Learning objectives

Referring to knowledge The main objective of the course is to study the concepts and events underlying processes in a globalized society and international relations, in order to better understand the workings of global relational dynamics in the new world order.

 

 

Teaching blocks

 

Introduction: international relations

*  Background and historical development of the globalization process, from the various forms of international relations between diverse historical societies. Introduction to the main globalization indicators

Block I. Globalization and global processes

*  Analysis of the concepts and definitions of the various globalization theories that have been appearing since the 1970s and the different dimensions of globalization: economic, political, cultural and environmental. Introduction to the concepts of risk society, liquid modernity and social capital, expanded upon throughout the course. Study of different global and international processes based on the works of authors including U. Beck, S. Amin, A. Sen and others

Block II. Mass media, ICTs and power in global society

*  Concerning the information society and the importance of virtual networks and mass media in the definition of global society as a means of transforming society. Study of the major changes in each area of mass media. Specific focus on the work of M. Castells and its impact on the world of communication and sociology

Block III. Culture, environment and mobility within a global world

*  This block includes the analysis of the concept of global and local culture and general analysis of the global environment, taking cities as starting points for the analysis of globalization and as elements of transformation. The main author is Saskia Sassen, who talks about the importance of elements of human geography and migration in the definition of global societies. Also, the cultural elements and local-global distribution are studied, as well as aspects of human mobility. All work is based on case studies.

 

 

Teaching methods and general organization

 

The course is delivered in face-to-face mode, although some sessions may be carried out online. The Virtual Campus is an important resource to gain access to presentations, reading material and visual documents and to submit coursework. It is also important to be able to complete class activities and discussions. The course mainly comprises lectures, discussion activities and periodic presentations of coursework based on required reading, completed in groups. During the course, one or two optional seminars may be held: Seminar 1. Public speaking and debate, and Seminar 2. Management of social networks, or other proposals. Conferences are also organized. Students from any group can participate in them.

 

 

Official assessment of learning outcomes

 

Continuous assessment a) Continuous assessment activities: 60% of the final grade. One or two activities. — Individual exercises: individual assignments or a critical commentary and a presentation. — Group assignment: with tutorial classes on alternate Fridays throughout the course. This assignment may use the APS methodology (service learning method), which includes student participation in a service learning proposal for social organizations, institutions or external centres. The Sustainable Development Goals (2030 SDGs) are also incorporated as a main topic to be developed in the group assignments, with the aim of presenting them to the SDG awards of the UB Solidarity Foundation. Special emphasis is placed on incorporating the gender perspective into the topics and reading material worked on in class. This weighting also takes into account class attendance and the presentation in class of an item of required reading. b) Compulsory final examination: 40% of the final grade. Students who submit the last continuous assessment exam are evaluated under this procedure. Otherwise, they are entered for single assessment. Students are entitled to repeat assessment. The seminar Public speaking and debate (gamification) consists of a competition with three objectives: improve oral and communication skills, the capacity to work in groups and critical thinking skills. All the students from all the groups take part in the seminar.   Examination-based assessment This assessment option comprises a longer final examination that corresponds to 100% of the final grade. It requires neither coursework nor the group presentation to be completed, but all texts and videos related to the course exercises must be read and/or watched. The exam includes not only questions on the course content covered in class but also on the content of the related texts and videos. Students are entitled to repeat assessment. Students who wish to opt for single assessment must notify the teacher through a Virtual Campus submission and with a signed copy. Repeat assessment All students have the right to repeat assessment, whether they previously opted for continuous or single assessment. The procedure for repeat assessment is the same as that for single assessment. The extraordinary call for end-of-degree examination follows single assessment. Students should take into consideration current academic regulations.

Reading and study resources

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Book

BAUMAN, Zygmunt. La cultura en el mundo de la modernidad líquida. Madrid : Fondo de Cultura Económica, 2013

Catàleg UB  

BECK, Ulrich. La sociedad del riesgo: hacia una nueva modernidad. Barcelona: Paidós, 1998

Catàleg UB  

CASTELLS, Manuel. Comunicación y poder. Madrid: Alianza, 2009

Catàleg UB  
Catàleg UB. Versió en català (2009)  

ESPING-ANDERSEN, Gøsta. Fundamentos sociales de las economías postindustriales. Barcelona: Ariel, 2000

Catàleg UB  

GIDDENS, Anthony. Un mundo desbocado: los efectos de la globalización en nuestras vidas. Madrid: Taurus, 2000

Catàleg UB  

GUILLÉN  Mauro F., ONTIVEROS BAEZA, Emilio. Global Turning Points: Understanding the Challenges for Business in the Twenty-First Century. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2012

Catàleg UB  

SASSEN, Saskia. A sociology of globalization. New York: W.W. Norton, 2006

Catàleg UB  
Catàleg UB. Versió en castellà (2007)  

SPARKE, Matthew. Introducing globalization: ties tensions and uneven intregration. Chichester : Wiley-Blackwell, 2013

Catàleg UB  

WALLERNSTEIN, Immanuel Maurice. (coord.). Abrir las ciencias sociales: informe de la Comisión Gulbenkian para la reestructuración de las ciencias sociales. México: Siglo XXI, 1996

Catàleg UB  

Chapter

NOYA, Javier; RODRIGUEZ, Beatriz. La variedad de teorías. En NOYA, Javier; RODRIGUEZ, Beatriz. Teorías sociológicas de la globalización. Madrid: Tecnos, 2010, cap.II

Catàleg UB  

Article

DÍEZ NICOLÁS, Juan. ¿Crisis económica, crisis financiera o crisis del sistema social global?.  RES. Revista Española de Sociología [en línia] 2013, núm. 19, p. 125-140 [consulta: 18 de juliol de 2017] Disponible a: <http://fes-sociologia.com/sumario-numero-19-2013/pages/141/>  

FERNÁNDEZ -FÍGARES ROMERO DE LA CRUZ, María Dolores. Globalización y medios de comunicación. En Revista de estudios jurídico. 2006,  núm. 7, p. 353-368.

SASSEN, Saskia. Una sociología de la globalización. Análisis Político [en línia]. Septiembre-diciembre de 2007, vol. 20, núm. 64, p. 3-27 [consulta: 14 de juliol de 2017] Disponible a: <http://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/anpol/issue/view/3988>  

TUGORES QUES, Juan. Racionalidad versus intereses: hacia una economía política de la ’Globalización + Crisis. Revista de Economía Crítica [en línia]. Julio-diciembre de 2010,  vol. 10, p.177-196 [consulta: 13 de juliol de 2017]. Disponible a: <http://www.revistaeconomiacritica.org/n10>  

Castells, Manuel. "Globalización, sociedad y política en la era de la información." Revista Bitácora Urbano Territorial 4 (2000). 

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