The faculty members teaching the courses listed below would like to offer their course as a Globally Connected Course in spring of the 2023-24 academic year and are looking for a course partner from an Alliance institution. The courses are organized roughly by academic division, but some of the richest course connections are cross-disciplinary, so you are strongly encouraged to search broadly.
If you are interested, please contact the instructor to explore connecting their course to a course you teach. Visit the Global Course Connections page for information on how to submit a course description and how to submit a connection proposal.
Also review the list of courses for fall 2023.
PLSC 101: Introduction to Political Science
Shehzadi Zamurrad Awan, [email protected] , Forman Christian College
Introduction to Political Science is a core course for entry-level students to study politics and power from domestic, international, and comparative perspectives. It entails understanding political ideas, ideologies, institutions, policies, processes, and behavior, as well as groups, classes, government, diplomacy, law, strategy, and war. The prominent feature of this course is studying the branches of government: legislature, executive, and judiciary. The detailed analysis of the Parliamentary, presidential, and semi-presidential systems, along with the features of unicameral and bicameral legislatures, enable students to understand different political systems worldwide. [Expected enrollment: 35]
H-369 Modern European History
Lucas Sprouse, [email protected], BISLA (Bratislava International School of Liberal Arts)
This is a core course for third-year students which focuses on the mid-twentieth century (1945-1989). This course emphasizes European regional variations as well as the exceptions to generally regarded rules of homogeneity. Students will be asked to consider the perspectives and motivations of various actors (individuals, groups, nations, alliances) and to assess the value of different historical sources and approaches to writing and history. Part of this course involves students working on a group presentation. Major topics covered include nationalism, migration, communism, democracy, integration, and regionalism. This course aims to cultivate better critical thinking and analytical skills through written and oral assessment. [Expected enrollment: 15]
History 131- Introduction to Modern European History
Dr. Fred L. Johnson III, [email protected], Hope College
This course examines European interactions with people on other continents and in various cultures since the Age of Encounters. [Expected enrollment: Capped 22]
PLSC 203 International Relations
Mudassir Farooqi , [email protected], Forman Christian College
This course examines the evolution of IR and the international systems it describes, focusing especially on ways in which social structures bring order to our otherwise anarchic international society. In doing so it considers: the evolution of IR in practice and theory during the twentieth century; the impact of international history on the development of the discipline prior to 1919; the end of the Cold War and the failure of IR to predict this epochal shift; the nature of globalisation and its influence on the discipline’s main theories and concepts; the similarities and differences between mainstream approaches to IR; the alternatives presented by some of the discipline’s newer theoretical schools; the difficulties implicit in defining and limiting war between and within states; the contentious place of peace in international society; the role and responsibilities of the state as one actor among many in the international system; our changing understanding of international power; the impact of globalisation and the end of the Cold War on actors’ definitions of security; the difficulties of global governance in an anarchic international society; and the likely impact of Asia’s (especially China’s) rise on the units, processes and structures of the international system. [Expected enrollment: 15]
Introduction to International Relations
Clarissa Tabosa, [email protected], Bratislava International School of Liberal Arts (BISLA)
The course aims at introducing the students to the study of International Relations (IR) and its main theories. The students will be presented with the discipline’s historical origins, its purpose, its debates, as well as the main theoretical approaches developed within the discipline. Upon completion of the course students should be able to analytically apply the main theoretical approaches of IR to current affairs in world politics, to critically assess international relations’ issues, and to independently conduct basic research in IR. [Expected enrollment: 15]
POL 2315 Global Issues
Anna Kensicki, [email protected], International University of Grand-Bassam
This course familiarizes students with the most important issues affecting life on the planet. It explores how these problems came about and challenges them to seek solutions. We examine issues related to power, wealth and poverty, demographics, food supply, energy, and the environment. At the course’s end, students consider alternative futures for the world. [Expected enrollment: 25]
POL 3330 Introduction to Political Research
Anna Kensicki, [email protected], International University of Grand-Bassam
This course consists of research techniques in political research including data collection, analysis, and interpretation. It is designed to introduce students to the logic of research design and the use of quantitative and qualitative methods of political science and for investigating political issues. [Expected enrollment: 5 to 10]
PLSC 401 International Political Economy
Shakila Noor Sindhu, [email protected], Forman Christian College
Phenomena that are both political and economic in nature, substantive issues, methodological and conceptual framework: rational choice theory. [Expected enrollment: 35 – 40]
