當代世界

Course Description This course aims to provide an introduction to major global issues in our contemporary world, particularly focusing on how global actors address the latest global issues. It is designed to nurture, facilitate and enhance students’ general comprehension of our global society. We live in an increasingly globalized world, which generates both opportunities and challenges. Nowadays, few countries and people could isolate themselves from the impacts of the outside world. The significance of the course is to augment students’ interests and abilities in realizing how and what the global society is composed of, operated, and governed. Hence, this course covers several crucial subjects, including international organizations, non-governmental organizations, multinational corporations, international migration, terrorism, cyber-attack, etc. Through lectures and class discussion, students will have a deeper understanding of major issues in our contemporary world, while developing their critical thinking, unique perspectives, and analytical abilities on different global issues. Objectives of the Course By the end of the course, students should be able to: 1. Develop advanced understanding regarding major issues in our contemporary world, and long-lasting interests in the development of global affairs; 2. Familiarize with and utilize various perspectives to comprehend major global issues; 3. And increase the abilities of critical thinking, argument-making, and deliberate discourse.

Competent in English

1. The course will be conducted by the instructor’s lecture with PPT presentations, combining with the agenda-guided class discussion. Students need to be fully prepared and be familiar with the assigned readings before the class. 2. E3 teaching website and Facebook class discussion forum will be used.

Class Participation & Discussion (20%): Class participation is a moral duty for students, but not mandatory. Nevertheless, to enhance students’ comprehension of the subjects, students are encouraged to actively participate in various activities in the class, including class discussion, instant Internet poll survey, quizzes, group activities, etc. All forms of class participation will be taken into account as proof for evaluating students’ class participation. To facilitate student's interests in global issues, students are encouraged to regularly watch international news programs, or podcasts, such as CNN, BBC, Euronews, Al Jazeera, NHK, NPR(National Public Radio, US), etc. Students may be asked some questions related to recent international news or ongoing global issues in the class. Students are expected to read the assigned readings before the class. Meanwhile, students are also encouraged to actively participate in class discussions. The performances of student’s participation will be judged by both the quality and quantity of students’ statements. It means that students are encouraged to express their viewpoints, logical arguments, and constructive critique which are relevant and constructive to the class discussion. To motivate students’ interests and participation in the class, this course has designed a variety of class activities for students to participate in. To achieve this goal, students need to bring their electronic devices (such as cellphone, tablets, notebooks which can connect Internet) to participate in the Internet quiz, dialogue partner, and group activities. Students who have difficulties accessing those devices, need to inform the instructor before the class. All of those class activities will be recorded as proof of students’ performance in this item. Essay Paper (25%): Each student is required to select ONE topic from the outline of the course and to write ONE short paper (the writing format will be announced afterward). This essay paper should be logical and analytical, providing analysis and discussion about the important issues, concepts, or phenomena related to one specific topic of this course. This paper should include a concise summary of the readings, a reflection of the lecture, and a critical analysis. A successful short paper should be question-oriented while providing a critical assessment and compelling arguments. All students need to seek assistance from NYCU Language Teaching and Research Center’s Language Consultation (http://ltrc.nctu.edu.tw/room/index.php) to improve their English composition and proofreading before handing in the paper. For students who want to be exempt from this required assistance of writing composition, they need to inform the professor before the 10th week of the course and provide some proof of English composition capability. Examination (30%): There will be ONE Mid-term Exam in the course. This exam will be composed of single choice, multiple-choice, term explanation, and essay questions. Coherent writing and critical thinking are important to get high scores in the exams. The essay questions are not designed to test students’ English writing ability, but to assess students’ comprehension regarding subjects, contents of readings, and students’ abilities to write compelling arguments and analyses. The contents of the examination are derived from the assigned readings and the lecture in the class. Students are encouraged to take notes in the class, which is beneficial for students to prepare for the exam. Group Presentation (25%): Depending on the number of students, students will be divided into several teams for group presentation. Each group will elect a team leader, who is responsible for organizing the team and leads their members to perform the group presentation. Each group is expected to choose one week’s subject as the focus of their presentation. Under the selected subject, each group can choose a specific issue, case, phenomenon, etc. Each group should perform an oral presentation with PowerPoint within 15 minutes. *Up to students’ performances in class, this syllabus is subject to be adjusted by the instructor’s discretion anytime. *Based on the NYCU’s requirement, the average score of the course is 78±3, in principle. * No food is allowed in class (water, coffee, tea, and soft drinks are exempted). * The use of cellphone, tablet, laptop, and other electronic devices are subject to the permission of instructor.

Required Text: Love, Maryann Cusimano. 2019. Global Issue Beyond Sovereignty, Blue Ridge Summit: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. (Library has purchased E-book, and you can download PDF file up to 60 pages for each use)

地點

Room 606, Assembly Building 1

時間

3:30 pm- 4:00 pm, Tuesday, an email appointment in advance is required

聯絡方式

Ext: 52730 E-mail: chiouyihung@nycu.edu.tw Note: This course is open for interested students to add this course until its student number reaches the limit of 40 students. Anyone who wants to add this course please directly send an email, specifying your student ID, name, adding course name, and your department, to the instructor before the deadline of add/drop course. Due to pandemics, this course only accepts an electronic course-adding application via email.