Overview

This book raises students' awareness and understanding of global trends, forces and events by showing them how to think about the world systematically. Based on more than a decade of teaching about global issues to university undergraduates, the book focuses on understanding globalization and its effects on our lives. The book's seven chapters cover important principles and concepts from the systems perspective, such as what a system is, what global systems are, how and why systems grow and decline, what makes global systems invisible, how global issues are addressed as political questions, and others. Seven case studies apply these principles to global issues, such as the AIDS pandemic, endangered species and endangered languages, global energy systems and gasoline prices, contaminated food, and the consequences of the terrorist attacks of 9-11. The book includes two appendices: a glossary of important global system terms, and a description of global systems and cyberpsace, including the structure and governance of the Internet.

Full Product Details

9780742515932

Table of Contents

Reviews

Robert Clark's Global Awareness is a very welcome addition to the rapidly proliferating literature on globalization and related matters. His systems approach is multidisciplinary and, indeed, both systemic and systematic. On the other hand, it is not overly formalistic and invokes discussions of various empirical circumstances ranging from labor unions to cyberspace, from AIDS to 9/11. I recommend this strongly.--Roland Robertson

Robert Clark's Global Awareness is a very welcome addition to the rapidly proliferating literature on globalization and related matters. His systems approach is multidisciplinary and, indeed, both systemic and systematic. On the other hand, it is not overly formalistic and invokes discussions of various empirical circumstances ranging from labor unions to cyberspace, from AIDS to 9/11. I recommend this strongly. -- Roland Robertson, University of Aberdeen, Scotland Clark makes a strong case for the relevance of systems theory in understanding globalization, and achieves a good measure of originality by applying it thoroughly and convincingly to a wide range of global issues. His choice of cases is also refreshing, and a clear departure from the standard gallery of globalization icons. -- Peter Mandaville, George Mason University

Author Information

Robert P. Clark is professor of government in the Department of Public and International Affairs, and coordinator of the interdisciplinary program in global systems, at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. His most recent books on globalization are The Global Imperative: An Interpretive History of the Spread of Humankind (Westview, 1997) and Global Life Systems: Population, Food, and Disease in the Process of Globalization (Rowman & Littlefield, 2001).

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