Global College
Institute for Political and
Cultural Studies of the Americas
Director: Ross McCormack
Phone: 204.786.9365
About the Institute
About the Director
About the Institute
The Global College is an action-oriented, multi-disciplinary forum for Canadian and international students, bringing students and community members into contact with faculty, visiting scholars, local leaders and notable speakers from around the world. In addition to a three and four year multidisciplinary Bachelor of Arts in Human Rights and Global Studies, students are encouraged to discover their role within the local and global community through teach-ins, symposia, conferences, lectures, local and international human rights internships, and condensed intensive credit courses taught by visiting scholars and our faculty in Global College Spring and Summer Institutes [Sis].
Since its inception Global College has offered intensive Summer Institutes in several formats. Themes have included Andean migration, international terrorism, contemporary global slavery and Philippine society. One of the Global College's principal partner in this work has been the History Department. These courses are delivered via two media, a TV studio-classroom and online as VOD. The latter format has allowed for the enrolment of students in, among others, Peru and Zimbabwe.
In May 2011, Global College and the History Department offered two SIs, which were sponsored by the Canadian Museum of Human Rights. The first, offered by Dr. Teofilo Altamirano, of the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Del Peru, was "Refugees and Human Rights"; it used his latest book, Migration, Remittances and Development In Times of Crisis, published by the UN Population Fund. The second, taught by Dr. José-Luis Rénique of the City University of New York, was entitled Democracy and Human Rights in Latin America. Dr. Rénique has published widely in the field and conducted research for Peru's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Enrolling some 200 students, the courses provided credit in the History and Human Rights majors. These are links to the SIs offered last spring: http://vod.uwinnipeg.ca/course/mighuman/ and http://vod.uwinnipeg.ca/course/dehuman/ .
The partnership between the College and the History Department has proven to be very successful, by providing UW students and others from across Canada and in other countries the opportunity to study important contemporary issues with leading scholars. That success has encouraged institutions such as the Human Rights Museum and the UN Population Fund to sponsor and promote SIs. Given the themes of the Summer Institutes planned for 2012, the University will seek the support of indigenous organizations, corporations and government.
Course Examples
Climate Change and Human Displacement
Professor: Teofilo Altamirano
This course examines involuntary migration caused by climate change. Using both historical and contemporary cases, it discusses various weather conditions and events as major push factors on internal and international migration. Case studies of the weather phenomena and climate refugees will focus on societies in the Andes, the Himalayas and sub-Saharan Africa.
View the draft course syllabus here.
Development and Indigenous Property
Professor: Hernando de Soto, Dr. Maria Delgado, Dr. Ginger Gibson & Justice Murray Sinclair
Historically socio-economic development based on Western
models has produced the suppression and dispossession of indigenous peoples. In
recent years, however, indigenous people have opposed the continuation of this
historical injustice and launched projects to participate in their birth
rights. Focusing primarily on Peru,
this course examines the historical record and contemporary opposition.
View the draft course syllabus here.
Women and Climate Change
Professor: Norma Fuller Ph. D
This course discusses the link between women and climate change. Using both historical and contemporary cases, it examines the impact of climate change on women and their ability to develop short-term and long -term strategies of mitigation and adaptation. Contemporary cases will be drawn from Africa, Asia and the Peruvian Amazon, one of the most biologically and culturally endangered regions in the world.
View the draft course syllabus here.
**For more information about the courses, please click here.**