Global Studies (GLST) 335

Overview

GLST 335 follows workers and workers movements throughout the history of global capitalism. It provides the theoretical tools needed to understand changing conditions of work, and different strategies used by workers to improve their conditions. The course uses the cotton and rubber industries as examples to highlight the diverse worlds of work, beginning in cotton and rubber plantations and culminating in global production networks—with cotton driving 19th century capitalism, and rubber as a key component of automobile manufacturing, the leading industry of the 20th century. The course also delves into the history of labour movements in different parts of the world, including intersections with other movements, such as those against slavery, colonialism, and discrimination based on race and gender.

Learning outcomes

After completing GLST 335 you should be able to

1. Explain what Global Labour History is about and how it is relevant to thinking about labour and labour movements today.
2. Describe changes in global divisions of labour throughout the history of capitalist development.
3. Understand the diversity of labour ranging from slavery and indentured labour to paid and unpaid work.
4. Understand the diversity of labour movements throughout the history of capitalist development.
5. Draw lessons from labour’s past experiences with respect to future strategies for labour.

Outline

Unit 1: What is Global Labour History? Why Is It important? How Can It Be Studied?

Unit 2: Global Capitalism and Labour I: The Cotton Case

Unit 3: Global Capitalism and Labour II: The Rubber Case

Unit 4: Global Labour Movements: Lessons from the Past

Evaluation

To receive credit for GLST 335, you must complete four written assignments and achieve an overall grade of D (50 percent) or better for the entire course. Your final grade is determined by a weighted average of the grades you receive on these assignments for credit. The weightings for these assignments are as indicated below.

Activity	Weight
Assignment 1: Essay	25%
Assignment 2: Essay	25%
Assignment 3: Essay	25%
Assignment 4: Essay	25%
Total	100%

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.

Materials

Physical course materials

The following course materials are included in a course package that will be shipped to your home prior to your course’s start date:

Beckert, Sven. (2014). Empire of cotton: A new history of global capitalism. Penguin Books.

Tully, J. (2011). The Devil’s milk: A social history of rubber. Monthly Review Press.

Other Materials

All other course materials are online.

Challenge for credit

Overview

The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.

Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.

Evaluation

To receive credit for the GLST 335 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least D (50 percent)on the challenge assignment.

Challenge for credit course registration form

Important links

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