Fall 2022 Concentration list

This list contains courses that have been pre-approved to count for each concentration. Other relevant courses may be applied to a concentration with the permission of the program. Some of the courses listed here may have prerequisites and/or require permission of the instructor before you can enroll. Check the course listing in the University Catalog for details (catalog.gmu.edu). Offerings may change through the enrollment period. 

Any course counted toward a concentration cannot count toward any other requirement, including, for example, the Mason Core, a minor, a second major, or a second GLOA concentration.  

A course for which a section number is given (e.g. GLOA 450-002) is usually a “special topic” course and may not be offered on a recurring basis. 

Thematic Concentrations

The Environment 
Global Economy & Management 
Global Governance 
Global Inequalities & Responses 
Human Security 
International Development 
Media, Communication, & Culture 
 
Regional Concentrations 
 
Africa 
Asia 
Europe 
Latin America 
Middle East & North Africa 
Russia & Central Asia 
 
The Environment

ECON 335: Environmental Economics 
EVPP 108: Ecosphere: Introduction to Environmental Science I – Lecture 
EVPP 112: Ecosphere: Introduction to Environmental Science II – Lecture 
EVPP 201: Environment and You: Issues for the Twenty-First Century  
EVPP 322: Business and Sustainability 
EVPP 336: Human Dimensions of the Environment 
EVPP 377: Applied Ecology 
EVPP 381: Nature and Culture in Global Wetlands
EVPP 428: Planetary Health 
EVPP 432: Energy Policy 
EVPP 434: Food-Energy-Water Nexus 
EVPP 436: The Human Dimensions of Global Climate Change 
GCH 360: Health and Environment 
GGS 302: Global Environmental Hazards 
GGS 303: Geography of Resource Conservation 
GGS 307: Geographic Approaches for Sustainable Development 
GGS 311: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 
INTS 334: Environmental Justice 
TOUR 340: Sustainable Tourism

Global Economy & Management 

GLOA 400 – DL1: Global Political Economy, Dr. Patrick Ukata, MW 1:30-2:45pm, Online Synchronous  
In this course we will carefully look at the complex interplay of politics and economics in the world arena. We shall seek to understand the different theories of global political economy and how those theories affect activities both the global markets and the global society at large. Capturing the current debates in global political economy, we will also highlight the analytical tensions between international and domestic explanations, on the one hand, and institutional and society-centered explanations, on the other. Also of importance, we will try to understand how the advances in information technology, telecommunications, and transportation have significantly increased the interdependence of national economies. (Cannot use this course to count for both the concentration and capstone simultaneously)

ECON 310: Money and Banking 
ECON 360: Economics of Developing Areas 
ECON 390: International Economics 
MGMT 461: Cross Cultural and Global Management 
MBUS 301: Managing People and Organizations in a Global Economy 
MBUS 305: Introduction to International Business 
BULE 303: Legal Environment of Business
BULE 402: Commercial Law 
EVPP 322: Business and Sustainability 

Global Governance 

GLOA 400 – DL1: Global Political Economy, Dr. Patrick Ukata, MW 1:30-2:45pm, Online Synchronous 
In this course we will carefully look at the complex interplay of politics and economics in the world arena. We shall seek to understand the different theories of global political economy and how those theories affect activities both the global markets and the global society at large. Capturing the current debates in global political economy, we will also highlight the analytical tensions between international and domestic explanations, on the one hand, and institutional and society-centered explanations, on the other. Also of importance, we will try to understand how the advances in information technology, telecommunications, and transportation have significantly increased the interdependence of national economies. (Cannot use this course to count for both the concentration and capstone simultaneously)

GLOA 450-DL3: Sexuality, Race, & Immigration, Dr. Rachel Ann Lewis, Explores how race and sexuality structure contemporary processes of immigration and border-crossing in Europe and the U.S.. Addresses the history of U.S. immigration controls in relation to questions of race, class, gender and sexuality; women’s and LGBTQ claims for political asylum in Europe and the United States; child migration; sex work, trafficking and migration; and feminist and queer anti-deportation activism. Limited to three attempts.

