New Social Science Course: Global Chicago!

This fall the Department of Social Sciences will offer a new course called Global Chicago (SOC/PS 220) taught by Associate Chair Rebecca Steffenson.  Steffenson recently joined IIT, having previously taught at DePaul University, Northern Illinois University and the University of Glasgow in Scotland.

Global Chicago will look at the ways that Chicago has become a global city and what this means for local government, businesses, educators and the non-profit sector. We will explore how Chicago is connected to the global economy and its history as a gateway to immigrants from all over the world. In addition, we will learn how different segments of the local non-profit community are globally engaged.

Some key questions we will study include:

In what ways and to what extent is
Chicago a global city?

What forces have driven Chicago’s
development as a global city?

What does it mean to be a global city?

This is an experiential learning course which will involve field excursions to old and new immigrant neighborhoods in Chicago including Bridgeport, Pilsen, Chinatown, Little Italy, and Devon Avenue. It meets once a week on Friday mornings this semester.