GLOA 101 Fall 2024 Study Guide PDF

GLOA 101 – FALL 2024- STUDY GUIDE FOR THE FINAL EXAM From the Syllabus: “Final Exam (25%) The final exam will consist of fill-in-the- blanks questions, true-false questions, and two short essays (2-3 paragraphs each). The questions will focus on the readings and in-class discussions after the midte...

GLOA 101 – FALL 2024- STUDY GUIDE FOR THE FINAL EXAM From the Syllabus: “Final Exam (25%) The final exam will consist of fill-in-the- blanks questions, true-false questions, and two short essays (2-3 paragraphs each). The questions will focus on the readings and in-class discussions after the midterm exam. However, some questions will be indirectly related to the topics we will cover before the midterm exam. Therefore, it would help if you reviewed your notes for the midterm exam. I will not distribute the question list at this time because by then, you will know to identify important aspects of the material. Instead, a brief study guide that includes essential concepts and topics will be distributed beforehand. There will be a review session before the final exam. The review will not be lectures but interactive discussions based on your questions.” FINAL EXAM DATE: DEC 12, 10:30AM-1:15PM. The exam duration is 100 mins. Students with accommodation can take more time as needed. Effective Study Strategies *Use PowerPoint presentations and your in-class meeting notes to begin your preparation. They will provide you with the key points to consider initially. Please also review carefully the two Discussion Board posts. *After reviewing the in-class PowerPoint presentations and discussions, go back to your readings, movies, and videos. Strong answers to all of the exam questions require a solid understanding of the required material. *Then, carefully study this guide and see whether you can answer the listed study questions below. Preparing detailed notes for each course material based on this guideline will help you tremendously during the exam. What primarily distinguishes an “A” answer from a “B” answer is focus on specific details. You cannot use any notes during the exam. An A exam demonstrates depth and rigor by including relevant specific historical dates, statistics, name of the actors and contesting positions, concepts and methods, policies and debates. Some of the questions might assess your ability to apply what you have learned to your daily life. Nevertheless, this exam evaluates your knowledge of the class material. It does not assess your discussion skills (in contrast to other assignments we had in class). Avoid sharing personal comments and thoughts unless the question specifically tells you to do so. Helpful Questions to Ask Yourself for All of Your Readings and Visual Material What are the major concepts and terms discussed in the readings and movies? Do you fully understand these concepts? What is the history of the issue you are studying? What has been recently changing concerning the topic? 1  How does inequality factor into the discussion? What are the competing perspectives/contestations on any topic? Who are the major actors involved and what do these actors agree and disagree on? In what ways the everyday lives of these communities are being impacted from different facets of globalization and global problems you are studying? What are capitalist and neoliberal policies? Who is discontent with neoliberal policies and why? What are the demands of those who are discontented? What did you learn from doing your reading or watching the movie? In what ways can you apply this knowledge to your everyday life? More Specific Questions Based on Weekly Themes Iran, Sanctions, and Globalization From a geopolitical perspective, why is Iran an extremely important country? What are the key issues covered in the videos about Iran that we have watched? How do they represent Iran differently and highlight different aspects of social and economic life? What are some of the key problems in contemporary Iran? What do many Iranians demand from their government? What are the historical roots of the rivalry between the U.S. and Iran? What major incidents have historically shaped the relations between the two countries? What is the history of Western sanctions on Iran? What are the multifaceted implications of these sanctions on Iranian lives? Global War on Terror What is Global War on Terror? Why did it start and how did it evolve? How does “The Forever War: 20 Years After 9/11 | The Listening Post” reveal the complicity of media and intellectuals with the U.S. War on Terror? How did the Global War on Terror lead to the rise of Islamophobia in the US and in different parts of the world? According to the Brown University Project “Costs of War,” what are the major social & political, economic, and human costs of the war? Please have at least three specific examples from each category. What are the long-term and sustainable solutions proposed by the Brown University Project “Costs of War” to ameliorate the negative global and local injustices caused by the war? Be careful that this is different from your personal views about the solutions ☺ Global Environment What do global warming and climate change mean and why are they happening? What are the major ecological problems currently facing our earth? What are their consequences? What does Anthropocene mean? 2  How has globalization, particularly after the twentieth century has negatively affected the environment? In what ways processes of industrialization and colonialism have impacted our environment? How does climate change impact different countries and local communities in uneven ways? Why is the global South affected in more drastic ways? How are questions of development and inequality linked to global environmental problems? What does climate justice mean and what do climate justice activists demand? How is gender connected to climate justice? What did you learn from the case study of Bangladesh that we covered, particularly from the video? What can be done to address complex global issues related to climate change? Global Health How does globalization affect health in complex ways? Particularly, which global processes cause diverse health issues? What are the “structural” issues that cause health problems in various scales? How and why do marginalized communities such as the indigenous communities carry a larger burden of global health issues? What did you learn from the documentary, “Bending the Arc” regarding global inequalities and how Western countries’ policies negatively impact local communities in the global South? Also, what were glimpses of hope from the documentary? How do various actors challenge the power? Please have specific insights about how HIV and TB were fought globally. How can diverse global health problems be addressed and by whom? Common Read: A History of the World in 7 Cheap Things Why do the authors place great importance to capitalism in understanding Western history? What is capitalism and how is it connected to diverse issues such as labor, gender, food, and the environment? What does “cheapness” mean in the book and what is the connection between cheapness and capitalism? What is Capitalocene and how is it different from Anthropocene? How did the binary thinking of Western philosophy legitimize capitalist exploitation? What are some of the concrete ways that we can resist against cheapness and capitalism? What can we do to minimize the ongoing destruction of the world? Global Refugee Crisis What is a refugee and what are the rights of a refugee? How is refugee different from a migrant? Which countries primarily carry the “costs” of hosting the refugees? 3  Consider several scholars interviewed throughout the documentary movie “Welcome to Refugeestan.” How do the scholars in the documentary interpret the humanitarian policies and the problems of camp life? What are their specific criticisms regarding the management of refugee camps and broader humanitarian policies? Which camps are covered in the “Refugeestan” documentary, and do you know some specific insights about one of these camps? How does “This is Home: documentary help you understand refugee problems in contemporary US? What types of issues do refugee communities face? How do the humanitarian policies work and how do humanitarian workers treat refugees? What can be done to productively address global refugee issues? Global Activism and Protests What happened during the Arab uprisings and more specifically during the Egyptian revolution? What are peoples’ demands and how did they express these demands? Why and how did Tahrir square inspire protests around the world? What does this inspiration tell us about our global world? What is the history of the BDS movement? What are the demands of the movement and what were some of its key achievements? What are the pros and cons of the BDS movement and its effects according to diverse observers? Do you understand the key debates around this important global movement? MIGHT BE IN THE EXAM ☺ If you were asked to start and lead a social movement that addresses one of the major issues pertaining to current global problems, what would that be? Define your goals, allies, and key principles and methods. Share with us as many specific details as you can. Consider the tips offered in the following link: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/how-to-start-a- movement ! Keep in mind that this study guideline is meant to facilitate your focused preparation for the final exam. The questions in the exam will not be drawn from these questions. They will be new, original, and creative questions that will assess your deep understanding and synthesis on the material. Still, if you have in- depth answers for all the questions listed here, you will find the exam easy ☺ GOOD LUCK ☺ 4