World Society, Global Developments

English Level B2

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: Modern history moves in cycles, each one lasting
about the length of a long human life, each composed of four eras—or
"turnings"—that last about twenty years and that always arrive in the
same order.
A future outlook on most urgent issues: Concepts and a global
conversation about how to take on the problems of the 21st century.
Explore and define theories of a dominant economic and political
transition in centuries—the shift from an industrial to an informationbased
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, it is expected of
students to also present their own views to be rational and able to
stand up to critical scrutiny.
Apply cultural and evolutionary competencies onto their private and
professional lives, as well as using scientific data on the general
theory of evolution and its’ associated sub-areas. By doing so,
participants will be able to understand interwoven relationships of
evolution and culture and understand and acknowledge the
evolutionary forces that shape much of future cultures.

This seminar provides an overview of the geopolitical dynamics of the
changing world order. The world is changing in big ways that have not
happened before in present lifetimes but have many times in history. So
we need to study past changes to understand what is happening now and
help to anticipate what is likely to happen.

The students

• get a deeper and more differentiated understanding of developmental theories.
• have broadened their historical knowledge in relation to global and regional development contexts.
• have deepened their understanding of relationships between social work and international development contexts.

Exchange of experience, Reflection, Networking in different fields of practice and social action

Item of work A: Classroom Activity (70%)

Item of Work B: Exploratory Writing Portfolio (30%)

None

Bean, J. C. (2011). Engaging Ideas: The Professor's Guide to Integrating
Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom, 2nd
Edition. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Dalio, R. (2021). Principles for Dealing with The Changing World order:
Why Nations succeed and Fail. UK: Simon + Schuster.
Davidson J.D. & Rees-Mogg Simon, W. & Schuster. (1997). The Sovereign
individual. Mastering the Transition to the Information Age. Touchstone.
Harari, Y. N. (2013). A Brief History of Mankind. London: Vintage.
Harari, Y. N. (2019). 21 Lessons for the 21st Century. London: Vintage.
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.
Strauss, W. & Howe, N. (1997). The Fourth Turning. An American
Prophecy. New York: Broadway Books.
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.

lecture, reading, discussion, presentation, group work,
games, self reflection, writing, video, podcasts