For this assignment, you will be writing a 750-1,000 word globalization-related essay that will require you conduct college-level research using our library databases. 

At this point, you’ve been exposed to a variety of material to help you understand the complexities of globalization:

 

•  We read “The Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention”–– a chapter from Thomas Friedman’s The World is Flat––which discusses the relative progress of countries included in global supply chains, as well as the consequences for those left behind. 

•  We watched a documentary titled The Other Side of Outsourcing, which examines how globalization has forever changed India (economically, culturally, and even religiously). 

•  In class, we discussed Hot, Flat, and Crowded, wherein Friedman stipulates that green-oriented practices and technologies are the key to making globalization profitable, sustainable, and therefore worthwhile.

•  We discussed another book by Friedman titled That Used to be Us: How America Fell Behind in the World It Invented and How We Can Come Back.  In this book, Friedman examines some of the challenges the U.S. faces in the globalized world, and proposes different components of American society that must be fixed in order for the U.S. to stay on top (i.e. education, infrastructure, immigration, investment practices, and government-funded research).

•  We discussed The Story of Stuff,  a short documentary wherein Annie Leonard argues that because of Western consumerism and the process of globalization, the Earth’s natural resources are in grave danger.

• We've watched Michael Moore's Where to Invade Next?, which examines several progressive social policies in other countries around the world.

 

 

ESSAY PROMPT

1) Consider a part of American society that you feel can possibly be improved.

2) Research how other countries have addressed this topic or issue. 

3) Make suggestions on how America can improve on this issue by adopting some of the practices of the country (or countries) that you research.

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SELECTING A TOPIC

Below is a list of potential topics for you to consider before you begin your research. However, please keep in mind that this is only a partial list. If there is a topic not listed that you would like to research and write about, speak to me about your ideas before you begin researching and I’ll be more than happy to help organize your arguments.  

 

EDUCATION REFORM

• FACT: Despite having the largest economy in the world, the United States does not offer the world’s best education. 

• FACT: In the U.S.,14% of new teachers resign by the end of their first year, 33% leave within their first 3 years, and almost 50% leave by their 5th year.

• What are some countries surpassing the United States in education?

• How are these countries able to receive higher results than the United States?

• What can the United States learn from these countries to improve its education? What practices or policies should the United States adopt?

 

Thesis Example: While the United States is the largest economy on the planet, it unfortunately does not offer the world’s best education. In order to improve learning, the United States should look to other countries with more progressive systems, such as (country A, country B, and country C). For example, country A (explain what they do better). Also, country B (explain what they do better). Finally, country C (explain what they do better).

 

Topic Sentence Example

In order to attract more qualified teachers into the field, America should adopt similar practices to “country A”, which…. (list how “country A” is able to attract better teachers).

 

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

• FACT: The United States is the world’s leader in incarceration. 

• FACT: There are over two million people in the nation’s prisons and jails, which constitutes a 500% increase over the last 40 years. Changes in law and policy, not changes in crime rates, explain most of this increase.

• What countries have more successful criminal justice policies than the United States?

• Are there countries out there that use deterrents other than incarceration to prevent crime? If so, what are some examples? 

• How do other countries achieve lower recidivism rates than the United States? If so, how do they achieve these results?

• Are there other countries that focus more on rehabilitating rather than punishing their criminals? If so, what are the results? 

• What can the United States learn from these countries to improve its criminal justice system? What practices or policies should the United States adopt?

 

CLIMATE CHANGE/ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES

• FACT: The United States is the second-largest producer of carbon dioxide, behind China, according to the latest data available from the World Bank.

• FACT: The U.S.has 5% of the world’s population but consumes 30% of the world’s resources and creates 30% of the world’s waste.

• What countries have a more aggressive plan to combat climate change than the United States?

• Are there any countries that are 100% fossil free (or have active plans to become such)? 

• What countries are doing a better job of using renewable energy (solar, wind, hydroelectric, etc)?

• What countries have stronger and stricter environmental protection policies to preserve natural resources and treasures (lakes, ponds, oceans, rainforests, wildlife, fisheries, etc)?

• What countries have experienced financial benefits by adopting more progressive environmental policies?

• What can the United States learn from these countries to improve its efforts at combatting climate change, or preserving its natural resources?

 

DRUG POLICY

• FACT: Since President Nixon announced the war on drugs in 1971, the United States government has spent over a trillion dollars on the war,  which amounts to roughly $25 billion per year or $793 per second for over 40 years. These funds would have been enough for the U.S. government to settle a small colony on Mars.

• FACT: The US is the world’s largest consumer of illegal drugs. It makes up just 5% of the global population, yet according to most estimates accounts for over 25% of global demand for illicit drugs.

• What do other countries do to control the use of illicit drugs?

• Do other countries focus more on rehabilitating drug users, or punishing them?

• Have other countries legalized illicit drug use and if so, what were some of the impacts of that policy (negative and positive)? How have these policies changed the number of drug users, HIV infections, and drug-related deaths? 

• Do other countries have different prescription drug policies than the U.S.? If so, how do such policies contribute to increasing or reducing drug use?

• Are there any countries out there that have harsher drug policies than the U.S. and if so, what can the U.S. learn from these countries?

• What can the United States learn from other countries to improve its efforts at combatting drug abuse and drug-related deaths?

 

GUN CONTROL

FACT: Estimates show that there are over 300 million firearms in the U.S. (America has more guns than people). 3% of gun owners account for owning 150 million of those guns (with collections that rate from 8 to 140). 

FACT: Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that on an average day, 96 Americans are killed with guns.

FACT: America’s gun homicide rate is more than 25 times the average of other high-income countries.

• Do other countries have stricter gun ownership laws than the U.S. and if so, do these policies reduce gun violence and gun deaths?

• Have other countries enacted stricter gun policies following national tragedies? If so, how did they go about instituting new policies?

• Do countries other than the United States have a strong “gun culture” and if so, do they have a comparable amount of gun deaths and gun violence? Why or why not? 

• What can the United States learn from other countries to lessen gun violence and gun-related deaths?

 

IMMIGRATION

FACT: As of 2017, according to Gallup polls, almost half of Americans agreed that immigrants make crime worse. However, several studies, over many years, have concluded that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than people born in the United States. 

FACT: According to a study issued by the National Bureau of Economic Research, loss of our undocumented labor force would cost the U.S. economy $5 trillion over a decade.

• How do other countries handle immigrants (undocumented or documented) coming across their borders?

• How do other nations respond to immigrants seeking asylum?

• Do other countries offer pathways to citizenship and if so, what is that process?

• What can the United States learn from other countries to improve its current immigration policies?

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