COMM 305: Foundations of Intercultural Communication 
CRIM 405: Law and Justice around the World 
CRIM 475: Theory and Politics of Terrorism 
GGS 301: Political Geography 
GOVT 134: Grand Challenges to Human Security 
GOVT 342: Diplomacy 
GOVT 343: International Political Economy 
GOVT 344: American Foreign Policy 
GOVT 346: American Security Policy 
GOVT 347: International Security  
GOVT 443: Law and Ethics of War  
GOVT 444 – 001: Diplomatic Situations 
GOVT 444 – 003: Terrorism and Counterterrorism 
GOVT 447: Revolution and International Politics 
GOVT 490 – 009: Immigration and Demographic Change 
INTS 362: Social Justice and Human Rights 
SOCI 326: Conflict, Violence, and Peace 

Global Inequalities & Responses 

GLOA 450-DL3: Sexuality, Race, & Immigration, Dr. Rachel Ann Lewis, Explores how race and sexuality structure contemporary processes of immigration and border-crossing in Europe and the U.S.. Addresses the history of U.S. immigration controls in relation to questions of race, class, gender and sexuality; women’s and LGBTQ claims for political asylum in Europe and the United States; child migration; sex work, trafficking and migration; and feminist and queer anti-deportation activism. Limited to three attempts.

AFAM 390 – 003: Black Internationalism  
AFAM 390 - 007: Gender, Race, Sexuality, and TV 
COMM 396 – 001 / ENGH 319 / CULT 390: Globalized Media & Inequality 
CRIM 405: Law and Justice around the World 
CULT 390-001: Global Media and Inequalities
EVPP 436: The Human Dimensions of Global Climate Change 
GCH 205: Global Health 
GCH 332: Health and Disease 
GCH 405: Global Health Interventions: History and Systems  
GCH 426: Global Emerging Infectious Diseases  
GCH 445: Social Determinants of Health  
HIST 366: Comparative Slavery  
HIST 387 – 007: Global History of Disease 
INTS 304: Social Movements and Community Activism 
INTS 334: Environmental Justice 
INTS 344: Youth, Music, & Social Change 
INTS 362: Social Justice and Human Rights 
GOVT 414: Gender, Sexuality, and International Migration 
SOCI 307: Social Movements and Political Protest 
SOCI 308: Race and Ethnicity in a Changing World 
SOCI 315: Gender and Society 
SOCI 320: Globalization and Social Change 
SOCI 355: Social Inequality 
SOCI 395 – 004: Race/Class/LGBTQ Communities 
SOCI 395 – D2: Gender, Sexuality, International Migration 
WMST 100: Global Representations of Women 
WMST 200: Introduction to Women and Gender Studies 
WMST 409: Gender, Sexuality, and International Migration 

 
Human Security  

GLOA 400 – 003: Global Apocalypse, Dr. Cortney Hughes Rinker, R 4:30-7:10pm, Horizon 2010
We have heard that the world is coming to an end on more than one occasion. The world’s population has experienced one catastrophe after another. Scientists warn us that the planet is warming at a dangerous pace. The impacts of climate change on health and well-being are real. We have been living with a global pandemic for the past few years, where a virus has turned people’s daily lives and their livelihoods upside down. The multiple effects of COVID-19 will be felt for a long time. Some progress has been made in reducing nuclear weapon arsenals since the Cold War, but nine countries still possess nuclear weapons. The threat of nuclear war causes anxiety among governments and within communities given the mass destruction, it can cause. Every ending, though, creates questions about living, what it means to be human, and existence in this world. This discussion and research driven course will focus on disruption and rupture. We will delve into questions of catastrophe and how we can deal with them individually and globally. We will focus on a wide range of sources (novels, short stories, academic literature, podcasts, films and television, lectures, credible news sources) to explore topics, such as: zombies, disease and the body, human and non-human relationships, technology, automation and automization, capitalism and financial crisis, and climate change. Students will be provided ample opportunities to develop analytical and methodological skills necessary to construct and complete an original project by the end of the course. GLOA 400-003 will be co-taught with Mr. Michael Smith from INTO Mason and enroll students from Mason and those completing academic English training through INTO, thus providing chances for deeper cross-cultural engagement and discussion about humanity and its potential end. (Cannot use this course to count for both the concentration and capstone simultaneously)

