The United Nations Human Rights Council discussing Nth Korea

In the post-Cold War period, new political and economic alignments continue to develop. The position of the United States as global superpower is increasingly challenged by the rise of China and India. The international community faces many transnational challenges. Population growth contributes to environmental pressures, including climate change. Since the end of World War Two there have been major developments in international human rights law, but cultivating respect for human rights is an ongoing challenge. Human rights challenges are compounded by poverty, economic inequality, and the continued disadvantaged status of women. In recent decades, increasing globalization has helped to address some of these problems, but intensified others. This learning pathway explores major contemporary challenges, and current approaches to addressing them.

During this learning pathway you will watch one video lecture and complete five readings.

Objectives

• Learn about new political and economic developments

• Explore major contemporary global challenges and efforts to address them

• Learn about human rights and women’s rights

• Examine the positive and negative impacts of globalization