To what extent and in what ways are we all the same or different as individuals, communities, cultures, and sovereignties, and why would one care? In what ways do local communities in different parts of the world become more and more interconnected with each other every day? How do we describe the relationships (and networks) that communities create? These are some of the large questions we will discuss in this course.
Because of developments in communication and transportation technologies, networks and communities have been created on a global scale. Not only has there been an increase in information, goods and services from all over the world, but also in the movement of peoples and cultures. Information communication technologies have enabled increased interconnectivity between people in remarkably different locales; human behaviors in one place impact others elsewhere.
In this course we will:
- Examine some of the global issues that shape our world today
- Understand globalization theories and concepts
- Examine the role of technology in creating (and fostering) global networks and communities
- Learn new technologies that help us create (and examine) networks and communities in this global world
This course meets university general education requirements in information technology and global understanding.
Course Overview
This fall’s version of NCLC 102 will prepare students for participation in a global society by investigating global and local issues dealing with food and sovereignty. We will consider how global and local concerns surrounding food and sovereignty link to critical topics such as globalization, (neo)colonialism, imperialism, hegemony, and the industrialization of food sheds. Students will gain an in-depth perspective of the intricate relationships between people, cultures, and food. We will become familiar with some technologies that affect these intricate relationships. Our campus and local communities will be sites for experiential learning about the connections between local and global networks and communities.
Food and sovereignty is a particularly illuminating lens to examine these questions and concerns. Students are invited to think of how food serves as a medium to build a community and enables both individual and cultural agency. The production and consumption of food is increasingly affected by organizations (e.g., International Monetary Fund) and corporations (e.g., Monsanto) that operate across and beyond national borders. Rules of trade and local and national sovereignty have changed significantly under globalization. We will examine our roles as citizens, consumers, and members of communities in the current environment of globalization.
During the class we will have two field assignments—grocery store and farm visits—that will provide an alternative way to understand some of the issues addressed in our course readings and class discussion. You will work in small groups during these assignments as well as during your final week presentation. More details about these assignments and the required writing for the course will be provided in separate handouts.
Additional information about the course—including any announcements—will be posted on the course website.
NCC Competencies Emphasized in this Course
Global Understanding: Through written assignments, class discussions, experiential learning and reflective practice , students will learn different perspectives based on cultural, ethnic, religious, and geographical differences, comprehend the way in which technology has created a small world, politically, socially, economically and culturally, and appreciate the interconnectedness of the local and global communities.
Information Technology: With pervasive use of social networking tools and common office computer applications, students will learn these new technologies confidently and independently. Through group and individual research assignments, students will learn to locate, evaluate and use information. In addition students will examine why and how new food and information technologies raise significant ethical, policy, and accessibility issues.
Valuing: With the course topics and assignments student will need to articulate, examine, and support one’s own values through self-knowledge and reflective practice. Through reading and writing assignments as well as class discussions, students also will recognize the moral dimensions of decisions and understand and appreciate multiple value systems.
Group Interaction: Through study, research, and presentation group work, students will be able to understand and choose group roles and tasks, make decisions collaboratively, and negotiate consensus, compromise and conflict.
Communication: Through small group oral presentations and diverse writing assignments, students will learn to speak, read, write and listen effectively, using appropriate language, nonverbal and visual symbols, and organizing strategically ideas and information.
Class Schedule
Monday and Thursday, 9:30-12
Wednesday, 9:30-2:30, with lunch break
No class Wednesday, 11/25 and Thursday, 11/26
Last day of class is December 10th; last assignment due December 14th
Required Texts
Dan Koeppel. Banana, the fate of the fruit that changed the world. Penguin, 2008.
Michael Pollan, Omnivore’s dilemma: a natural history of four meals. Penguin, 2006.
Global Networks and Communities, course pack reader
Online readings from journals and magazines, available through e-reserves
Assignments and Point Distribution
Food Book 585 points
- 1 Personal Identity 60 pts
- 2 Cultural History 100 pts
- 3 Sources and Destinations 100 pts
- 4 Sustainability Issues 100 pts
- 5 Alternatives and Interventions 100 pts
- Epilogue 125 pts
Group Work 90 points
Presentation 60 pts
Class facilitation 20 pts
Group assessment 10 pts
Experiential Learning 110 points
Grocery store trip 60 pts
Farm visit 50 pts
Seminar writing/writing on readings 100 points
Analysis of panel or presentation 25 points
Class participation 90 points
- In-class writing
- Seminar discussions
Late policy for writing assignments: chapters of the Food Book are docked 5 points for each day late. Readings on writings are due the day they are assigned. Because they are assigned primarily to encourage seminar discussion, late papers are not accepted.