ANTH 331: Refugees
EVPP 381: Nature and Culture in Global Wetlands
EVPP 436: The Human Dimensions of Global Climate Change
GCH 332: Health and Disease 
GCH 426: Global Emerging Infectious Diseases 
GOVT 134: Grand Challenges to Human Security 
GOVT 443: Law and Ethics of War 
GOVT 490 – 009: Immigration and Demographic Change
HIST 387 – 007: Global History of Disease 
INTS 417: Human Trafficking and Smuggling
SOCI 326: Conflict, Violence, and Peace 
SOCI 330: US Immigrants and Immigration
WMST 409: Gender, Sexuality, and International Migration  

 
International Development 

GLOA 450-DL1: Globalization and International Development, Dr. Dikshya Thapa, TR Students will learn key theoretical debates on the concepts of development; how international organizations and foreign aid works; and the critical policy debates of our times. We will cover a wide range of countries as empirical case studies to assess the evidence. The course is meant to provide students with sociological knowledge and tools to work in the field of international development with a critical and conscious mind. 10:30-11:45am, Online Synchronous

ANTH 331: Refugees
ECON
360: Economics of Developing Areas 
EVPP 381: Nature and Culture in Global Wetlands
GCH 205: Global Health 
GGS 303: Geography of Resource Conservation 
GGS 307: Geographic Approaches for Sustainable Development 
TOUR 340: Sustainable Tourism
EVPP 434: Food-Energy-Water Nexus 

 
Media, Communication, & Culture 

GLOA 400 – 003: Global Apocalypse, Dr. Cortney Hughes Rinker, R 4:30-7:10pm, Horizon 2010 
We have heard that the world is coming to an end on more than one occasion. The world’s population has experienced one catastrophe after another. Scientists warn us that the planet is warming at a dangerous pace. The impacts of climate change on health and well-being are real. We have been living with a global pandemic for the past few years, where a virus has turned people’s daily lives and their livelihoods upside down. The multiple effects of COVID-19 will be felt for a long time. Some progress has been made in reducing nuclear weapon arsenals since the Cold War, but nine countries still possess nuclear weapons. The threat of nuclear war causes anxiety among governments and within communities given the mass destruction it can cause. Every ending, though, creates questions about living, what it means to be human, and existence in this world. This discussion and research driven course will focus on disruption and rupture. We will delve into questions of catastrophe and how we can deal with them individually and globally. We will focus on a wide range of sources (novels, short stories, academic literature, podcasts, films and television, lectures, credible news sources) to explore topics, such as: zombies, disease and the body, human and non-human relationships, technology, automation and automization, capitalism and financial crisis, and climate change. Students will be provided ample opportunities to develop analytical and methodological skills necessary to construct and complete an original project by the end of the course. GLOA 400-003 will be co-taught with Mr. Michael Smith from INTO Mason and enroll students from Mason and those completing academic English training through INTO, thus providing chances for deeper cross-cultural engagement and discussion about humanity and its potential end. (Cannot use this course to count for both the concentration and capstone simultaneously)

AFAM 390 - 007: Gender, Race, Sexuality, and TV 
COMM 305: Foundations of Intercultural Communication 
COMM 380: Media Criticism 
COMM 396 – 001 / ENGH 319 / CULT 390: Globalized Media & Inequality 
CULT 390-001: Global Media and Inequalities
ENGH 315: Folklore and Folklife 
FAVS 225: Introduction to World Cinema 
FAVS 300: Global Horror Film 
FRLN 331 - DL2: Films on Borders & Migration 
FRLN 385: Multilingualism, Identity, and Power  
INTS 344: Youth, Music, & Social Change 
INTS 348: Digital Futures 
PSYC 379: Applied Cross-Cultural Psychology 
RELI 490: Comparative Study of Religions
RUSS 353-DL1: Contemporary Russian Culture and Media: Disinformation and Diversity
 

