INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL STUDIES��SPRING 2022

Matt Schumann, Ph.D.

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mattsch@bgsu.edu

About the Instructor:

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Dr. Matt Schumann is a native Texan, and holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Exeter (U.K.) with a focus on Euro-Global international and inter-imperial relations. He has presented and published widely on the 18^th century world, and on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

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Dr. Schumann teaches in an “open system” style that allows students to explore widely within a given course, and to teach each other. Students in turn may expect to grow not only in content knowledge, but also in mindsets and skills germane to the historian’s craft, to humanities and social science scholarship, and to university life in general.

INST 2000

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Course Summary:

In general, International Studies offers interdisciplinary windows into the history, politics, and cultures of countries and societies around the world. Noting U.S. influence around the globe, we may think that other societies broadly operate, or want to operate, like we do, yet other countries’ distinct physical geography, settlement patterns and demography, political and economic development, differ remarkably from our own, informing very different cultures and world views. International Studies enables us to glimpse lands and peoples who are “foreign” to us as Americans—sometimes in comfortable ways, at other times not so much—and by “studying abroad” in this way, to see ourselves through the eyes of others.

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International Studies Course Outcomes:

• Identify issues in International Studies from multiple perspectives, and frame these in ways that contribute to better analysis and problem solving.
• Articulate similarities and differences between American and International value systems, and the personal and social implications of the knowledge you have gained.
• Construct and present an argument and identify evidence that supports the argument.
• Improve your abilities to express ideas and interpretations fluently, cogently, and clearly, both orally and in writing.

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Tip: this course also features introductions to basic mindsets and methods in humanities and social sciences. As you proceed, be on the lookout for skills and practices that you can use in other courses.

BGP RATIONALES

This course features multidisciplinary review of physical and human geography, history and politics, demography and social policies, resources, trade, literature, art, and popular culture around the world, and invites comparisons with the United States.

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BG Perspectives Outcomes, Social Sciences:

• Describe significant social/ behavioral issues/questions using appropriate theories and evidence.
• Articulate how the values of the social/behavioral sciences influence decision-making in contemporary society.
• Deconstruct social/behavioral arguments critically, refuting logical and reasoning flaws inherent in them.
• Compose written or oral arguments related to issues or questions in the social/behavioral sciences.
• Evaluate evidence supporting arguments and conclusions on each side of major social or behavioral issues.

BG Perspectives Outcomes, International Perspectives:

• Explain how national cultures affect world views and ways of thinking.
• Explain how world issues and international connections impact people’s lives/ways of life.
• Analyze problems and possibilities inherent in global economic, geographic, ecological, political, social, and/or technological systems.

Tip: Check all course syllabi for learning objectives. They will help you know what you should expect to learn in a given class. They are good criteria for assessing both your own learning and your instructors’ performance.

SOME IMPORTANT FINE PRINT�(THINGS YOU REALLY DON’T WANT TO FORGET)

Accessibility and Accommodation

• Students with documented disabilities should contact me as soon as possible, and verify their needs through Accessibility Services.
• This course uses Canvas and Microsoft Office, especially Powerpoint and Word. Please make sure you have correct hardware, software, and basic skills for these.
• For technical help, please contact IT Services or the Collab Lab.
• For help with study and writing skills, visit the Learning Commons or the Writing Center.
• Please see the Student Handbook and Code of Academic Conduct for policies on plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty. Short version: don’t cheat!

Student Responsibility

• Online courses are inevitably best suited for self-starters. Regular class chats and due dates should help, but ultimately you are responsible for submitting materials on time.
• Expect to spend ~8-10 hours per week on readings, videos and assignments for the course.
• It is also part of your responsibility to ask for help if you need it. Please feel welcome to email anytime (mattsch@bgsu.edu), and expect a response within two business days.

SOURCES FOR THE COURSE�(NO TEXTBOOK! BUT PLENTY TO LOOK AT)

How to use these materials

• Historians generally distinguish between three types of sources: Primary, produced by people ‘on the spot’ at a given time and place; Secondary, typically academic or scholarly work that draws a lot from primary materials; and Tertiary: tending to summarize secondary research, not always with academic rigor, and often intended more for general audiences.
• Some sources can fit two categories, like a museum blurb. It’s primary for describing an object from a given time and place, but tertiary for appealing “popularly” to museum-goers.
• Overall, we use these sources to answer two historical questions and one for our own times: “what happened”, “why”, and “so what?”

Required Materials

• Buff up your general knowledge of several topics with Wikipedia and YouTube. In fact, we will have basic course material from both sites, including animated maps!
• We want you going beyond general knowledge, though, so use encyclopedia sites a bit less, and DO NOT use history.com or simple results from Google searches.
• Instead, get to know the library website, explore academic databases like JSTOR, browse JSTOR to find the Review of International Studies, and even use official government sites like un.org.
• We will also have a few pdf files attached to the course, as additional reading material.

