Comparative Country Studies - BMEGT43A233

The main focus of the course is culture, what kind of effect it has on civilizations, societies and economies of past and present. There will be three major topics, such as „FOOD & TRADITIONS; WATER, ENERGY & SCARCITY OF RESOURCES; PEOPLE, ENVIRONMENT& CITIES”, which represent the most challenging areas of development in the 21st century. Under this umbrella topics, we try to explore and compare the culture and life of many continents and regions of the world.

1. ● Solid historical knowledge of the operating mechanisms of the communication institutional system
2. ● Solid knowledge of the cultural embeddedness of the communication institutional system
3. ● Solid knowledge of the important elements and contexts of European, Western cultural development, and related regulation in the EU

1. ● Skills in scientific research
2. ● Skills of using a number of technical tools for critical analysis and research
3. ● Proficiency in communicating and learning in other languages besides her native one

1. ● Being unbiased and being free from prejudice
2. ● Awareness of the historical and social embeddedness of cultural processes and institutions
3. ● Acceptance of one's own (Western) cultural traditions

1. ● Readiness of disseminating of one's own world view and norms in the scientific professional environment
2. ● Readiness to help one’s social environement to develop from a historical and political coherent world view
3. ● Responsibility and proficiency in professional communication both one’s native and second languages, awareness of the consequences of it

Lectures, seminar discussions, student centered project work, oral group in-class presentations, written assignments

• Pomeranz, K. & Topik, S. 2006. The World that Trade Created. Society, Culture, and the World Economy. 1400 to the Present. ME Sharpe, Armonk New York, London, England
• Anheier H. K., & Raj Isar, Y. (Eds.), The Cultures and Globalization Series 5: Cities, Cultural Policy and Governance, London: Sage
• Lafferty, W.M. (Ed) (2004). Governance for Sustainable Development. The Challenge of Adapting Form to Function, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar (in PDF format, up-loaded to Moodle)
• Lecture handouts and e-learning materials up-loaded to the Moodle

Complex final grade* of theory and practice: 40% - Theory: 2 written in-class test (midterm and final exam based on the lecture, e-learning and team presentation materials), min. 50% of the scores for successful final grading is a necessity! The written part (tests in complex way) can be re-taken on the 15 th (re-take exam period) week 60% - Practice: project work, group oral project presentations, individual written assignments, described detailed in the first class. The pre-defined (in time and topic) group oral presentation is compulsory, and can not be postponed or re-taken! (In case of missed presentation, deduction from the final grading could be expected.) Class attendance: According to BME academic regulations, students should attend min. 70% of the classes (theory and practice together)*. However, after having missed 30% of the classes, student will be given “F” grade. * Note: In the first two weeks of the semester, international incoming students have a “tolerance” period (because of visa and other administrative problems), but from the third week, the above regulation applies.

• 2 written in-class tests: 40
• project work, group oral project presentations, individual written assignments: 60
• sum: 100

Retakes and make-ups are regulated by the University’s Code on Education and Examination.