ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY

LOYOLA SCHOOLS

COURSE SYLLABUS

Course Number : SOCSC 12

Title : THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD
Department : Department of Sociology and Anthropology
School : School of Social Sciences

Semester and School Year: Second Semester, AY 2019-2020

Number of Units: Three (3)
Faculty : Victor Estrella, MA
Schedule & Venue: T/Th

A. COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course explores the making of the contemporary world from an interdisciplinary social sciences perspective, seeking a comprehensive
and critical understanding of modernity and its diverse aspects. It examines the historical and social transformations that have shaped the
contemporary world and evaluates their effects on social actors, structures, spaces, ideas and institutions. This course also studies the processes
that have brought about an increasing consciousness of the interconnections and interrelationships of local peoples and spaces around the globe,
as well as the dilemmas brought about by such changes and the responses to them. The theoretical perspectives and approaches emphasize the
interfaces between local and global realities, situating the Philippines and its contemporary challenges amidst these complex processes. Topics
may include processes of state formation, social revolution, migration, colonialism/decolonization, nation-building and development.
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B. LEARNING OUTCOMES

Throughout the development of the course, students are able to:

1. Understand the debates around the significance of modernity and its diverse aspects and evaluate their contributions and limitations;
2. Analyze contemporary events and issues in the context of modernity and other globalizing forces using an interdisciplinary lens;
3. Identify and explain similarities and differences among experiences and interpretations of cultural, economic, political and social
transformations that have shaped the contemporary world;
4. Generate alternative perspectives in understanding the impact of different aspects of modernity and other globalizing forces; and
5. Develop a critical attitude toward taken-for-granted notions and assumptions of modernity and other globalizing forces in and beyond the
Philippine context.

C. COURSE OUTLINE and REQUIRED READINGS

SCHEDULE TOPICS and READING LIST METHOD ASSESSMENT

Week 01
COURSE INTRODUCTION
(23 Jan)

Week 02 to EXPERIENCING MODERNITY Lecture Classroom

03 (28 Jan Bell, Edward Price. 1925. Future of the Philippines: Interview's with Participation
Inquiry/Reading
to 06 Feb) Manuel Quezon, President of the Philippine Senate; Sergio Activities Reading Review no.1
Osmena, Senator and ex-Speaker of the Philippine Lower House,
(due on 04 Feb)
and Maj.-Gen. Leonard Wood. Governor General of the Collaborative
Philippines. Chicago, USA: The Chicago Daily News. Activities
Thompson, Mark R. and Eric Vincent C. Batalla. 2018. Routledge
Handbook of the Contemporary Philippines. London, UK:
Routledge.

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SCHEDULE TOPICS and READING LIST METHOD ASSESSMENT

MAKING SENSE OF MODERNITY Lecture Classroom

Giddens, Anthony. 1991. The Consequences of Modernity. Participation
Week 04 Inquiry/Reading
Cambridge, UK: Polity Press. (Part 1 and VI, pages 1-54 and 174- Activities Reading Review no.2
(11 to 13
180 only)
Feb) (due on 11 Feb)
Latour, Bruno. 1993. We Have Never Been Modern. Massachusetts: Collaborative
Harvard University Press. (Chapter 1: Crisis, pages 1-12 only) Activities

THE CREATION OF THE MODERN WORLD Lecture Classroom

Foucault, Michel. 1984. “What is Enlightenment?”, in The Foucault Participation
Week 05 Inquiry/Reading
Reader. Ed. by Rabinow, pp. 32-50. New York: Pantheon Books.
(18 to 20 Activities Reading Review no. 3
Feb) Hall, Stuart and Bram Gieben. Eds. 1996. Formations of Modernity, An (due on 18 Feb)
Introduction to Modern Societies. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press. Collaborative
Activities

MODERNITIES Lecture Classroom

Gaonkar, Dilip Parameshwar. 2001. “On Alternative Modernities”, in Participation
Inquiry/Reading
Alternative Modernities. Edited by Dilip Parameshwar Gaonkar,
Activities Reading Review no.4
pp.1-23. London, UK: Duke University Press.
(due on 27 Feb)
Week 06 Knauft, Bruce. 2002. “Critically Modern: An Introduction”, in Collaborative
(25-27 Feb) Critically Modern, Alternatives, Alterities, Anthropologies. Edited Activities
by Bruce Knauft, pp. 1-56. Indiana: Indiana University Press.
Partha Chatterjee. 1997. Our Modernity. Bengal, India: SEPHIS-Council
for the Development of Economic and Social Research in Africa.
Mojares, Resil B. 2006. Brains of the Nation. Quezon City: Ateneo de
Manila University Press (Part 4, pp. 381-529, only).