Africa 

ANTH 320: Global Africa 
ARTH 206: Survey of African Art  
ARTH 318: Art and Archaeology of Ancient Egypt 
ARTH 420: 002: Gender, Sex, and Religion: Ancient Egypt 
ECON 362: African Economic Development
HIST 261: Survey of African History 
HIST 366: Comparative Slavery 

Asia 

GLOA 400 – 002: Globalization in Asia, Dr. Byunghwan Son, TR 10:30-11:45am, Innovation 137 
Asia is generally considered a ‘winner’ of globalization due largely to the region’s miraculous economic success in the past decades. Not discussed as frequently are 1) the challenges each society in the region faces in political, economic, and/or sociocultural fronts and 2) the diverse ways in which such challenges are perceived in different countries. In this class, we tackle these two large issues by identifying what these challenges are in general and by discussing how each of the countries in the region fares on those challenges. The specific issue areas where this discussion takes place includes, but not limited to, political freedom; welfare system; online censorship; immigration; development; territorial disputes; transitional justice and human rights. While most of the countries in the region will be covered, the discussion will revolve mostly around East and Southeast Asian regions. (Cannot use this course to count for both the concentration and capstone simultaneously)

ARTH 382: Arts of India  
CHIN 310: Survey of Chinese Literature 
CHIN 311: Modern Chinese Literature in Translation 
CHIN 318: Introduction to Classical Chinese
CHIN 320: Contemporary Chinese Film 
CHIN 325: Major Chinese Writers 
CHIN 485: China on Stage: Intro to Drama 
*Language courses in Chinese may count toward the concentration if they are not being applied toward degree language requirements.* 
GGS 317: Geography of China 
GOVT 333: Government and Politics of Asia 
GOVT 341: Chinese Foreign Policy 
GOVT 444 – 002: Korean Politics 
HIST 252: Survey of East Asian Civilization 
HIST 354: Modern China 
HIST 356: Modern Japan 
HIST 387 – 001: Early Ancient China 
JAPA 320: Intro to Anime & Manga Studies 
JAPA 360: Intro to Anime and Manga 
JAPA 420: Animal and Nature in Japan 
*Language courses in Japanese may count toward the concentration if they are not being applied toward degree language requirements.* 
KORE 311: Modern Korean Literature in Translation 
KORE 320: Korean Pop Culture in a Global World 
KORE 321: Webtoon-Based Korean Drama *Language courses in Korean may count toward the concentration if they are not also being applied toward degree language requirements.* 
RELI 212: Religions of Asia 
RELI 313: Hinduism 
RELI 317: Daoism  

Europe 

ARTH 335: Arts of Medieval England 
ARTH 340: Early Renaissance Art in Italy, 1300-1500  
ENGH 474 – 001: Rebel Screens: Ireland/Britain 
GERM 325: Magic Mountain 
GERM 365: Nature/Environment in German Culture 
*Language courses in German may count toward the concentration if they are not being applied toward degree language requirements.* 
GGS 326: Geography of Eastern Europe and Russia  
GOVT 334: Government and Politics of Europe 
HIST 301: Classical Greece 
HIST 308: 19th Century Europe 
HIST 309: Europe in Crisis: 1914-1948  
HIST 312: Nationalism in Eastern Europe 
HIST 314: History of Germany  
HIST 387 – 004: World War II  
HIST 388 – 003: Early Medieval England  
HIST 388 – DL1: War on Ukraine in Historical Perspective  
HIST 389 – 001: World War II 
ITAL 320: Neorealism and Its Legacy  
*Language courses in Italian may count toward the concentration if they are not being applied toward degree language requirements.* 
RELI 211: Religions of the West  
SPAN 375: Introduction to Spanish-Language Cinema 
SPAN 388: Introduction to Latina/o Studies  
SPAN 390: Introduction to Hispanic Literary Analysis 
SPAN 483: Medieval and Early Modern Literature of Spain  
*Language courses in Spanish may count toward the concentration if they are not being applied toward degree language requirements. 
RELI 310: Judaism  

