Chapter 17:Danger… and Opportunity

Crisis

• Terrorism as globalization• Response to terrorism as globalization• Crisis as turning point and “danger and

opportunity”

Danger

• The Growing Cost of Violence and War– New technologies and deadlier weapons– Globalization turns local conflicts into

global ones– Stalemate of Cold War has been extended

to regional conflicts– Economic costs are huge

Danger

• Abusing the Environment– Population growth and technological

developments magnify the problems– Climate change on a scale unseen by

humans is likely

Danger

• The Perilous Global Economy– Unprecedented interdependence– Growing wealth and inequality– Potential for “foreign” problems greater

than “domestic” ones

Danger

• Lives Without Dignity– Declining life expectancy in Russia– Starvation and conflict in Darfur– Lack of potable water and healthy air in

major cities

The Wheel of Fortune

• Ideas for dealing with problems exist• Disagreements on distribution of limited

resources get in the way

Constraints on States and Citizens

– Global problems in a system seeking national solutions

– The EU is an exception– What is a “national company?”– Structural adjustments mean less

governmental control

Opportunity: A Change in the Way We Think

• Ways of thinking need to change with other developments

• Conventional values: adversarial approach to conflict

• Cooperative problem solving: a new approach to conflict

• Thinking systemically– Building social capital– Bridging political values with concrete projects

– Student and Citizen

Learning ObjectivesAfter mastering the concepts presented in this chapter, you will be able to:• Discuss the summary of the book, including the summary of the current economic

and political situation in the world.• Understand the definitions and components of crisis, danger, and globalization.• Comprehend the basics of global warming challenges in the contemporary world.• Define the concept of interdependence in the process of globalization.• Recognize the key elements of the historical formation and impact of imperialism.• Understand the concept of challenges in the way of thinking.• Discuss differences between zero-sum and positive-sum outcomes.• Gain complete understanding of the whole book and recognize the importance of

studying politics and international affairs, especially in comparative prospective.