21st Century Global Issues

Certain problems migrate across national boundaries to become global issues. Global issues related to population growth and the movement of people, energy use, environmental impact, the spread of disease and hunger, and the control of weapons of mass destruction are all examples of challenges that must be addressed by all nations. This course guides students through the complex process of understanding how certain global issues are addressed (or unaddressed) by nation states, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations. Students learn processes to identify these global issues and apply those methods through group and individual projects. Students will be encouraged to reflect on how these issues may affect them personally and how to formulate strategies to deal with transnational problems.