Are we living in a time of global crisis? This course will provide you with the tools you need to find out. The course focuses on world politics over the past century, up to today. We will examine a number of key global problems as they have changed over time. We will adopt an historical approach, which means we will read texts and documents about the past as a way to understand the present. Together we will explore debates like: Is America an empire? What is ideology and is it a factor in world politics today? What role do diplomacy, strategy, and military power play in world affairs? How have non-western peoples and states challenged the power of the West, and with what results? What are the roots of ethnic and religious conflict? And what can we as citizens do to address truly global problems? Drawing on examples from 20th century world history, this course introduces you to world politics and the great debates of our time. Note: This course fulfills the World Society (GG) requirement for students under GenEd and International Studies (IS) for students under Core.