Part III and Chapter 10, pp. 299-334 (36 pgs)
- Notes: Peasant resistance (20 Kb)
- First half: Scheduled: Indigenous groups and ethnic conflict; Actually covered: Poverty and hunger (see Oct. 28)
- Friday, Nov. 20: Furlough day: No email replies
- This furlough day does not affect a class meeting, but I cannot reply to emails while on furlough.
- Tuesday, Nov. 24: Furlough day: No email replies
- This furlough day does not affect a class meeting, but I cannot reply to emails while on furlough.
- Wednesday, Nov. 25: Thanksgiving holiday: No class
- No readings
- Wednesday, Dec 2:
- First half: Antisystemic protest; Actually covered: Disease (see Nov. 4)
- Notes: Antisystemic protest (22 Kb)Slides: Antisystemic protest (384 Kb)
- Robbins: Chapter 11, pp. 335-359 (25 pgs)
- Notes: Antisystemic protest (22 Kb)
- Second half: Religion and antisystemic protest; Actually covered: Indigenous groups (see Nov. 18)
- Notes: Religious protest (23 Kb)Slides: Religious protest (2.8 Mb)
- Robbins: Chapter 12, pp. 360-386 (27 pgs)
- Notes: Religious protest (23 Kb)
- First half: Antisystemic protest; Actually covered: Disease (see Nov. 4)
- Sunday, Dec 6: "A global issue in a specific country" paper due by midnight
- "A global issue in a specific country" paper due by email by midnight. See the "Global Issue" instructions
- Wednesday, Dec 9:
- First half: What is happening and what to do about it
- Notes: What to do (14 Kb)Slides: What to do (153 Kb)
- Robbins: Chapter 13, pp. 387-408 (22 pgs)
- Notes: What to do (14 Kb)
- Second half: Catch-up, review, evaluations, preparation for the test
- No notes or slides
- No additional reading
- First half: What is happening and what to do about it
Final exam week:
- Wednesday, Dec 16: Final exam
- 6:00-8:40, in our usual room
Handouts
Scroll down if you don't see what you need. Click on the Handout that you want. If you have been here before, press your browser's "reload" button to see the latest additions.
- Syllabus: Living in Our Globalized World, Anthropology 340.3, Fall 2009 (24 Kb)
- Map: Location of North Light Books & Cafe relative to SSU - Alternative source for the textbook (95 Kb)
- What plagiarism is and how to avoid it (6 Kb)
- Assignment 1: "Interview with an Immigrant" instructions (29 Kb) Due by email by midnight, Sunday, Oct. 25
- Study guide for the midterm exam, Wednesday, Oct. 14 (13 Kb)
- Assignment 2: "A global issue in a specific country" instructions (20 Kb) Due by email by midnight, Sunday, Dec. 6
- Study guide for the final exam, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 6:00-8:40, in our regular room (16 Kb)
Links to background, news, and views on globalization
Interesting, often illustrated, from easy to challenging... check these out. Many of these make excellent study aids for preparing for tests. All are optional. If you have been here before, press your browser's "reload" button to see the latest additions.
...Lists of online sources for studying, papers, and delving deeper
- Online Global Problems Reader: Specifically for this textbook. Brief comments about each chapter in the book, with selected additional online sources. Variable quality, but worth a look.
...University policies
- Important Policies and Procedures for Students: SSU policy details on adding and dropping classes, cheating and plagiarism, diversity, and so on.
...Annoyed by lack of classes, fee increases, furloughs, etc.?
- Contact your Governor or legislators: Names, phone numbers, emails, and addresses. Let'em know how you feel.
Living in Our Globalized World by Bruce OwenAnthropology 340.3, Sonoma State University, Fall 2009Copyright (c) 2009, Bruce Owen. All rights reserved.Please send comments on content and presentation to
bruce.owen@sonoma.edu.URL of this document: http://bruceowen.com/global/a340-09f-3.htmRevised: 10 December 2009