Global Issues Local Solutions

====================NEW COURSE—Spring 2009================ 99-340 Global Issues, Local Solutions Units: 9 A Seminar course to be offered simultaneously in Pittsburgh and Doha in Spring 2009 Section A (Pittsburgh) TR 8-9:20; Section W (Doha) ST 4 – 5:20

Instructors: Indira Nair (Pittsburgh); Faheem Hussain (Doha)

Short course description: Students will study in detail the set of pressing issues that has become the objective of the millennium development goals (MDG) of the United Nations - issues that a body of experts on world affairs has identified as vital to our peaceful and healthy existence on the planet-- and apply their understanding to propose how they will address these issues in a local context in Pittsburgh and in Doha and in contexts in which their country plays a significant role (e.g., US AID, ROTA in Qatar). Because of the interaction between students in two very different contexts their different perspectives and perceptions should inform each other. The students will have a unique opportunity in the 6th annual Global Issues, Global Solutions Inter-university conference to be hosted by Carnegie Mellon on February 21. Students will be required to attend the keynote lectures which we will also video and transmit to Doha. At the end of the course, the students should be able to: (1) articulate the intent of the MDG: (2) demonstrate an ability to map the factors that affect the attainment of a goal; (3) demonstrate an ability to develop a plan based on real data for at least one case; and (4) design the template for evaluation and evaluate details on one plan currently being considered. The Pittsburgh and Doha sections will meet together on Tuesdays and separately for an additional session per week.

DETAILS “ In September 2000, building upon a decade of major United Nations conferences and summits, world leaders came together at United Nations Headquarters in New York to adopt the United Nations Millennium Declaration, committing their nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and setting out a series of time-bound targets - with a deadline of 2015 - that have become known as the Millennium Development Goals.” --------“The 2005 World Summit, held from 14 to 16 September at United Nations Headquarters in New York, brought together more than 170 Heads of State and Government. It was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take bold decisions in the areas of development, security, human rights and reform of the United Nations. The agenda was based on an achievable set of proposals outlined in March 2005 by SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan in his report “In Larger Freedom”.” http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/bkgd.shtml

Introduction: Students will explore the set of pressing issues that has become the objective of the millennium development goals (MDG) of the United Nations. The 2005 report to the U.N. Secretary General stated: “The Millennium Development Goals set timebound targets, by which progress in reducing income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter and exclusion — while promoting gender equality, health, education and environmental

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sustainability — can be measured. They also embody basic human rights — the rights of each person on the planet to health, education, shelter and security.”1 Students will study in detail the global issues that a body of experts on world affairs has identified as vital to our peaceful and healthy existence on the planet. They will then translate what these mean in their local contexts and in contexts in which their country plays a significant role (e.g., US AID, ROTA in Qatar). Because of the interaction between students in two very different contexts their different perspectives and perceptions should inform each other. Because of the time constraints, we may focus on a smaller set of goals after the initial review. The students will have a unique opportunity in the 6th annual Global Issues, Global Solutions Interuniversity conference to be hosted by Carnegie Mellon on February 21. Students will be required to attend the keynote lectures which we will also video and transmit to Doha. This year’s conference focus is on Human Rights as we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 2008. Objectives: At the end of the course, the students should be able to: (1) Articulate the intent of the MDG as a result of the analysis of current statistics, describe all the MDG, and be able to describe the details of at least two projects that address the MDG. (2) Demonstrate an ability to map the factors that affect the attainment of a goal by drawing a concept map derived from a generic map to be developed in class as a group effort, taking into account the geopolitical, natural, and economic details of the particular goal. (3) Demonstrate an ability to develop a plan based on real data for at least one case addressing a MDG and identify the main factors and agents involved in the decision making that would enact the plan. (4) Design the template for evaluation and evaluate details on one plan currently being considered or under development to address one of the MDG in their area or by their country OR, attempt to design a plan in their own locality and assess it. Conduct of class The class will be a simultaneous meeting for 1.5 hours on Tuesdays and an individual 1.5 hour session at each campus conducted by the respective instructor. Texts and sources The UN reports on the topics and on regional progress are numerous and form a rich source. In addition, background material such as the Human Development Reports of the UN and the World Atlases on poverty will give current data with which they will understand current conditions and apply to any aspect they are studying.

Evaluation Students will be graded on their performance in class discussions, on case studies that they will prepare and present in each session after the first one, and a final project.

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http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/bkgd.shtml

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