MCOM 203: Media & Peace Building
Saleem Abbas, [email protected], Forman Christian College
This course explores the crucial role that media and journalists play in promoting conflict resolution and peace-building. Our objective is to familiarize students with the concepts of peace, conflict, and violence and evaluate the various ways in which media and journalists can contribute to these areas. We will examine the principles of peace journalism, conflict-sensitive and solutions-oriented reporting, and ethical considerations. Through the exploration of various case studies, we will analyze how journalism can facilitate non-violent approaches to conflict resolution. We will delve into the critiques and challenges of peace journalism and examine future developments in this field. Additionally, by comparing war journalism with peace journalism, students will gain a greater appreciation for the alternative approach offered by peace journalism and inspiration to become agents of change in their respective fields. [Expected enrollment: 35]
MCOM 290: Fundamentals of Research Methods
Saleem Abbas, [email protected], Forman Christian College
The course ‘Fundamentals of Research Methods’ is an essential component of the Mass Communication program, aimed at providing students with a comprehensive understanding of the social-scientific process of research used in the field of Mass Communication. This course covers the basics of research, including its concepts, process, elements, measurement, and methods, and enables students to explore the mass media phenomenon in society. By utilizing their understanding of research, students will also be able to measure the effects and impacts of mass communication. Prospective students of this course must have a good understanding of the fields of Mass Communication and the process creation, production, distribution, and consumption of media content. [Expected enrollment: 35]
MCOM 413- Media, Culture, and Society
Firasat Jabeen, [email protected], Forman Christian College
This course is for students who are inquisitive or want to learn how media function in different socio-cultural contexts. As the title of the course reveals, this course is focused on media’s role in a given society and culture. For this purpose, we’ll study theories/paradigms of different cultural approaches, and the relevancy of these approaches with issues of representation and marginalization, etc. These issues may arise from the handling of an event by news/media organizations. Also, the socio-cultural circumstances and ideological grounds of a society/culture play a pivotal role in the understanding of these issues. Thus, to fathom ideological entanglements related to media representations, it is important to study media, culture, and society. In a way, this course helps to make sense of our surroundings in terms of media, culture, and society and then thinking about ways to make this world a better place for us. [Expected enrollment: 25]
PO4025 Terrorism & Political Violence
Emmanuel Skoulas, [email protected], The American College of Greece (Deree)
An introduction to the primary ideas and problems associated with the study of terrorism and political violence. Developing a deeper understanding of the causes of various forms of violence and hatred, how they spread, and how we may combat them with social, political and economic policies. Emphasis will be placed on modern terrorist networks, the various methods of financing such as fundraising, state sponsorship, charitable contributions, extortion, and criminal activities. Finally, students will dissect the major U.S. and European national security policies designed to combat terrorism and violence, and discuss their effectiveness [Expected enrollment: 20]
CLCS 254W Introduction to Postcolonial Literatures and Theories
Kate Roy, [email protected], Franklin University Switzerland
This course is designed as an introduction to the field of postcolonial studies. Readings will familiarize students with a diversity of “world literature” and grant an understanding of key debates in postcolonial studies. As postcolonialism is not a unified field of study, the course engages with different theoretical understandings of the term and queries what it even means to be “postcolonial.” When exactly does the postcolonial begin? What are the implications of using such a broad umbrella term to designate writings from around the world? We will explore depictions of the colonial encounter and decolonization, question the links between colonialism and globalization, and examine constructions of East and West, Global North and Global South. Central to the course will be the themes of: power and violence; economics and class; land and nation; authenticity and development; race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality; history and memory; the politics of literature; and the politics of print culture. [Expected enrollment: 12]
Ling 217: Introduction to Linguistics
Dr. Ambreen Javed, [email protected], Forman Christian College
Introduction to Linguistics deals with the theoretical concepts and empirical findings of modern linguistics on a non-technical level. It highlights the connection between linguistics and other related disciplines. The course aims to differentiate various key components of linguistics such as phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, discourse, discourse analysis, pragmatics and diachronic/synchronic; paradigmatic/syntagmatic relations, langue and parole respectively. It also talks the basic concepts of sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics along with the computational aspect of linguistics. [Expected enrollment: 35]
ENGL 350 Advance Creative Writing
Mussarat Shahid, [email protected], Forman Christian College
