Fall 2018/Pasadena

MD500

Myers

MD500: GLOBALIZATION, THE POOR, AND CHRISTIAN MISSION (4 Units: 160 Hours). Bryant Myers.

DESCRIPTION: This course examines the globalization phenomenon as a deeply rooted historical change process that significantly impacts the contemporary church and the poor. The course begins with an examination of the political, economic, and cultural dimensions of globalization with a view toward unraveling myth from reality. Supporters and skeptics are examined, as are the major global players that shape globalization and affect the poor. The course then focuses on the impact of globalization on the poor and provides a critical and theological examination of global proposals for eradicating poverty. The course concludes by examining the impact of globalization on the church and of the church on globalization and concludes with a missiological examination of the theological weaknesses of globalization and how the church needs to respond.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have demonstrated (1) an understanding of the historical roots and contemporary expressions of globalization; (2) a nuanced appreciation of the complexity and paradoxical nature of globalization; (3) an understanding of the impact of globalization and global institutions on the poor including global strategies for poverty reduction; (4) an appreciation of the impact of globalization on the global church and the impact of the church on globalization; (5) an introductory understanding of how to theologically assess globalization; and (6) an appreciation of the ways in which the church and Christians could respond missiologically in today’s globalizing world.

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets once per week for three hour sessions for a total of 30 hours of classroom instruction for lecture and discussion plus 10 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours.

REQUIRED READING: 1,500 total pp. required. If you have previously read any of the required texts, please select an alternative text and seek the approval of the instructor.

Collier, Paul. The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done about It. Oxford University Press, 2007, chapters 1-6 and 11. ISBN: 978-0195373387, Pub. Price $15.95 [117 pp.].

Cran, William, and Barker, Greg, directors. Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World’s Economy, Three video PBS series. All three videos available for free on YouTube. If a text version would be easier, one exists at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/shared/minitext/tr_show01.html

Easterly, William. White Man’s Burden. Penguin, 2006, chapters 1-4, 10-11. ISBN: 978-0143038825, Pub. Price $19.00 [200 pp.].

Fortrell, Quentin. "When Gates and Zuckerberg sound the same dire warning about
jobs, it's time to listen."http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bill-gates-updates-the-plastics-advice-from-the-graduate-for-2017-2017-05-16

Heilbroner, Robert L. 1999. The Worldly Philosophers: The Lives, Times, and Ideas of the Great Economic Thinkers. Rev. 7th ed. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999, chapter 2 (pg 13-26). Available at http://starbooksfeaa.weebly.com/uploads/5/4/8/6/54869709/the_wordly_philosophers.pdf

Myers, Bryant. Engaging Globalization: The Poor, Christian Mission, and Our Hyper-Connected World. Baker Academic, 2017. ISBN 978-0801097980. Pub. Price $26.99 [320 pp.]

Sachs, Jeffrey D. The End of Poverty: The Economic Possibilities of Our Time. Penguin Press, 2006, chapters 1-3, 11, 13-14, 18. ISBN: 978-0143036586, Pub. Price $18.00 [154 pp.].

Steger, Manfred. Globalization: A Very Short Introduction. 3rd Ed. Oxford University Press, 2013. ISBN: 978-0199662661, Pub. Price $11.95 [135 pp.].

Urbanski, Dave."Zuckerberg says Facebook can offer 'sense of purpose,' 'community." http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/06/28/as-church-membership-drops-mark-zuckerberg-says-facebook-can-offer-sense-of-purpose-community/

Zakaria, Fareed. The Post-American World 2.0. Norton, 2012. ISBN: 978-0393340389, Pub. Price $16.95 [336 pp.].

Course Reader. (Banerjee/Duflo, Barber, Friedman, Huntington, Groody, Hanciles, Kaplan, Naim, Norris/Inglehart, Ogbo, Prahalad, Rachman, Sanneh, Stackhouse, Yates). [250 pp.].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1,500 pp. of required reading [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-5] [80 hours].
Lectures [Relates to all learning outcomes] [30 hours].
Directed Learning Activity: In teams of 3-6, students will do a class presentation and lead a discussion (total one hour), that describes and critiques a major international organization in terms of its explicit and implicit understanding of (a) who “owns” the institution, (b) its stance on globalization, and (c) its macro-development or poverty-eradication strategies. Presentations begin on fifth day of class (20%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #4] [5 hours].
Mid-term paper: Choose one of the following: 1) A five-page critical and personal assessment of how you personally and your local church/denomination will need to change or adjust how you think, act, and do Christian ministry in light of Fareed Zakaria’s proposal of a post-American world, or 2) a five-page research paper comparing and contrasting Sachs, Easterly, and Collier in terms of their understanding of and solutions for eradicating poverty (25%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #2 or 5, respectively] [10 hours].
A 12- to 15-page (3,000 to 3,750 words) critical assessment research paper on a topic related to the course. (35%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-5] [30 hours].
Pre and post course evaluations, and a series of spiritual practices reflections (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3] [5 hours].

Total = 160 hours

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Required course in the 80 MAICS (2017). Meets MAICS (2010 revision) core requirement or globalization (GLBL) requirement.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.