Week 5: New Advancements and New Threats
Change, growth, determination, and aspiration… all important ingredients in the recipe for a new world order!
While President George H.W. Bush’s first-time reference to a new world order accurately predicted many positive developments, those references also had unintended consequences.
“What is at stake is more than one small country, it is a big idea—a new world order, where diverse nations are drawn together in common cause to achieve the universal aspirations of mankind: peace and security, freedom, and the rule of law. Such is a world worthy of our struggle, and worthy of our children’s future” (President G.H. Bush, 1991).
As you read last week, one such consequence was the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. From negative occurrences during the Cold War era came growth and positive results, as the Cold War ended and new European nations emerged and began to grow.
While the changes in Europe were occurring, African and Asian markets began to open up and technological advancements begin to appear within those nations. In addition, they also witnessed other long-awaited positive transformations, such as improved living conditions and an increase in the medical care available to the people of those nations.
Democracy began to move to the forefront as many of these emerging nations continued to work to achieve economic stability and as they welcomed economic competition. India and China began to compete with the United States by providing an inexpensive labor force, which led to an increase in consumerism. This increase went hand-in-hand with the demand for technology and scientific advancements.
This week you will analyze, in more detail, the top global advancements and threats in the last half of the 20th century.
Final Project: Top 3 Elements
The Final Project that was mentioned in Week 1 is due by Day 7 of this week. Please be sure your project meets the specified criteria before submitting it.
To prepare for this Assignment:
Review and base your decision for your Top 3 elements on the Learning Resources from Weeks 1–5. Use the notes that you took as you read materials and completed assignments in Weeks 1–5, specifically the Top 3 items that you earmarked as items that you would like to write about for the Final Project.
General Instructions for the Final Project:
Compose a 3- to 4-page essay in which you do the following:
Analyze the three most important elements from the years between 1945–2000 and how they shape life in the 21st century.
Choose elements from the following list:
Scientific advancements and innovations
Technological advancements and innovations
Medical advancements and innovations
Political policies (Global and/or national)
Political documents/doctrines
Global alliances
Global economy
Other?
Outline how you believe these three elements will continue to have an effect (or if the effect might increase or decline) in the next 20 years and why.
Support your assertions by making at least 2 references, in proper APA format, to your course readings.