Will the global economy homogenize the world in the next century? Will the world become more western or more eastern?  How can we become global citizens?  What might be an alternative to the economy as a basis for a global partnership?  Would you suggest international standards for environmental consumption and human rights?  In this unit, you will consider these questions as you look to the future of the global community and envision possible and probable futures.  You will consider the United States as part of a global partnership that is threatened by environmental degradation, disease, and deteriorating social conditions.  The readings associated with this unit are summarized briefly below:

Kaplan, Robert:  “The Coming Anarchy: Nations Break Up Under the Tidal Flow of Refugees from Environmental and Social Disaster”
This piece previews the first few decades of the 21st century.  Even though our borders may be crumbling via free trade, another type of boundary has been erected, “a wall of disease.” Wars are fought over scarce resources, especially water, and war itself becomes continuous with crime, as armed bands of stateless marauders clash with the private security forces of the elites.

French, Hilary, F.:  “Forging a New Global Partnership”
French argues that global partnerships are floundering because of a failure of political will; we need to examine the complex interconnections among population growth, deteriorating social conditions, gender inequity, environmental degradation, and a range of other issues.  A sustainable future cannot be secured without an aggressive effort to combat poverty and meet basic social needs for all the citizens of the world.