Latin America 

HIST 271: Survey of Latin American History 
HIST 366: Comparative Slavery 
SPAN 212 – 004 / GOVT 319 – 005: Intermediate Spanish in Local and Global Contexts 
SPAN 325: Jorge Luis Borges 
SPAN 375: Introduction to Spanish-Language Cinema  
SPAN 388: Introduction to Latina/o Studies  
SPAN 390: Introduction to Hispanic Literary Analysis

Middle East & North Africa 

GLOA 400 – 001: Global Middle East, Dr. Yasemin Ipek, TR 3-4:15pm, Horizon 1010  
This course explores the major contemporary issues concerning the Middle East region through a global perspective. We will examine how the history, politics, culture, and economics of the region have been both shaped by and shaped in turn multiple global processes such as capitalism, forced displacement, wars, and mass protests. Beginning with addressing what the "Middle East" is and how it is imagined in both policy and academic discourses, we will situate the Middle East within the global histories of colonialism, state-building, and nationalism. The readings will provide a critical overview of the essential historical issues, and explore new questions introduced by current global developments. The students will engage with a variety of major scholarly issues such as religion, secularism, and sectarianism; migration, refugees and humanitarianism; gender and identity; and activism and social movements. In addition to discussing scholarly texts, we will explore online and news media sources, and watch movies and documentaries. (Cannot use this course to count for both the concentration and capstone simultaneously)

ARAB 325: Major Arabic Writers  
ARAB 380: Levantine 
ARAB 420: Survey of Arabic Literature  
*Language courses in Arabic may count toward the concentration if they are not being applied toward degree language requirements.*
ARTH 318: Art and Archaeology of Ancient Egypt 
ARTH 320: Art of the Islamic World  
ARTH 420: 002: Gender, Sex, and Religion: Ancient Egypt  
GGS 325: Geography of North Africa and the Middle East  
GOVT 332: Government and Politics of the Middle East and North Africa 
GOVT 345: Islam and Politics 
HIST 281: Survey of Middle Eastern Civilization 
RELI 312: Islam 
RELI 344: Muhammad: Life and Legacy 

Russia & Central Asia

GLOA 400 – 002: Globalization in Asia, Dr. Byunghwan Son, TR 10:30-11:45am, Innovation 137 
Asia is generally considered a ‘winner’ of globalization due largely to the region’s miraculous economic success in the past decades. Not discussed as frequently are 1) the challenges each society in the region faces in political, economic, and/or sociocultural fronts and 2) the diverse ways in which such challenges are perceived in different countries. In this class, we tackle these two large issues by identifying what these challenges are in general and by discussing how each of the countries in the region fares on those challenges. The specific issue areas where this discussion takes place includes, but not limited to, political freedom; welfare system; online censorship; immigration; development; territorial disputes; transitional justice and human rights. While most of the countries in the region will be covered, the discussion will revolve mostly around East and Southeast Asian regions. (Cannot use this course to count for both the concentration and capstone simultaneously)

GGS 326: Geography of Eastern Europe and Russia  
GOVT 333: Government and Politics of Asia 
GOVT 338: Government and Politics of Russia 
HIST 329: Modern Russia and the Soviet Union 
HIST 388 – DL1: War on Ukraine in Historical Perspective  
RELI 212: Religions of Asia  
RUSS 325: Psychology & Medicine in Russian Literature  
RUSS 353: Russian Civilization  
*Language courses in Russian may count toward the concentration if they are not being applied toward degree language requirements.*