Great power rivalry is a critical concept that frames current perceptions of international affairs around China's rise, Russia's resurgence and the United States relative decline. This undergraduate course goes beyond the traditional focus on the U.S., China, and Russia by providing a comprehensive overview of the shifting dynamics in global power politics of the 21st century. It will explore the involvement of rising powers in the international order, such as India, Brazil, South Africa, Turkey, Morocco, Gulf countries and Indonesia. The course will examine each rising power's foreign policies and strategic priorities, their economic and military capabilities and how these shape how they engage and compete in the global order. The course will also examine how global rivalries play out within multilateral organizations (such as the United Nations, NATO, the European Union and the African Union) and will deep dive into current geopolitical crises such as the war in Ukraine, the political crises of the Sahel and China's ambitions over Taiwan.