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SCHEDULE TOPICS and READING LIST METHOD ASSESSMENT

GLOBALIZATION Lecture Classroom

Participation
Featherstone, Mike, Scott Lash and Roland Robertson. Eds. 1995. Global Inquiry/Reading
Modernities. London, UK: Sage Publications. Activities Reading Review no.5
(due on 03 Feb)
Week 07 Kimura, Ehito. 2014. “Globalization and the Asia Pacific and South Collaborative
(03 to 05 Asia”, in the Sage Handbook on Globalization, pp. 199-213. UK: Activities
Mar) Sage Publishing.
Turner, Bryan S. 2010. “Theories of Globalization: Issues and
Origins”, in The Routledge International Handbook of
Globalization Studies. Edited by Bryan Turner, pp. 3-22. Oxford,
UK: Routledge.

Week 08 (10 to 12 Mar) MIDTERM EXAMINATION

DOMESTIC POLITICS Reading Activities Classroom

Participation
Conversi, Daniele. 2010. “Globalization, Ethnic Conflict, and Group Presentation
Nationalism”, in The Routledge International Handbook of and Discussion
Week 09 Globalization Studies. Edited by Bryan Turner, pp. 346-366.
(17 to 19 Oxford, UK: Routledge.
Mar) Sidel, John T. 2018. “Patrons, Bosses, Dynasties, and Reformers in
Local Politics”, in Routledge Handbook of the Contemporary
Philippines. Edited by Mark R. Thompson and Eric Vincent C.
Batalla, pp. 26-37. London, UK: Routledge.

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SCHEDULE TOPICS and READING LIST METHOD ASSESSMENT

Week 10 BLURRED LINES Reading Activities Classroom

(24 to 26 Participation
Salter, Mark B. 2010. “Borders, Passports, and the Global Mobility”, Group Presentation
Mar) in The Routledge International Handbook of Globalization Studies. and Discussion
Edited by Bryan S. Turner, pp. 514-530. Oxford, UK: Routledge.
Gonzalez III, Joaquin Jay. 2018. “Diaspora Diplomacy”. in Routledge
Handbook of the Contemporary Philippines. Edby M.R. Thompson
& E.V.C. Batalla, pp. 197-208. London, UK: Routledge.

Week 11 FLOWING RESOURCES Reading Activities Classroom

(31 Mar to Participation
Trentmann, Frank. 2010. “Crossing Divides: Consumption and Group Presentation
02 Apr) Globalization in History”, in Routledge Intl Handbook of and Discussion
Globalization. Ed by B.S. Turner, pp. 447-460. Oxford: Routledge.
Timberman, David G. 2018. “Persistent Poverty and Elite-dominated
Policymaking”. in Routledge Handbook of the Contemporary
Philippines. Edited by Mark R. Thompson and Eric Vincent C.
Batalla, pp. 293-306. London, UK: Routledge.

Week 12 to COMPLEX INTERACTIONS Reading Activities Classroom

13 (07 to MacInnes, John and Julio Perez Diaz. 2010. “Transformation of the Participation
Group Presentation
16 Apr) World’s Population: The Demographic Revolution”, in The and Discussion
Routledge International Handbook of Globalization Studies.
Edited by Bryan S. Turner, pp. 137-161. Oxford, UK: Routledge.
Peletz, Michael G. 2010. “Pluralism, Globalization, and the
Modernization of Gender and Sexual Relations”, in The
Routledge International Handbook of Globalization Studies.
Edited by Bryan S. Turner, pp. 470-491. Oxford, UK: Routledge

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SCHEDULE TOPICS and READING LIST METHOD ASSESSMENT

Week 14 and CHANGING ENVIRONMENT Reading Activities Classroom

15 (21 to Participation
Lipschutz, Ronnie D. and Felicia Allegra Peck. 2010. “Climate Group Presentation
30 Feb) Change, Globalization, and Cabonization”, in The Routledge and Discussion
International Handbook of Globalization Studies. Edited by Bryan
S. Turner, pp. 182-204. Oxford, UK: Routledge.
Khondker, Habibul. 2010. “Globalization, Disasters, and Disaster
Response”, in The Routledge International Handbook of
Globalization Studies. Edited by Bryan S. Turner, pp. 227-244.
Oxford, UK: Routledge

Week 16 NEW WAYS OF LIFE Reading Activities Classroom

(05 to 07 Participation
Sandvoss, Cornel. 2010. “Popular Culture, Fans, and Globalization”, Group Presentation
May)
in The Routledge International Handbook of Globalization Studies. and Discussion
Edited by Bryan S. Turner, pp. 395-411. Oxford, UK: Routledge
Rodell, Paul A. 2018. “A Syncretic Culture”, in Routledge Handbook
of the Contemporary Philippines. Edited by Mark R. Thompson
and Eric Vincent C. Batalla, pp. 321-329. London, UK: Routledge.

