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BEFORE YOU WATCH: Globalization I - The Upside

Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below (next in the lineup!). If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.

First read: preview and skimming for gist

Before you watch, you should skim the transcript first. The skim should be very quick and give you the gist (general idea) of what the video is about. You should be looking at the title, thumbnails, pictures, and first few seconds of the video for the gist.

Second read: key ideas and understanding content

Now that you’ve skimmed the video transcript and taken a quick peek at the video, you should preview the questions you will be answering. These questions will help you get a better understanding of the concepts and arguments that are presented in the video. Keep in mind that when you watch the video, it is a good idea to write down any vocab you read or hear that is unfamiliar to you.
By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:
  1. Why has the scale of global trade increased so dramatically since the mid-twentieth century?
  2. How has the nature of global trade changed since the 1960s?
  3. What are some of the advantages of globalization?
  4. According to the video, people are moving around more than ever before. Why has migration become easier during the era of globalization?
  5. In addition to people, how has globalization caused an increase in the movement of ideas and cultures?
  6. How has globalization changed the scale of human communities across the world?

Third read: evaluating and corroborating

Finally, here are some questions that will help you focus on why this video matters and how it connects to other content you’ve studied.
At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:
  1. This video is subtitled “the Upside”. But John Green still seems to give a lot of downsides to globalization. Do you think the advantages of globalization are “worth it”? How might your answer change if you lived somewhere else or in different circumstances?
  2. Some argue that globalization has “flatted” experiences around the world? What evidence from this video supports or challenges this narrative?
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to watch! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished watching.

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