Preface; Acknowledgments; Detailed table of contents; Part I. Foundations of Global Politics: 1. Introduction to global politics; 2. Global history: the making of the twenty-first century; 3. Competing theories, methods, and intellectual debates about global politics; Part II. Institutions and Actors in Global Politics: 4. Modern states, power, leaders, and decisions in global politics; 5. The global system: great and middle powers; 6. Global governance in transition: international law and intergovernmental institutions; 7. Politics beyond the state I: non-state actors and communications; 8. Politics beyond the state II: identity - ethnicity, nationalism, and religion; Part III. Global Conflict and War: 9. War: causes, conduct, and consequences; 10. Civil wars, insurgencies, and counterinsurgencies; 11. Terrorism and counter-terrorism; Part IV. The Politics of Global Economics: 12. Global economics and governance; 13. Global inequality: winners and losers; Part V. Global Problems and Prospects: 14. Human rights: law, institutions, and abuses; 15. Global threats: environment, energy, demographic, and health issues; 16. Crises in global politics.