Anyone who has paused to look at any of the bulletin boards around campus has surely noticed the glossy, provocative fliers.
One features a picture of women sewing clothes in a factory, the Wal-Mart logo pictured above their heads. Underneath, it reads, "The maquiladoras that stock Wal-Mart's shelves pay 54 cents an hour."
Another shows an American flag with corporate logos in place of stars and the text, "In 1886 the Supreme Court gave corporations the same rights as private citizens," then, "Learn more in a new class."
Both are advertisements for a new class called "Corporate Globalization and Democracy," offered through the Center for Regional and Continuing Education. The class is open to anyone, even non-Chico State students, and is taught by Eric Johnson.
Johnson taught the class for the first time in the fall of 2002. He was motivated by the events of Sept. 11 to create a space for people to discuss what had happened and why.
"I had read about the arguments from both sides about why it happened, but I wasn't convinced it was the whole story," he said.
This semester, the class is focused on a range of subjects, all having to do with the impact of corporate globalization on democracy and the world. Corporate globalization, Johnson said, is how an economic model imposed by America and other Western nations link the world's economies.
This can result in smaller countries not being able to compete, he said, and can lead to unfair labor practices, such as the Wal-Mart example on the fliers.
"Every week we're on a brand new subject, but with the same theme: the importance of hierarchical structure and its impact," Johnson said.
This can include discussions on everything from foreign policy, unfair labor practices, job outsourcing, food production and many other topics.
"These are subjects that really affect everyone and are important to debate," Johnson said. Students are required to pay $30 for a CD-ROM that contains all the class readings. Johnson said one of his favorite things about the class is how every student brings his or her own experiences and passions to the group.
Alice McColloch, a student in the class, also likes how the class is centered on discussion and sharing ideas.
"I like being in a circle and not just a lecture," she said. "And a lot of the people are very smart; you can ask questions and input your own knowledge."
OnFridays from 3 to 5 p.m. in Ayres 201 a movie is shown that relates to the class.
"It's one thing to read about these issues, and it's another thing to see the images," Johnson said. "It drives the point home."
He also hopes that the movies will be a draw for students who aren't in the class to come and see if they're interested. The diverse array of movies range from Hollywood movies like "Fight Club" and "Office Space" to documentaries likes "Super Size Me" and "This is What Democracy Looks Like," which is about the Seattle World Trade Organization protests.
He hopes the class will challenge students' perceptions about the world, and expose them to new ideas.
"People tend to go for information they already agree with, which just reinforces their beliefs," he said. "People need to not make up their minds before they get all the information."
Kelly Reed can be reached at
Be the first to comment on this article!