Culture/Language Course

Class Description 

The culture class that I ended up taking was Global Culture (COMPSTD 4597.02) which was taught by Professor Zachary Morgan. Comparative Studies 4597.02 was an interdisciplinary exploration of global culture, examining key issues such as race, ethnicity, nation, class, labor, and gender from pre-conquest Europe to the contemporary era of global capitalism. Throughout the course, we delved into historical periods, scrutinizing the impacts of empire, slavery, capitalism, colonization, decolonization, nationalism, revolution, imperialism, and media on modern global cultures. The aim was to gain insights into the intricate webs of social, economic, and racial hierarchies that shape the world today.

The course is structured around the dual themes of colonial origins and modern outcomes, with a specific focus on the profound influence of global forms of enslavement on contemporary concepts of racial hierarchy and identity. We emphasized identifying projects and methodologies that bridge these two periods, fostering a holistic understanding of cultural evolution.

The assignments in this class revolved mainly around reading scholarly and historical texts, writing discussion posts and developing arguments for essays. Overall, the goal of this class was to equip us with a comprehensive and interdisciplinary understanding of global culture, fostering critical engagement with key issues, a holistic exploration of cultural evolution, and the development of cross-disciplinary skills for informed global citizenship.

Class Reflection

This class was definitely a change of pace from my business and finance classes, as it required me to think in a different manner. Reflecting back on Global Culture 4597.02, the readings and in-class discussions and hearing unique perspectives from my classmates and professor had the most profound impact on my learning. My biggest takeaways from the Global Culture class is as follows:

  1. Develop an Interdisciplinary Mindset: The course has cultivated an interdisciplinary approach to understanding global culture, broadening my perspective by integrating insights from a different academic discipline, allowing my perspective to broaden. This course definitely challenged me to think differently.
  2. Sharpen my Historical Knowledge: A key takeaway has been the ability to contextualize historical events. I’ve gained a nuanced understanding of how pivotal moments, from empire to colonization, continue to shape contemporary socio-economic and racial structures.
  3. Refine my Critical Thinking: Engaging with scholarly texts, crafting discussions, and composing essays have honed my critical thinking skills. I feel more comfortable now analyzing complex issues, such as race and nationalism, with greater depth and discernment.
  4. Strengthen my Research Writing: The emphasis on scholarly readings and the development of persuasive essays has significantly strengthened my research writing skills. The process of conducting research, synthesizing information, and presenting arguments has honed my ability to communicate effectively in a scholarly context.

Thinking back on my key learnings, I realized how much this Global Culture class will help me out in the future when entering the workforce and just in life in general. First off, practicing critical thinking skills from a non-business perspective will always be useful in my pursuit to be a well-rounded person and professional. There will be times where I can utilize my learning from this class about the intricate nuances of race and capitalism and analyze how decisions that I make can have broader reaching impacts. Along with this, the problem solving skills that I fine tuned through this class will help me in offering a well-rounded approach to addressing challenges in diverse professional settings. The course has also ignited a passion for continuous learning. Staying informed about global events, cultural shifts, and historical developments will be a commitment to maintaining a well-rounded perspective on evolving global dynamics!