Course Description

How has a singular global system emerged and evolved over the past five centuries? How have human
beings governed their interactions on a global scale—managing war, trade, diplomacy, migration, and
cultural exchange? What forces drive order and change in global governance? As part of the Global
Affairs core at Schwarzman College, this course provides a theory-informed historical exploration of
global governance from 1500 A.D. to the present.

The course examines the development of the dominant international order—the system of empires and
sovereign states—alongside other forms of international institution from the Westphalian system to the
United Nations. Structured chronologically, it covers the early modern era (1500–1815), the modern
era (1815–1945), and the contemporary era (1945–present), with particular emphasis on the modern
and contemporary periods.

Through lectures, discussions, and debates, students will engage with major historical and contemporary
transformations in global governance, develop analytical tools to explain these changes, and apply
this knowledge to pressing contemporary issues. Drawing on an interdisciplinary approach, the course
integrates insights from historical international relations, comparative politics, historical sociology, and
global history, enabling students to build a deep understanding of the ever-changing global order.