DESCRIPTION:

This course examines the globalization phenomenon as a deeply rooted historical change process that has significant impact on the contemporary church and the poor. The course consists of two parts. The first part of the course examines the political, economic, and cultural dimensions of globalization with a view toward unraveling myth from reality and applying biblical lenses to this assessment. Supporters and skeptics are examined, as are the major global players who have the power to shape the nature of globalization. The second part of the course comes in two different forms, depending on the year in which the student chooses to take the course. Every other year, part two explores the role of Christianity as a globalizing force; the significance of the emerging southern church; poverty and religiosity; possible responses of the church to processes of globalization. In the intervening years, the second half will briefly examine the impact of globalization on the church and global mission, but primarily focus on the impact of globalization on the poor and a critical examination of global proposals for eradicating poverty. By planning ahead, a student can select the version that best suits his or her areas of interest and call.

• An understanding of the historical roots and contemporary expressions of globalization

• A multifaceted appreciation for the complexity and paradoxical nature of globalization debate as it affects the poor and the global Christian church

• An appreciation for the complexity of the task of thinking theologically about globalization

• An understanding of the impact of globalization and global institutions on the poor

• A critical understanding of macro theories of poverty and development

• Ability to understand and critically assess proposals for poverty eradication at the global level

The class will be conducted on the Internet using a 10-week lesson program aligned with Fuller's academic calendar. Each week students and the instructor will interact with that week's lecture and readings through threaded small group discussions.

If you have previously read any of the required texts, please select an alternative text from the recommended reading list or a book approved by the instructor.

1. Giddens, Anthony. Runaway World: How Globalization is Reshaping Our Lives. New York: Routledge, 2003. (82 pgs). ISBN: 978-0415944878. Price: $18.95.

2. Steger, Manfred. Globalization: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009. (135 pgs). ISBN: 978-0199552269. Price: $11.95.

3. Chanda, Nayan. Bound Together: How Traders, Preachers, Adventurers and Warriors Shaped Globalization. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2007. (330 pgs). ISBN: 978-0300136234. Price: $18.00.

4. Cran, William, and Barker, Greg, directors. Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World's Economy, three-disc PBS DVD, available free on Google video and PBS.

5. Sachs, Jeffrey D. The End of Poverty: The Economic Possibilities of Our Time. New York: Penguin Press, 2005, chapters 1-3, 11, 13-14, 18. (154 pgs). ISBN: 978-0143036586. Price: $17.00.

6. Easterly, William. White Man's Burden. New York: Penguin, 2006, chapters 1-4, 10-11. (200 pgs). ISBN: 978-0143038825. Price: $17.00.

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

8. Zakaria, Fareed. The Post-American World. New York: Norton, 2008. (272 pgs). ISBN: 978-0393334807. Price: $15.95.

9. Readings in a Course E-Reader.

1. Reed, Charles, ed. Development Matters: Christian Perspectives on Globalization. London: Church House, 2001.fon ISBN: 978 0715165881. Price unavailable.

2. Dunning, John H., ed. Making Globalization Good. Oxford University Press, 2003. ISBN: 978-0199275229. Price $50.00.

3. Mofid, Kamran. Globalisation: For the Common Good. London: Shepheard-Walwyn, 2002. ISBN: 978-0856831959. Price: $19.95.

4. Wuthnow, Robert. Boundless Faith: The Global Outreach of American Churches. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0520268081. Price: $18.95.

5. Prahalad, C. K. The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty through Profits. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Wharton School Publishing, 2005. ISBN: 978-0137009275. Price $29.99.

6. Hernando de Soto. The Mystery of Capital. New York: Basic Books, 2000. ISBN: 978-0465016150. Price: $16.95.

7. Harrison, Lawrence, and Huntington, Samuel, eds. Culture Matters: How Values Shape Human Progress. New York: Basic Books, 2000. ISBN: 978-0465031764. Price: $19.00.

8. Naim, Mosés. Illicit: How Smugglers, Traffickers, and Copycats are Hijacking the Global Economy. New York: Doubleday, 2005. ISBN: 978-1400078844. Price $16.00.

1. In teams of 3-6, students will do a class presentation and lead a discussion (total one hour), which 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.

2. A four to five page (1000-1500 words) critical and personal assessment of how you will change or adjust how you think, act and do Christian ministry in light of Fareed Zakaria's proposal of a post-American world

3. A four to five page (1000-1250 words) research paper comparing and contrasting Sachs, Easterly and Collier in terms of their solutions for eradicating poverty.

4. A 12 to 15-page (3000 to 3750 words) research paper on a topic related to the course.