Globalization: North Africa and Middle East Report
Morocco & Globalization Field Study
Globalization is not an abstract process but one rooted in real historical events that profoundly affect our world today. While many explorations of globalization focus on Asia, Latin America or sub-Saharan
Africa, in this course students will learn about issues of globalization in the North African nation of
Morocco. During this course, students will gain a better understanding of how “globalization” as a concept is rooted in historical, cultural, political, and economic conditions. We will learn about Morocco’s culture, history, politics and economics through readings and lectures. We will partner with community organizations to do service learning, and to engage at a deeper level with the people and culture of
Morocco. We will be based in the cosmopolitan and historic city of Fes, and will also go on excursions to rural areas. Students will gain experiential knowledge of the various and specific ways that the phenomenon of globalization has affected Morocco, including the differential ways that women and men are affected by processes of globalization.
Assignments: Students will be responsible for keeping a graded response journal each day of the trip, which will be checked during the trip, and which they will hand in at the end of the trip (30%). Students will write a 10 page paper, due within 7 days of return, on a specific topic related to globalization in
Morocco (40%). Grades will also be based on full attendance and participation at all lectures, activities, excursions, and discussions (%30).
Course Readings will be selected from the following:
Combs-Schilling, M.E. “Twentieth Century Success.” From Sacred Performances: Islam, Sexuality, and Sacrifice, pp. 273-289 (ER)
Charrad, Mounira. “State and Gender in the Maghrib.” Mounira Charrad. In Women and Power in the
Middle East, eds. Suad Joseph and Susan Slyomovics. 2001. (ER)
Crawford, David. “How ‘Berber’ Matters in the Middle of Nowhere.”
Globalization is not an abstract process but one rooted in real historical events that profoundly affect our world today. While many explorations of globalization focus on Asia, Latin America or sub-Saharan
Africa, in this course students will learn about issues of globalization in the North African nation of
Morocco. During this course, students will gain a better understanding of how “globalization” as a concept is rooted in historical, cultural, political, and economic conditions. We will learn about Morocco’s culture, history, politics and economics through readings and lectures. We will partner with community organizations to do service learning, and to engage at a deeper level with the people and culture of
Morocco. We will be based in the cosmopolitan and historic city of Fes, and will also go on excursions to rural areas. Students will gain experiential knowledge of the various and specific ways that the phenomenon of globalization has affected Morocco, including the differential ways that women and men are affected by processes of globalization.
Assignments: Students will be responsible for keeping a graded response journal each day of the trip, which will be checked during the trip, and which they will hand in at the end of the trip (30%). Students will write a 10 page paper, due within 7 days of return, on a specific topic related to globalization in
Morocco (40%). Grades will also be based on full attendance and participation at all lectures, activities, excursions, and discussions (%30).
Course Readings will be selected from the following:
Combs-Schilling, M.E. “Twentieth Century Success.” From Sacred Performances: Islam, Sexuality, and Sacrifice, pp. 273-289 (ER)
Charrad, Mounira. “State and Gender in the Maghrib.” Mounira Charrad. In Women and Power in the
Middle East, eds. Suad Joseph and Susan Slyomovics. 2001. (ER)
Crawford, David. “How ‘Berber’ Matters in the Middle of Nowhere.”