Writing is both an art and a craft. Just as we cannot sit down at a piano and break someone’s heart as Beethoven could, or pick up a guitar and make it cry like Hendrix, we cannot “whip up” a story that will touch a universal chord in every human being. What we can do, however, is to find ways to connect with our inner feelings and activate our sensory pathways to unravel “our own true nature.” We will embark on this journey of creative writing with the understanding that writing is nothing but an extension of the human need to communicate however, it is more demanding, a more conscious and a more complex skill than is speech. Not only does it need the commitment to move another person’s emotions with written words, but it also necessitates creating an environment that is kind to the writer yet demanding of the story. The course will enable participants to discover a spark which has not yet been ignited; to tantalize senses that so far have been numb. And a promise to rekindle the passion for creative writing like never before. [Expected enrollment: 15]
LING 422: Corpus Linguistics
Maheen Zia, [email protected], Forman Christian College
This course aims to provide a general introduction to corpus based language study by analyzing large digital collections of text (corpora). Students will explore the use and manipulation of language in society by analyzing and transcribing electronic texts used in conjunction with computer tools to uncover, quantify and exploit the patterns of linguistic variation by mainly looking at concordances, collocations and frequency lists within various genres. [Expected enrollment: 10]
DRPT101 Introduction to Visual Art
Suniti Vadalkar, [email protected], FLAME University
Folk arts all over the world are indigenous arts. History reveals that even before civilizations came into existence, human beings were painting. The caves in Altamira and Lascaux have paintings that date to 35,000 years ago stand testimony to this fact. Folk art paintings are seen all around the world. They depict the peculiar culture, and style of rendering of communities. In this course, we shall learn about seven Indian folk art paintings (Madhubani, Pattachitra, Pithora, Phad, Warli, Kalamkari and Tanjore) – their themes, narratives, methods of depiction, and uniqueness. We will also create our own visual stories (folk art) based on these Indian folk art paintings. [Expected enrollment: 20]
MLL2057 Intermediate Spanish Reading
Lucia Lopez Vazquez, [email protected], American University in Bulgaria
This course introduces students to a broad range of texts in Spanish (short stories, poetry, drama, comics, letters, travel journals, literary critiques, etc.) and familiarizes them with various reading strategies, and the methods of textual analysis and interpretation. Discussion of other sources, such as film and media will complement the readings. Students will examine the historical and cultural contexts of each literary work. In addition, they will refine their Spanish language skills at the intermediate level through active writing, listening, and discussing. [Expected enrollment: 15]
MLL 3003 Modern Spain: Society, Politics, and Culture
Lucia Lopez Vazquez, [email protected], American University in Bulgaria
This course introduces students to contemporary concepts in Spanish society, politics, and culture. This course brings together students’ evolving linguistic skills and their understanding of today’s Spain through exposure to various types of discourses and contexts. This course also considers the role of Spanish as an official and working language in the framework of European and inter- national organizations and introduces students to specific terminology and sources that enhance their research, communication, and language skills. [Expected enrollment: 12]
MLL 1056 Introduction to Spanish Language and Culture II
Lucia Lopez Vazquez, [email protected], American University in Bulgaria
This course offers a contemporary, interactive, intensive, and effective introduction at the elementary level to the Spanish language and various aspects of the Hispanic culture. It aims to foster the acquisition of the Spanish language through increased immersion; it helps students master vocabulary needed to accomplish simple and routine tasks and build more comprehensive grammatical structures necessary to communicate issues of immediate relevance.It encourages students to improve their understanding, speaking, and writing skills further. In addition, this course enhances the understanding, appreciation, and interpretation of Spanish-speaking cultures, their practices, products, and perspectives and encourages students to apply principles of intercultural communication in their interactions in Spanish. [Expected enrollment: 20]
EDUC 300: Instructional Methods and Strategies
Syeda Khadija Burhan, [email protected], Forman Christian College
Types of instructional methods and assessment strategies and best uses of each, discussions and practice in choosing and planning for the appropriate instructional methods, classroom arrangements and management for each instructional method. [Expected enrollment: 35]
EDU 340 Early Childhood Education
Ammar Husnain Khan, [email protected], Forman Christian College
In this course we will discuss and learn about early childhood development including theories of development, discipline and guidance, instructional methodologies for pre-school children (Ages 3 to 5). Upon completion of this course, with your mastery in various areas of development, you will be able to plan and execute different strategies. You all will also see first-hand how ECE instructors plan and execute their lessons, what are the challenges and rewards of being a part of the ECE environment [Expected enrollment: 10]
EDU 350 Classroom Management
Syeda Khadija Burhan, [email protected], Forman Christian College
Understanding of the dual roles of the teacher as an instructor and manager, strategies from various approaches in order to provide a rich repertoire of management choices, proactive, responsive and supportive classroom management strategies. [Expected enrollment: 15]