The Changing World Order: Geopolitical and Social Dynamics

English Level B2

Attendance: at least 80% of the classroom hours

Overview of geopolitical dynamics in a changing world order. Episodes that are experienced as singular upheavals can find their analogies in history. So we need to study past changes to understand what is happening now and help to anticipate what is likely to happen.

Students will know about and be able to discuss:

• The geopolitical forces that drive nations to fail and succeed and apply variables of such changes to their professional and personal lives.
• Generational Theory: Flow of history in cycles of the length of a human life, which is structured into four successive epochs - or "turns".
• Big Debt Cycle Theory
• A future outlook on most urgent issues: Concepts and a global conversation about how to tackle the problems of the 21st century.
• Personal and professional strategies to master macro mega-trends on a micro level.
• Explore and define theories of a dominant economic and political transition in centuries—the shift from an industrial to an information-based society.
• Exploring and developing theories considering a dominant economic and political transition - the transition from an industrial to an information-based society.
• Critical Thinking as a crucial skill in private and professional lives for the future. Students need to be able to critically assess arguments they encounter on the internet and across other media, as well as arguments put forward by people around them. Thus, students are expected to present their own views on a rational basis and that the arguments stand up to critical scrutiny.

Lecture, Reading, Discussion, Presentation, Group work, Games, Self reflection, Writing, Video, Podcasts

Performance Record A: Classroom Activity 

Performance Record B: Portfolio

Assessment is based on:

• Homework assignments completed during the course
• One longer assignment at the end of the course, consisting of a set of exercises.
• Small group tasks tied to reading
• Activities connected to questions, problems, and reading material
• In-class writing that’s exploratory and/or writing-to-learn
• Formal writing assignments supported by explicit instruction, drafts, and revision
• Mini-presentations

None

• Dalio, R. (2021). Principles for Dealing with The Changing World order: Why Nations succeed and Fail. UK: Simon + Schuster.
• Strauss, W. & Howe, N. (1997). The Fourth Turning. An American Prophecy. New York: Broadway Books.
• Davidson J.D. & Rees-Mogg Simon, W. & Schuster. (1997). The Sovereign individual. Mastering the Transition to the Information Age. Touchstone.
• Sustainable Development Goals by the UN: https://sdgs.un.org
• Harari, Y. N. (2013). A Brief History of Mankind. London: Vintage.
• Harari, Y. N. (2019). 21 Lessons for the 21st Century. London: Vintage.
• Ammous, S. (2018). The Bitcoin Standard. Wiley.
• Srinivasan, B. (2021). The Network State: How to Start a New Country.1729.
• Durant, W. (1996). The Lessons of History. Simon & Schuster.
• Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture's Consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions and organizations across nations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• Hofstede, G. (2004). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. Third Millennium Edition, New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Ridley, M. (2016). The Evolution of Everything. How new Ideas Emerge. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.
• Talbit, M. (2014). Critical Reasoning: A Romp Through the Foothills of Logic for Complete Beginners. University Press: Oxford.
• Trompenaar,F & Prud`home, P. (2004). Managing Change Across Corporate Cultures (Culture for Business). Wiley & Sons Verlag: Rotterdam.

In-class lecture, teaching units based on asynchronous online learning