What these sources are really for…

• Assignments and grades on the coming slides draw most of their points from the sources here.
• Read, use, and cite carefully, and you should be on your way to good grades—perhaps more!

THE SCHEDULE�(MATERIAL AND EXPECTATIONS, WEEK BY WEEK)

Introductions

Mon, 1/10 1^st Assignments *

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Unit 1: Discovery and Research

Mon, 1/17 Map Quiz

Scour RIS

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Unit 2: Geography and Demography

Mon, 1/24 Primer 1

Mon, 1/31 Primer 2

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Unit 3: World History and Politics

Mon, 2/7 Primer 3

Mon, 2/14 Primer 4

Mon, 2/21 Primer 5 ^[1]

Mon, 2/28 Mid-term

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(Mon, 3/7) (Spring Break)

Unit 4: The Global Economy

Mon, 3/14 Primer 6

Mon, 3/21 Primer 7 ^[2]

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Unit 5: International Arts and Culture

Mon, 3/28 Primer 8

Mon, 4/4 Primer 9 ^[3]

Mon, 4/11 Primer 10 ^[3]

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Unit 6: Reflections on the U.S.

Mon, 4/18 Primer 11

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Wrap up / Final

Mon, 4/25 The Final

• Responses will help determine dates and times for optional, possibly useful weekly check-ins / shop talk. Please see sample notes / comments on the right side of slides 2 and 3, above.
• Assignments all due at 11:59 pm on the following Sunday. For example, Primer 1 is due on January 30.

Super Primers!�(more effort, more learning, more value)

Separate directions to follow

for some special assignments.

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Unit 3: World History and Politics

Mon, 2/21 Primer 5 ^[1]

This primer should cover a non-governmental organization.

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Unit 4: The Global Economy

Mon, 3/21 Primer 7 ^[2]

This primer should cover human rights violations.

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Unit 5: International Arts and Culture

Mon, 4/4 Primer 9 ^[3]

Mon, 4/11 Primer 10 ^[3]

The first of these primers is not a required assignment, but can

confer some extra credit. The second primer should involve an

oral history / interview with someone from a foreign country.

ASSESSMENT & GRADES�(WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED)

Introductions

• Syllabus Quiz (4)
• Citation Quiz (4)
• Introductions (2)
• Accessibility audit (0, but important)

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Unit 1

• World Geography Quiz (4 + 2*)
• Explore RIS (6 + 2*)
• Learning Survey (+2)

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Units 2-6

• Basic Primer (5 + 2*) x 7
• Super Primer (8 + 2*) x 3
• Bonus Primer (+7)

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Midterm and Final

• Midterm Reflection (7 + 1*)
• Final Reflection (14 + 1*)

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* extra credit possible for advanced work

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TOTAL: 100 base, 35 extra credit

• count by raw score, NOT percentages!
• (tip for time managers: rest along the way, or go all out and have fun on the final)

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Grade Scale

A = 90+ B = 80+ D = 60+

C = 70+ F = 59.9-

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Content Note:

Broadly, each unit’s teaching text offers a general overview, and you will then have a few chances to develop more content for the class on topics that interest you.

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For assignments running late

• Communicate on or before the due date (or up to 24 hours after assignments come due), and we can talk some more.
• No timely communication = No credit

GRADING RUBRICS�(LOOK AGAIN AT TOTAL POINTS AVAILABLE…)

Syllabus Quiz (4)

• Open syllabus, just read!

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Citation Quiz (4)

• Cite a book, article and website.
• Comment about sources.

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Introductions (2)

• Name, say hi, interest in the course.
• Greet a new friend or two.

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Accessibility audit (0, but important)

• Communicate accessibility concerns.

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Map Quiz (4 [+2])

• Identify geographical regions / features, countries, and major cities

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Explore RIS (6 [+2])

• Poke around JSTOR
• Read and summarize some articles
• Practice citations

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Primers (slide by slide, x11 [3 “super”])

• Name, Title / Topic (½)
• Question / Thesis (1)
• What happened? (1 [2])
• More of what happened (½ [1])
• How / Why / your ideas (1 [2])
• Citations and Sources (1 [1½])
• (extra / creative work) [+2]

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The Midterm (per prompt)

• What have you learned so far about world geography, history, etc.?(4)
• At this point, what do you see as the scope and purpose of International Studies? (3)

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The Final (per prompt)

• Now at the end, what does International Studies mean to you? (3)
• What unit or wrinkle was most interesting to you, and what did you learn about it? (4)
• What skills and mindsets are you taking away from the course? (3)
• Comment on the range of sources for international studies scholarship. (4)