Smallman & Brown “Introduction” to Introduction to International & Global Studies
1. Defines the concepts of international studies, global citizenship, and competing worldviews
2. Asserts the interconnectedness of all humans, environments both natural & social, and all processes - economic, political, cultural
3. Makes a case for tolerance of differences in worldviews, systems and cultures
4. Argues for a need for stepping outside one's comfort zone in order to achieve such a globalized vision
Eight Key Questions used to evaluate ethical dimensions: fairness; outcomes; responsibility; character; liberty; empathy; authority; & rights.
1. Discusses these 8 dimensions of ethical thinking as they pertain to globalized processes
2. Asks us to evaluate our actions, ideas and their consequences in relation to these 8 dimensions
3. Requests us to evaluate our actions/ideas/consequences locally, regionally, globally and to interconnect these levels
4. Provides an ethical foundation for understanding global issues, participating in global citizenship, and accepting competing worldviews
“The Story of Stuff” (video)
1. Presents a radical critique of consumption that underlies that heart of global production and distribution
2. Looks at the decay of the environment in relation to the extraction of resources that underly the global system of production
3. Looks at social injustice in relation to this extraction of resources, systems of consumption, production, distribution and exchange
4. Links exploitation of nature with exploitation of people with economic-political-cultural systems of capitalism & globalization
5. Provides a critical view of capitalism that is antagonistic to the pro-capital views set up by big business, political parties, and specific intellectual schools of thought
Here are my questions to you:
How does the story of stuff present a worldview that competes with mainstream ideas of capitalism as a good thing in the US?
Does this difference in perspective give you a competing worldview, force you to be open to differing perspectives?
How does it tap into the 8 key ethical questions provided?