Global Perspectives

Undergraduate

The world today is increasingly multipolar. The United States is still the world’s superpower, but there are plenty of other significant powers that matter. Many of us are used to considering the world from the perspective of Washington, but what does the world look like from other important countries? This course takes an intellectual tour of twelve key global capitals (in a few cases joining nearby capitals together), one per week. Our focus is on foreign policies – how these powers understand and relate to their regions and the world. Given my background, we examine how they treat human rights concerns, but we also address how they weigh economic, military, and other national interests and respond to major challenges. The goal of the class is to engender a more global perspective on the world with a better understanding of the motives behind the foreign policies of key governments from all regions. The course should make you a far more astute reader of global affairs. SO W 4pm-5:55pm