Course aims:

1. to appreciate the ways in which the term "global" is constructed in different settings;
2. to understand how scholars from different disciplines approach the term "global" and
3. to grasp the nuances between how different localities construe the term "global"?

The term “global” is everywhere, used by everybody for all kinds of different purposes. Yet, “global” only exists when we invoke it and we invoke it necessarily locally, from a certain place and point of view. We tend to think of the global in terms of the image of the earth, i.e. as a generative frame of unity within which local variations can be mapped. But, the seeming universality of the term “global” could be misleading: depending on where people are and what their interests might be, “global” could mean different things. Is the global truly as universal as the photograph of the earth from space would suggest? What are the politics of knowledge that have constructed the global, and continue to do so? What implications does this construction have for knowing and hearing the Global South or East, or alternative epistemologies? How should we think about temporality in the idea of the global? What can new postcolonial research tell us about the construction of “global,” and the “local” where this construction takes place? This unique course will probe these questions from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. For the first time students from three faculties in Tampere will have the opportunity to attend lectures by a series of leading, visiting lecturers from around the world probing the “global.” The course is organized by the Tampere Network for Global & Transnational Research (T-Global) network as part of the New Social Research (NSR) Program (https://research.uta.fi/t-global/2019-2/).

The entire course offering will be in English.

The course comprises at least five visiting lectures:

• Dr. Daniel Tröhler, University Professor of Education, University of Vienna, Austria. Lecture title: Claims of universalized nationalism and banal nationalism as resistance. Frontstage and backstage of current education policies across the globe. (Friday, April 26, 1015 to 1200, VIRTA LS 109).
• Dr. Yasemin Soysal, Professor of Sociology, University of Essex, UK. Lecture title: Global Citizens or Global Individuals?  Educational Migrations of Chinese Tertiary Students. (Tuesday, April 30, 1015 to 1200, VIRTA LS 109).
• Dr. Neilesh Bose, Canada Research Chair and Assistant Professor of History, University of Victoria, BC, Canada). Lecture title: Reconciling Religion in Histories of Globalization — India in and of the World (Friday, May 3, 1015 to 1200, VIRTA LS 109).
• Dr. Alex Jeffrey, Reader in Human Geography, University of Cambridge, UK. Lecture title: Decentering international law: enacting war crimes trials in Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Wednesday, May 8, 1015 to 1200, VIRTA LS 109).
• Dr. Tom Griffith, Associate Professor of Education and program leader of the Comparative and International Education Group at University of Newcastle, Australia. Lecture title: Re-centering a de-centered global. (Monday, May 20, 1015 to 1200, VIRTA LS 109).

Master’s and doctoral seminars:12 April 9-12 and 23 May at 9-12 in Linna 6017

Doctoral workshop 24 May at 9-15 in Linna 5014

1. Option A (BA degree level): attend five lectures, read five associated articles, and write a learning diary (guidelines provided) on each lecture (3 ECTS, pass/ fail).

1. Option B (Graduate level): attend five lectures, read five associated articles, write a learning diary (guidelines provided) on each lecture, and attend two 3-hour seminars (5 ECTS, pass/ fail). Master’s students will participate in an opening and closing seminar of 3 hours each to discuss articles and interact with other Master’s students.

1. Option C (doctoral level): attend five lectures, read five associated articles, attend two 3-hour seminars, and write a paper for participation in a doctoral workshop (5 ECTS, pass/ fail). In addition to the two seminars, doctoral candidates will attend a day-long workshop. Students will briefly present their dissertation projects and reflections in light of the course theme, which will be discussed with faculty and their peers from multiple disciplines.

Basic degree and exchange students can only select Option A.

Master’s degree students can select Option A or Option B.

Dissertation researchers/ doctoral candidates can select Option A or Option B or Option C.

Evaluations will be handled by the teachers in charge of the course.

A limited number of seats are available for students at all levels in Tampere University faculties of Social Sciences (SOC), Education (EDU), and Management and Business (MAB). Seats will be allocated by faculty on a first-come, first-served basis by educational level: SOC (15 BA, 10 MA, 10 PhD), MAB (10 MA, 5 PhD), and EDU (5 BA, 5 MA, 5 PhD). Students are advised to register early.