Expand+The first two decades of the 21st century have conclusively proven wrong the once popular thesis that global society was reaching the ‘end of history’. The thesis proposed that globalisation (mass communications and international trade in particular)...

Hide-The first two decades of the 21st century have conclusively proven wrong the once popular thesis that global society was reaching the ‘end of history’. The thesis proposed that globalisation (mass communications and international trade in particular) was leading to a new liberal order, one premised on market economics and liberal democracy, leading to peace and prosperity for all. But now, after 9/11, the great recession of 2008 onwards, economic inequality rising, the spectre of encroaching climate change, and the political upheavals in western democracies in 2016/17, has ‘history’ with all its turbulence and uncertainty, and in all its guises, come back with a vengeance? In this brave new world, what now for human rights and global justice?

Expand+The world has been rocked by events such as Brexit, the election of Donald Trump, and the rise of authoritarianism in Europe, once thought consigned to history, and even the possibility of war on the Korean peninsula, with all of its obvious dangers....

Hide-The world has been rocked by events such as Brexit, the election of Donald Trump, and the rise of authoritarianism in Europe, once thought consigned to history, and even the possibility of war on the Korean peninsula, with all of its obvious dangers. Are we, as some argue, now entering the age of consequence; with unsustainable problems such as economic inequality and poverty, over-consumption, nuclear proliferation, and, most important of all, climate change going dangerously unchecked.

Class 1- How did we get here? What are the political, social and economic origins of our current malaise?

Class 2- Is the international liberal order really dead? If so, what will replace it?

Class 3- Does the end of liberal capitalism mean the beginning of authoritarian capitalism?

Class 4- What now for human rights and global justice?

Class 5- Is the election of Donald Trump, the rise of right wing authoritarianism on mainland Europe, and related the phenomenon of Brexit a wakeup call for democracy?

Class 6- Do we have to rethink our global economic system and replace it with a more equitable political system based on human rights for all global citizens, and not just some?

Class 7- Nuclear proliferation, economic inequality and climate change: the biggest dangers of the 21st century.

Class 8- What will the 21st century look like?

Important resources- Guardian online, Irish Times, DemocracyNow.org, Opendemocracy.net, The Ecologist, Globaljustice.org, New York Times, The Conversation.com, Robertscribbler.com, and generally reading of topical issues related to economic globalisation, human rights, international politics, and global justice.