Attendance policy: The University does not require students to attend class and you cannot be graded based specifically on attendance. However class participation is fundamental to a learning community and your active participation is essential both for your success and for the success of the seminar.
Grading Scale
A+ 975-1000 B+ 875-899 C+ 775-799 D 600-699
A 925-974 B 825-874 C 725-774 F below 599
A- 900-924 B- 800-824 C- 700-724
Student Support
- Disability Support Services (http://ods.gmu.edu; 703-993-2474; 222 SUB I). Assists students with learning or physical conditions affecting learning. If you qualify for accommodation, the ODS staff will provide a form to give to your instructor.
- Counseling Center (http://caps.gmu.edu; 703-993-2380; 364 SUB I). Provides individual and group sessions for personal development and assistance with a range of emotional and relational issues.
- Student Technology Assistance and Resources (STAR) (http://media.gmu.edu; 703-993-8990; 229 Johnson Center). Provides support for web and multimedia design. STAR has video cameras and other equipment for student check out.
- Writing Center (http://writingcenter.gmu.edu; 703-993-1200; 114 Robinson A). Provides free tutors who can help you develop ideas and revise papers. Also available online.
- On-line Writing Guide (http://classweb.gmu.edu/nccwg)
NCC Commitment to Diversity
New Century College, an intentionally inclusive community, promotes and maintains an equitable and just work and learning environment. We welcome and value individuals and their differences including race, economic status, gender expression and identity, sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, first language, religion or irreligion, age and disability.
- We value our diverse student body and desire to increase the diversity of our faculty and staff.
- We commit to supporting students, faculty and staff who have been the victims of bias and discrimination.
- We promote continuous learning and improvement to create an environment that values diverse points of view and life experiences.
- We believe that faculty, staff and students play a role in creating an environment that engages diverse points of view.
- We believe that by fostering their willingness to hear and learn from a variety of sources and viewpoints, our students will gain competence in communication, critical thinking and global understanding, and become aware of their biases and how they affect their interactions with others and the world.
For more information about NCC’s diversity commitment go to: http://ncc.gmu.edu/diversity.html
Statement on the Honor Code and Academic Integrity
The integrity of the University community is affected by the individual choices made by each of us. This is especially true in New Century College. GMU has an Honor Code with clear guidelines regarding academic integrity. Three fundamental and rather simple principles to follow at all times are that: (1) all work submitted be your own; (2) when using the work or ideas of others, including fellow students, give full credit through accurate citations; and (3) if you are uncertain about the ground rules on a particular assignment, ask for clarification. No grade is important enough to justify academic misconduct. If you feel unusual pressure or anxiety about your grade in this or any other course, please talk with us or to a trusted friend or counselor to get your situation in perspective. The University provides a range of service to help with test anxiety, writing skills, study skills, and other related concerns.
Some projects are designed to be undertaken individually. For these projects, you may discuss your ideas with others or ask for feedback; however, it is not appropriate to give your paper to someone else to revise. You are responsible for making certain that there is no question that the work you hand in is your own. If only your name appears on an assignment, your professor has the right to expect that you have done the work yourself, fully and independently.
As in most learning communities and in many other classes, your final integrated group project in this unit is designed to be completed by a study group. With collaborative work, names of all the participants should appear on the work. Over the course of the six weeks you may find that it is necessary for different group members to take the lead on various assignments leading up to the integrated final group project. However, the faculty do expect that all group members will contribute equally and that the pieces will be conceptually integrated in the final end product.
Using someone else’s words or ideas without giving them credit is plagiarism, a very serious offense. It is very important to understand how to prevent committing plagiarism when using material from a source. If you wish to quote verbatim, you must use the exact words (including punctuation) just as it appears in the original and you must use quotation marks and page number(s) in your citation. If you want to paraphrase ideas from a source, that is, convey the author’s ideas in your own words—you must still cite the source, using MLA or APA format.
The re-use of papers, presentations, etc., from one course in another course is not appropriate. In every NCC course, faculty expect that work that is submitted has been done only for that class. An exception is made for materials included within course and year-end portfolios.