North Korea continues to develop its nuclear arsenal. Britain has voted to leave the EU. The Trump Administration want the U.S. to reconsider its role in global alliances, trade blocs, and environmental agreements. This class seeks to address why global cooperation can be so difficult even if most of the world shares similar goals of peace and prosperity. We will start by taking an historical approach, tracing major events in world history from the Peloponnesian War to the Cold War and examining how these events changed the way we think about how to overcome international conflict. We will then examine the ways in which globalization and development have created new opportunities and new challenges for international cooperation on issues from security to economic growth and from human rights to the natural environment. You will come away from the course with a set of analytic frameworks and a depth of historical knowledge that will enable you to better understand cur- rent issues in global politics and empower you to participate in the process of crafting solutions, whether that be as a future policymaker, an issue-advocate, or an engaged global citizen.