History Of International Relations Since 1945: Contemporary Global Issues

Class notes explaining the origins of the Cold War, the Soviet expansion in Eastern Europe, the Chinese Civil War, the Korean War, Eisenhower’s Cold War, the Berlin Crisis of 1961, the Cuban missile crisis and the path towards independence of African and Asian countries (Vietnam, India, Senegal, Algeria, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa…)

The 20th century was a period of immense technological, intellectual, economic, political and demographic upheaval; the changes it brought are often taken for granted and perhaps still too recent to grasp. This course will offer a survey of world history from around 1901 to 2001, asking what these hundred years meant for humanity. Topics covered include the World Wars, the Cold War, decolonization, and the impact of the “Great Acceleration” on international relations. The last sessions of th...