Application for Global Studies Seminar, Fall 2011

Whitman College was awarded a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to explore the “global” as it impacts our curriculum.  The grant funds opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration, with the aim both of enhancing existing courses and envisioning new ones.  There are two main components of the grant:

1. Faculty Development Seminars: Each Fall semester in 2009, 2010, and 2011, up to eight faculty members from all three divisions will be selected to participate in an intensive faculty development seminar to study global topics through a variety of disciplinary lenses. Seminar participants collaborate in the choice of readings for the seminar syllabus. Seminar participants are also expected to assist, in some manner, in the organization of the Global Studies Symposium in Spring 2012. In addition, four participants from this seminar will design two new, team-taught courses on global themes to propose to the faculty and, if they are approved, will teach them during the following year, or, if necessary, the subsequent year.  These courses should be highly interdisciplinary, and might focus on global themes such as global health, environment, trade, or culture.  The other four participants will lead a weeklong summer faculty development and course enhancement workshop, as described below.
2. Summer Faculty Development and Course Enhancement Workshops: Each year, faculty who participated in the Fall faculty development seminar will lead a one-week course development workshop, the following summer, for up to ten additional faculty members from across the College.  The goal of these summer workshops will be to work with faculty from a wide variety of disciplines to incorporate global issues, perspectives, and critical analyses into existing courses at the College.  The summer workshops will be targeted primarily at faculty members whose teaching and research do not ordinarily include global themes, but who are interested in re-thinking their courses in global contexts.  The workshop will provide a stipend to all participating faculty.  The invitation to participate in the 2011 summer workshop will go out during the 2011 Spring semester.

The Global Studies Steering Committee would like to invite faculty to submit applications for participation in the Fall 2011 faculty development seminar.  The grant enables each participant to have a one course release from his or her regular teaching-load during the Fall so as to be able to devote adequate time and attention to the seminar.  Please note that unlike the summer workshops, the Fall seminars will be designed primarily for faculty members already working on global themes and topics, but interested in intellectual collaborations with faculty from other disciplines.  Applicants must be faculty in the following categories: tenured and tenure-track, Forensic-track, or Senior Lecturer. 

If you are interested in participating in the Fall 2011 seminar, please submit to the Office of the Provost and Dean of the Faculty, c/o Susan Bennett, (1) a one page statement that articulates your interest in this seminar, how you might be able to contribute to it, and what you hope to gain from it, and (2) a copy of your CV. All applicants must notify their department chairs of their interest in participating in the seminar. Applications are due by 4:00 p.m., on Monday, November 8th. Selections will be made by a committee composed of the Provost and Dean of Faculty, the Associate Dean of Faculty, the Chair of Faculty, the Division Chairs and Global Studies Director, Bruce Magnusson.  Preference will be given to candidates who (a) demonstrate a commitment to global themes in their current teaching and/or research, (b) show an understanding of the importance of global studies in their disciplines, and (c) articulate specific ideas for crossing disciplinary boundaries in their teaching.  Please direct all inquiries to Bruce Magnusson at magnusba@whitman.edu (527-4939).

Global Studies Steering Committee:
Bruce Magnusson (Director)
Michelle Acuff
Bill Bogard
Gaurav Majumdar
Jim Russo
Elyse Semerdjian
Zahi Zalloua

Fall 2010 Seminar Participants                                  Fall 2009 Seminar Participants
Michelle Acuff                                                        Shampa Biswas
Aaron Bobrow-Strain                                               Bruce Magnusson
Bill Bogard                                                             Gaurav Majumdar
Josie Hendrickson                                                   Jason Pribilsky
Bruce Magnusson                                                   Elyse Semerdjian
Kari Norgaard                                                         Jacqueline Woodfork
Jon Walters                                                           Zahi Zalloua