The fundamental premise of this course is that many problems that the world faces today are global in nature, and can be addressed adequately only when countries and people coordinate their activities and work together. This course also argues that the orientation that each country can and must solve its own problems by itself is outmoded and extremely limited. There are various issues discussed in the course that seek to illustrate that most of the problems that we face today are the result of the activities of people and governments all over the world. In fact many countries face problems that are not of their own making but are caused by activities of people in other countries (Mexican migration to the US, or the rising incidence of skin cancer among people near the poles). Hence they can be solved only when the governments and people work together to solve them. Because the nature of the problems we face are global, only a global response to these problems will adequately address them.

This is not a position that has universal acceptance. Therefore, the students are also exposed to the other perspectives that maintain that globalization is a dangerous trend and that people and cultures must act to preserve their autonomy that is in danger of being lost to vicious global forces.

Among the issues discussed in the course are ways in the societies are influencing the physical environment, and how in turn, they are being influenced by it. Also discussed is the role of communications technology that has enabled societies and people to make contact with each other in order to empower people and influence not just their own governments, but other governments as well. New societies are emerging that are no longer limited by the physical boundaries of the countries, but which span several countries. This course also discusses the role of new global coalitions of people who are more loyal to their causes than to their countries, e.g. preservation of wild life, preservation of indigenous cultures, and preservation of the environment.

The spiritual element that is of global significance, and which is discussed in this course, is the resurgence of religious fundamentalism through out the world, mainly as a backlash against the forces of modernization and globalization. Religious groups in various societies have been able to form global networks to support their causes which have dubious support not only from people of the same faith, but from other faiths as well.

One of the issues discussed is the global population that continues to grow. It has stabilized in some countries but not in others. Cultural and economic factors explain in part the inability of some countries to bring down their growth rate. Yet, if this problem is not adequately addressed, it has economic, political and environmental consequences. Education of women is a central element in any strategy to bring down population growth rate. However, cultural and economic factors prevent many women in many parts of the world in getting education. Christianity and Islam have been associated with the opposition to some forms of birth control. Scarcity of resources (economic factors) also prevent governments from making education available for more women, as do lop sides priorities of governments (political factors) which prefer to spend scarce resources on weapons and other projects that benefit a few people. Unchecked population wreaks havoc on the environment forcing people to cut down forests to find wood for cooking or to find land to grow some food on.

Other issues which are relevant in practically all societies and which have political, economic, social, and environmental origins and consequences are: global warming; urban sprawl; growing economic inequality resulting in inequality in access to technology (the cyber divide) etc.