Every semester University Programs coordinates an experiential workshop for the students of CULF 3330 and CULF 3331.  

To reschedule your workshop please email Jennifer Phlieger.

Global Understanding Workshops

Global Understanding workshops have become a centerpiece of the experience of students enrolled in both CULF 3330:  History and Evolution of Global Processes and CULF 3331:  Contemporary World Issues. The workshops explore significant global issues with a direct focus on the social justice and local implications of the issue considered, including ways in which students can respond with meaningful, concrete actions.  The workshops attempt to organize a high impact activity (small group discussion, activities, and reflective writing) that integrates smoothly into the curricular goals as we seek to help students understand the complexities of global issues and how course materials will give them knowledge and skills to understand and better respond to the challenges of our increasingly interconnected world.  The experience of the workshop and solutions considered at each table serve as the basis for a class assignment on the Social Justice implications of the problem and proposed solution/s, which is a learning outcome for each of the courses.

We were fortunate to be able to work closely with the Kozmetsky Center to align some programming that complemented the workshops.  These opportunities have been beneficial for our students and have allowed them to engage intellectually with a broader variety of issues that could be covered in the workshops themselves, and to hear a broader variety of perspectives.  Additionally, we identified films to show that served the same purpose, and had appropriate faculty moderate discussions afterward.  We invite experts from off campus, either to work with the workshops themselves as speakers or in the development, or to give public presentations or offer opportunities for faculty development related to their area of expertise. 

The workshops have also provided meaningful internship opportunities for students who are interested in global issues and social justice.  In the preparation and delivery of the workshops, we have been very fortunate to have the expertise of faculty from across the campus to work with student interns as we work to master complex materials and to ensure meaningful workshop experiences. 

 

Crisis and Sustainability: Life After The Zombies -- Spring 2013; Expertise of Grant Potts

In this workshop, students will be asked to use a series of highly speculative scenarios (based on the fictive idea of a Zombie Apocalypse) to explore the dynamics by which individuals, collectives, and institutions might respond to a major crisis. In the process, they will examine the moral implications and the social justice and sustainability dimensions of decisions made in response to crises. They will appreciate the constraints and consequences of decisions made during a period of crisis. Special emphasis will be given to exploring cultural, social, political, organizational, and/or economic factors shape both crises and responses to crises.

Global Health: Fall 2012; Expertise of Rebecca Brady

Students actively engage in learning about different global health challenges, such as cholera and HIV/AIDS, and the social justice implications of the current global health situation and proposed solutions. They will analyze different means by which to improve global health and consider the political, cultural, and economic implications of proposed solutions.

Children and the Millennium Development Goals: Spring 2012; expertise of Kay Burrough

The workshop was centered around the UN Declaration on Children's Rights and the Millennium Development Goals and how children are affected by them. Students actively engaged in learning about the goals and the cultural and religious implications for the definition and experience of childhood in Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the United States. They analyzed and prioritized development goals based on what they learned about the needs of one of the areas and critically addressed the challenge of distributing limited budgets to try to affect meaningful change.

Global Water Works: Mediated Solutions in River Basins: Fall 2011; expertise of Charles Porter

We examined the transboundary conflicts associated with eight water systems around the world.  Interns served as mediators as students move through the alternate dispute resolution process of mediation, which is the typical way that water conflicts are negotiated globally.  The mediated solutions were subjected to reality tests—will the solutions work?  The solutions were tested against their feasibility in the private sector, with regard to questions of human rights, and the degree to which they meet the standards of international organizations such as the World Bank.

Food Justice: Spring 2011; expertise of Lidia Marte

The workshop for Spring 2011 focused on the issues of food justice globally.  We challenged students to consider the current global food crisis and to consider the social justice implications as they evaluate solutions. 

Human Trafficking: Fall 2010; expertise of Kay Burrough

The workshop focused on the fastest growing global criminal activity, human trafficking and modern slavery.  We introduced students to the legal concepts and gave them a broad introduction to the problem.  We challenged students to understand the vulnerabilities that make people more likely to become victims of this crime, both globally and locally.  

Free/Fairer Trade Workshop—Spring 2010; expertise of Keith Ward

The workshops addressed the complex issues of world trade by examining the cotton and t-shirt trades from two perspectives – trade in the current trade environment and trade according to the principles of fair trade.  

Water for Life—Fall 2009; expertise of Charles Porter

The workshops addressed the complex questions of who controls access to water, who benefits from available water resources, what factors impact the availability of water resources, among others.