Globalisation as a Risk and as an Opportunity

The main topic of the seminar will be social and economic change. The topic, broad in itself, will be addressed in an interdisciplinary manner from a variety of perspectives, ranging from historical, sociological and anthropological, to economic ones. We will track down the roots of globalization processes and ask about the impact of changes on governments, societies, economies, environments and climate.In particular, we will discuss such issues as theories of development (in an economic and social meaning), applications of particular development programs, historical breakthroughs and crises, as well as case studies of particular social transformations. The seminar will take an interactive character: it will combine discussions on the proposed readings and materials, with lecturing done by lecturers and student presentations. What are the mechanisms of social change? Is there one globalization or are there many of them? What are the risks and opportunities generated by globalization processes? Such questions will accompany us during the seminar.

At the end of the course, alumni should:
- know how to use terms used in humanities, social sciences, and natural science;
- know how to use methods of analysis and interpretation of scholarly texts;
- understands the dynamic relationship between cultural processes and social transformations;
- be able to select and critically assess information adopted from various academic publications, popular science, and popular press;
- know how to formulate a research problem within humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences;
- know how to use interdisciplinary research methods to analyse various cultural phenomena;
- be ready to further develop their academic skills in humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences and is up to date with the latest research methods and paradigms;
- be empathetic and respect the cultural diversity of a community;
- respect the cultural and natural heritage of a community;
- respect the cultural and natural diversity of a community.