Week 17 Synthesis and

(12 to 14 Research Week Independent Study Research Paper
May)

Week 18 (19-21 May) FINAL RESEARCH PAPER (DUE ON 21 MAY)

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D. COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Individual Reading and Film Reviews. You are to read and reflect on journal articles, books, and/or book chapters assigned to every
week’s meeting. As a response to these reading materials, you need to write a 1000-word essay, telling us what you think and feel about
the discussions presented by the readings. There are also occasional film viewings, which you are expected to review. You need to
explain the plot through the perspectives provided by discussions in the course. Reviews are sent electronically on or before the set due
date. (See separate sheets for reading and film review guidelines and rubrics).

Thinking Group Workshops. At the first half of the semester, lecture discussions are done in workshops participated by big thinking
groups. The class is divided into groups, and each assigns: one (1) chairperson, who will lead the group during workshops; two (2)
secretaries, who write about the discussion and report members’ participations; and two (2) speakers, who share with the class the key
points raised in the discussion.

Group Presentations. The group presentation, during the latter half of the semester requires you to collaborate with fewer members of the
class in critically analysing reading materials assigned to you. You are also encouraged to organize your thoughts and insights on them,
and present these to the class creatively. One (1) group is assigned to one topic and two (2) groups serve as reactors. Reactors asks
questions and engage the presenters in a dynamic conversation. (See separate sheets for the group presentation guidelines and rubrics).

Final Paper / Capstone Project. A final paper or a capstone project is your final requirement in this course. You are to produce a 4000-
word research paper by group. You are encouraged to form a group, decide on the topic you wish to explore on, and come up with an
outline early into the semester. This allows you to problematize a topic and examine it through the different perspectives presented
throughout the semester. (See separate sheets for the final research paper rubrics).

E. GRADING SYSTEM

Course Requirement Percentage Grade Equivalents

1. Classroom Participation 10 % A (92-100)
2. Reading Responses 25 % B+ (87-91); B (83-86)
3. Group Presentations 30 % C+ (79-82); C (75-78), I Incomplete
4. Final Research Paper 35 % . D (70-74) F Failure
Total 100 % F (69 and below) WP Withdrawal from a course without permission

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F. CLASSROOM POLICIES

Classroom Etiquette. We are all responsible for making sure that our classroom is a safe environment, where comments are constructive,
and disagreements and differences of opinions respected. You are allowed to use your laptops in class for note-taking purposes only.

Academic Honesty / Plagiarism. (for further information, please refer to the 2018 edition of the Student Guide to the Code of Academic
Integrity of the Loyola Schools for the complete guidelines on student responsibility and academic dishonesty) Plagiarism is a serious offence
and will be dealt with accordingly.

Course Files. Most of the materials listed in the reading list are provided to you, through access to the cloud drive (Google Drive), to let you
focus more on reading rather than looking for these readings in libraries and archives. You are therefore, discouraged from distributing
these materials outside of classroom use, especially for business purposes. Titles and materials not found in the drive should be in the
University Library (library policies apply).

Late Requirements. Activities, assignments, and projects are accepted in both hard and soft copies, granted that they are submitted on or
before the prescribed deadline. Late activities, assignments, and/or projects are not accepted. They must comply with the prescribed
format and word count to be accepted, as well. Requirements which do not follow formats will be returned, and resubmission does not
mean extension of deadlines earlier set. Consult the syllabus for information about the due dates for your assignments and exam
schedules. Extensions will be given only for highly valid reasons (e.g., medical emergency), and these extensions must be sought in
advance, with proper documentation. Failure to submit half of the total number of assignments and//or the two projects mean an
incomplete grade.

Appeals. Strictly no grade negotiation / No special projects. If dissatisfied, you may appeal through the regular appeals process of the
University.

G. CONSULTATION HOURS

Tuesdays and Thursdays. Consultation is by appointment. For questions and other matters, make an appointment and see me at the
Department of Sociology and Anthropology (1/F Ricardo and Dr. Rosita Leong Building) or email me at vestrella@ateneo.edu
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