How has a singular global system emerged and evolved over the past five centuries? How have human beings governed their interactions on a global scale—managing war, trade, diplomacy, migration, and cultural exchange? What forces drive order and change in global governance? As part of the Global Affairs core at Schwarzman College, this course provides a theory-informed historical exploration of global governance from 1500 A.D. to the present.

The course examines the development of the dominant international order—the system of empires and sovereign states—alongside other forms of international institution from the Westphalian system to the United Nations. Structured chronologically, it covers the early modern era (1500–1815), the modern era (1815–1945), and the contemporary era (1945–present), with particular emphasis on the modern and contemporary periods.

Through lectures, discussions, and debates, students will engage with major historical and contemporary transformations in global governance, develop analytical tools to explain these changes, and apply this knowledge to pressing contemporary issues. Drawing on an interdisciplinary approach, the course integrates insights from historical international relations, comparative politics, historical sociology, and global history, enabling students to build a deep understanding of the ever-changing global order.