[DEBATE] : International Course on Globalisation, Social Justice and Civil Society

[Riaz Tayob]

Focus on the Global South and the MA Programme on International Development
Studies (MAIDS) of the Chulalongkorn University are now accepting
applications from prospective participants for the inaugural session of the
International Course on Globalisation, Social Justice and Civil Society.
 
The course will run for 15 days (Monday to Friday, 9:00 ­ 16:00) from
October 2-20, 2006 at the Chulalongkorn University campus, Bangkok.
 
Applications will be received until June 30, 2006. The Application Form can
be downloaded from the Focus website: www.focusweb.org.
 
Selected participants will be provided full funding for travel, besides
lodging, to attend the course. Applicants from social movements and people¹s
organizations will get preferential treatment with regard to funds.
 
For more information, please contact Dorothy Guerrero of Focus on the Global
South at d.guerrero at focusweb.org

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International Course on Globalisation, Social Justice and Civil Society
 
I. Background and Description of the Course
 
The course will provide an analytical interpretation of the ongoing debates
that concerns the dynamics, institutional structures, and central processes
of globalisation and development as well as the interactive relationship
between governance and collective action. It will examine the political,
social and cultural aspects of social movement building as well as empirical
cases of initiatives for social justice, sustainability and human rights.
 
The course will bring together practitioners (staff and members of civil
society organisations and networks, including the media) from within and
beyond the Asian region. Through this course, Focus and Chulalongkorn
University wish to contribute in the development and strengthening of links
between organisations and networks as well as provide a space for the
deepening of understanding about global issues and the role of civil society
organisations in addressing the issues.
 
A particular aim of the course is to contribute in the strengthening of
Chinese civil society organisations through the facilitation of learning and
interaction between the participants that will come from China and their
counterparts from Asia and other regions. It is envisioned that by the end
of the course, the participants will be able to forge various forms of
cooperation that are meant to deepen democracy and sustainable development
in China and across the region.
 
II. Methodology
 
The course will follow a combination of inputs from lecturers, public
seminars, small group workshops, and mutual teaching and learning among
participants. Course lecturers will come from Focus, the Chulalongkorn
University, selected partner organisations, and other academic institutions.
The participants will also be encouraged to prepare presentations and share
their experiences on campaigning, public education and mobilisation. The
topics for presentations will be agreed between the lecturers and the
participants. Some sessions will also be allocated for group debates,
campaign and/or mobilisation strategy sharing and other practical exercises.
 
The course will have 50% placement allocation for Chinese NGO Staff,
grassroots organisation volunteers and journalists. The other 50% is for
participants from civil society organisations from other countries. The
course will run for 15 days (Monday to Friday, with morning and afternoon
sessions) at the Chulalongkorn University campus in Bangkok, Thailand from
October 2 to October 20, 2006.
 
A field exposure or short internship for Chinese participants will also
follow shortly after the course. They may choose to go in any of the Focus
Country Programmes: India, Thailand or the Philippines.
 
III. Application and Criteria for Selection of Participants
 
The course organisers will ensure a well balanced participation in terms of
gender, sector, country of origin, and level of engagement (local, regional,
global). The course is designed for those who have at least 2 years of
experience in development work, campaign and lobby, NGO project/programme
operation and movement/network organising.
 
Due to cost considerations, all lectures and public events will be presented
in English. It is expected that participants have a good command of the
language. For applicants from China, the language requirement could be
waived and simultaneous translation will be available during lectures and
public events.
 
IV. Course Content:
 
Note: Actual Lecture/Sessions will still be prepared and not listed below
 
Part 1 ­ Contradictions between current trend to globalisation and
development 
5 days
 
Topics:
1.    The rise and crisis of the Globalization Project
2.    The political and social dimensions of Globalisation
3.    Empire and Hegemony
4.    Development Strategies: Rights-based approach, poverty alleviation,
sustainability, good governance and participation,  women in development,
human security.
5.    The Multilateral Matrix
 
Part 2 -  Non-State Actors: Theories, Practices and Critiques about
Collective Engagement
7 days
 
Topics: 
1.    Theorizing Social Movements - Collective Action, Resource Mobilisation
and Identity 
2.    Civil Society Organisations and their political environment: State-
Society relations in Asia, Africa, North America and Europe, and Latin
America.
3.    Strategies, Impacts and Trajectories
4.    New Social Movements, Internationalism and Solidarity Cultue
 
Part 3  -  Social Justice and Equity
2 days
 
Topics:
1.    Movements, Democracy, Citizenship
2.    Social Justice and the World Social Forum
 
Part 4  - Course Synthesis and Evaluation
 
This part will synthesize and evaluate the course.
 
V. Course Staff
 
Course Co-ordinator: Dorothy Guerrero, (Focus on the Global South)
                   
Lecturers: Dr. Walden Bello (Director, Focus on the Global South)
Dr. Chantana Banpasirichote Wun¹Gaeo (Director, MAIDS - Chulalongkorn Univ)
Prof. Kinhide Mushakoji (Director, Asia Pacific Partnership, Osaka
University for Economics and Law)
Dr. Cho Hee-Yeon (Director, Graduate School for Civil Society and Welfare,
Sungkunghoe University, Seoul
Prof. Wen Tiejun (Dean, School of Agricultural Economics and Rural
Development, Renmin University, Beijing)
Dr. Patrick Bond (Director, Center for Civil Society, University of Natal,
Durban)
Dr. Wolfram Schaffar (Rheinische Wilhelm-Friedrich Universitaet Bonn)
Julia di Giovanni (Global March for Women), invited ­ to be confirmed
Nicola Bullard (Focus)
Shalmali Guttal (Focus)
Dorothy Guerrero (Focus)
+ + +
 
-- 
Mary Louise Malig
Focus on the Global South
c/o CUSRI, Wisit Prachuabmoh Bldg,
Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok
Tel: +662 2187363
Fax: +662 2559976