I am teaching a class on globalization and the United States for the Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) and so far, two weeks in, it is shaping up to be a fascinating experience.

It is a large class for a graduate class (22 students) which indicates the lively interest in the subject. The fact that none of the students were scared off by the reading-heavy syllabus is a good sign that people are eaqer to learn something. (I can't figure out how to post the syllabus on this blog, and can't access my webpage from here, but if you want a copy send me an email). The class focuses on what is interesting me these days, legal structures underlying markets and systems of power and authority in globalization since the nineteenth century, the question of empire, and the ways these reflect or shape American domestic interests. Given the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between Korea and US we are also going to be looking at liberalized trade and especially at the myriad ways to critically view NAFTA as a test case.

I have students from all over, including several from China, and also Japan, Vietnam, Laos, France, and the rest from Korea. With this kind of mix of nationalities and research interests (mostly International Relations and Economics) the discussions are sure to be interesting.

It is really something to see people from around the world discuss these issues in English. GSIS work is conducted in English (though most classes are not), and the students write their theses and dissertations in English.

When I was in graduate school it wasn't uncommon for professors to take students or seminars out for pitchers of beer at the Union. GSIS does it a bit more Korean style.

They rented out a grill restuarant near campus and all of the students and professors went to a dinner of sam gyeop sal (which is something like thick sliced bacon but much fattier) and soju. A good amount of soju in fact. After a couple of hours of greasy fried pork and drinking many rounds of soju everybody made their way to a bar that GSIS had reserved for more rounds, this time to drink beer and liquor. Quite a good way to celebrate the start of the year and to give students and faculty a chance to talk outside of class. Though I am paying the cost of this conviviality today, no doubt about that.

I was fortunate to sit at dinner with, among others, Cho Yoonje, who just served as the Korean Ambassador to the UK and who was the instigator of the FTA negotiations with the US. Rarely do I have an opportunity to talk about policy with someone who is making it at the highest level so that was a really valuable and welcome experience. He and other faculty seem really keen on FTA, it is interesting (though not surprising) to me to hear such unabashed support for free trade. That is not something I am used to hearing among American academics.

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