BRINGING THE WORLD INTO OUR CLASSROOMS
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HEN STUDENTS TAKE a Geographical Perspectives course, they expect to learn about interesting people across the world, but in the Judy Genshaft Honors College, those interesting people are the ones teaching the classes. With large global networks and a multicultural Tampa Bay population, Honors faculty often bring in diverse experts with a wide array of knowledge about topics such as global finance, human rights, health access, and music, to name a few. In addition to their areas of research, many faculty members have personal cultural experiences upon which they draw, adding their own unique perspectives in the seminarstyle, discussion-based Honors classes. Here are some examples of our global perspectives courses and the faculty who design and deliver them.
ARMAN MAHMOUDIAN
Course Title: A New Global Struggle: The Return of Cold War What is the link between your class and your personal cultural experience? I was born in Iran and spent most of my life and early youth there. After graduating from law school, I moved to Russia to earn a master’s degree in International Relations. Then, after a few years of living in Moscow, I came to the U.S. to begin my Ph.D. studies in Politics and International Affairs at USF. Since most of my work is focused on Russia, the Middle East, and International Security, my experience of living in Iran and Russia and my ethnic-religious background has helped me to establish an understanding of both Middle Eastern and Russian thinking styles and their perspective on the world, especially regarding how they see themselves.
A unique project or take-away students gain from your class: I help my students understand the role of history in decision-making by explaining that national pride of past achievements and resentment towards failure is
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the source of today’s behavior. For instance, whenever I teach a course on Russia, I ask students how they would feel if a former U.S. President starred in a fast-food commercial. Then I play the Pizza Hut ad that Mikhail Gorbachev, the former President of the Soviet Union, starred in. From there, we discuss Russia’s history and the fact that for centuries Russia was a major global power. This sets up the class to discover the chain of events leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union, instability and civil unrest, and the rapid financial crisis creating a vacuum in Russia’s proud history.
DR. LYDIA ASANA
Course Title: (Global)2 Perspectives of Health: Exploring Components of Holistic Health in the Global North and South What is the link between your class and your personal cultural experience? I have lived, studied, and worked on three continents and I am multi-lingual, giving me a unique perspective and a heightened awareness that diverse perspectives abound. My Cameroonian heritage is a valued part of my life even though the majority of my life has been spent in the U.S. Like many diasporans, my day-to-day life is a mosaic of my two homes: Cameroonian and U.S. communications, traditions, and values, with some German influences sprinkled in. My current course provides a platform for students to gain not only valuable global health knowledge and academic skills, but also to explore diverse perspectives and grow in their awareness of multiple lenses through which global health topics can be viewed, understood, and addressed.
A unique project or take-away students gain from your class: Through the contributions of guest speakers from diverse geographical and professional experiences, students are repeatedly reminded of the value and relevance of globally
