Introduction to the Special Edition

Introduction to the special edition on the Year of Arabian Peninsula programming at Kennesaw State University, 2014-2015

Global Learning and the Engaging Questions of Globalization

While universities can act as important mediators amidst the highly disruptive and contentious change processes of globalization, very few institutions are intentionally fulfilling such a mission. Moreover, there are significant ethnocentric and ideological barriers to overcome before intercultural understanding and cooperation may occur. Nonetheless, universities in the global age are increasingly called upon to help prepare students to better perceive, understand, interpret, translate, and negotiate complex interdependent global contexts. This article examines the significance of several common reactions to the challenges of globalization for teaching and learning in higher education. It also outlines primary areas of focus for global educators who wish to help students and scholars connect local and global issues, develop an ability to effectively and appropriately communicate and interact across cultures, and foster a commitment to social justice and sustainable communities throughout the world. Such efforts require bringing together, across disciplines and communities, diverse perspectives to engage in a process of building shared understanding

Book Review: Wizard of the Crow

Review of the book Wizard of the Crow, by Ngugi Wa Thiongo. Published by Pantheon Books, 2006

Introduction

Introduction by Daniel Paracka, special guest editor

Introduction to the Special Issue

Kennesaw State University’s (KSU) Year of Russia program provided an in-depth opportunity for our campus community to learn about Russia at a very important point in time. The program featured more than 30 events including a robust lecture series, special courses focused on Russia, a symposium on U.S.-Russia relations, and a faculty and student interdisciplinary seminar that traveled to Moscow and St. Petersburg. These different elements were intentionally organized to create synergistic opportunities for sustained intercultural exchange. For example, Dr. Tom Rotnem’s POLS 4449: Russian Foreign Policy class conducted eight Skype-enabled classroom discussion sessions with Russian counterparts (faculty and students) from Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). Topics for the discussion sessions included: 1) NATO/Russian relations; 2) Ukraine; 3) Syria; 4) Russia’s global economic status; and 5) Russia’s developing relationship with China. Later, a delegation of the MGIMO faculty and students attended the symposium on KSU’s campus and then KSU faculty and students visited MGIMO in Moscow

Year of Kenya Calendar Events

2006-07 Calendar Events for The Year of Kenya at Kennesaw State University

Introduction to the Year of Cuba Special Issue

As part of the Kennesaw State University’s Annual Country Study Program, the 2019-2020 academic year was dedicated to the study of Cuba. The Year of Cuba (YoC)1 consisted of 27 distinct educational events with over 2600 students in attendance from 74 different majors and 11 colleges. The breadth and depth of the programs provided a strong basis for understanding Cuba in both its historical and contemporary contexts

The Year of Morocco: An Introduction

Marking the 35th anniversary of Kennesaw State University’s award-winning Annual Country Study Program, the 2018-19 academic year focused on Morocco and consisted of 22 distinct educational events, with over 1,700 people in attendance. It also featured an interdisciplinary team-taught Year of Morocco (YoM) course that included a study abroad experience to Morocco (March 28-April 7, 2019), an academic conference on “Gender, Identity, and Youth Empowerment in Morocco” (March 15-16, 2019), and this dedicated special issue of the Journal of Global Initiatives. Most events were organized through six different College Spotlights titled: The Taste of Morocco; Experiencing Moroccan Visual Arts; Multiple Literacies in Morocco; Conflict Management, Peacebuilding, and Development Challenges in Morocco, Moroccan Cultural Festival; and Moroccan Solar Tree. There were also five YoM Learning Modules developed for use in 12 different classes across three colleges, and directly involving 375 students. As in the past, a semester-long senior-level graphic design class developed the Year of Morocco logo

Introduction

Introduction to the issue

Peruvian Trajectories of Sociocultural Transformation

The story of Peru presents a continuous trajectory of sociocultural transformation where one civilization appropriates, borrows, and builds on the accomplishments of the previous often creating something new and unique. During the Year of Peru program KSU\u27s faculty and students had the opportunity to learn in depth about Peru\u27s rich history, culture, and modern society. They learned about a country rich in archeological discovery and human history, a story that does not simply begin with the Inca Empire, as the Inca were just one in a long line of powerful ancient civilizations (Chavin, Wari, Nazca, Moche, etc.) that previously ruled the Andean and coastal regions of where modern Peru lies. The Inca ruled over a vast territory and the empire comprised numerous ethnic groups who had been subjugated by either treaty or war