Global Leadership Seminars
Can Giving Change the World?: Engaging Social Responsibility through Philanthropy
Greg Larson and Sarah Hayden - Monday, Wednesday & Friday 10:00-10:50 AM
This course examines the relationship between the individual and society by addressing the question: How do individuals and organizations address pressing social problems to create meaningful change? Through the lens of philanthropy, this course introduces students to social responsibility and some of the big problems facing society. We will learn about how philanthropists and social entrepreneurs are creatively combating the most pressing social problems such as poverty, environmental degradation, and disease at local, national and global levels. A large portion of the course focuses on a hands-on grant-making project where the class will explore community needs, solicit grant proposals, visit prospective grant finalists and, ultimately, give away $10,000 in real money to local nonprofits.
Energy Conflict in a Changing Climate
Peter McDonough - Monday, Wednesday & Friday 11:00-11:50 AM
Energy Conflict introduces students to the complex and scale-able topic of energy systems—their development, economic dimensions, energy generation, the politics of generation and consumption, and so much more. “Energy,” the kind each of us relies on and uses in abundance every day, is a topic that cannot be addressed in a silo. Its complexity and ubiquity demand multicultural, multidisciplinary, and transboundary approaches. This course guides students through an exploration of energy systems via major controversies that manifest in Montana and are best understood through a global lens. Guiding questions, in-class activities, iterative discussions, and formal debates frame each major issue to paint a picture of informed leadership in situations where there are no “right” answers.
Global Issues and Public Diplomacy
Deena Mansour - Tuesday & Thursday 9:30- 10:50 AM
Diplomacy is managing America's relationships with foreign governments, international organizations, and the people of other countries. Public diplomacy breaks beyond pop culture to inform the world of who we are as Americans. Our nation's foreign policy is only successful if we use public diplomacy to learn about the people outside our borders and understand how they perceive our policies. You’ll learn how this is done through access to influential decision-makers connecting from overseas or closer to home, including the U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia or a local hip hop dancer. Assignments include simulating a press conference and developing a public diplomacy campaign to hone practical communication skills.
Legacies of Settler Colonialism
Brittany Palmer - Monday, Wednesday & Friday 2:00-2:50 PM
What is settler colonialism and how can an understanding of the concept help us address global issues and situate our own identities? Because neither white supremacy nor settler colonialism can be relegated to the past, together they inform present-day cultural, environmental, and political issues in the U.S. and abroad. In this course, students will engage with the multidisciplinary field of Settler Colonialism Studies through film, literature, podcasts, and additional media to situate critical global issues. Students will explore settler colonialism theory, examine projects of settler colonialism through case studies, and imagine the possibilities for a more just future.
The Politics of a Pandemic: COVID-19 and the future of the European Union
Eva Maggi - Tuesday & Thursday 11:00-12:20 PM
Economic crisis, the rise of populism and immigration, and now a global pandemic – the list of challenges to the European Union (EU) as the major international organization in Europe is daunting. This course explores the different responses to the COVID-19 outbreak in Europe, the political gridlock before and after the pandemic and how the 28 member states can move beyond polarization. Taking on the role of one EU member state, you will learn about the history and institutional setting of the EU before moving into negotiating a common response to the pandemic with your peers. You will experience first-hand how globalization, regional and national differences as well as a surprising amount of common ground are affecting EU policies and its future.
Women's Rights and Women's Roles around the World
Elizabeth Hubble - Monday, Wednesday & Friday 12:00-12:50 PM
This seminar offers an interdisciplinary perspective on women’s global participation in family, community, and politics with a focus on indigenous and marginalized women. In the first part of the course, students learn about the range of women’s status and activism around the world, while problematizing the Western gender binary through discussions of non-Western societies with alternate gender constructions. Readings, lectures, and films expose students to a variety of academic disciplines, including anthropology, history, literature, and sociology. In the second part of the course, students craft a service-learning project to address an issue identified in the first part of the course.