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In several areas of the world today, there are important conflicts between local powers for regional leadership. The collective outcomes will define world politics for the next decade and beyond. Rivalries and contests are currently most evident in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia and Iran engaging in proxy wars) and in South Asia (India and Pakistan continuing fierce competition/nuclear standoff). In East Asia, China and Japan contend over islands, but this is only part of an old struggle for regional leadership. In Europe, old conflict finds new expression as the two strongest states and leaders (Germany/Merkel and Russia/Putin) are in a showdown on the East-West divide. The future of Latin America may be seriously affected by rivalry between Brazil and Mexico, each leading increasingly competitive economic groups (Mercosur versus the Pacific Alliance). In Africa, Nigeria and South Africa are potential rivals for leadership. As these--and similar situations elsewhere--evolve, will they be resolved by diplomacy or confrontation? Could they expand into larger wars? Will the United States and other major players choose sides or mediate? How will it affect the U.S. role in the world and in global leadership? Can the United Nations be useful? Will nongovernment groups, such as terrorists, be involved? Is a new international landscape, accompanied by a new balance of power, emerging? This course discusses these and other issues in the context of current world affairs.
