This course is an overview of contemporary international issues that shape society on a daily basis. As the world becomes more and more fully integrated, communities become global in scope and we, as both observers and participants, are faced with the challenge of grasping complex issues of international politics and law. Understanding these issues has never been more important, but headlines and news bulletins often do not provide enough background information to enable readers and viewers to comprehend and analyze factors underlying the latest crises or to imagine ways to address them. Students learn to engage in close examination of these issues and to discuss them in a constructive manner. After a unit on conducting foreign policy analysis, we focus on major global issues, divided into three broad categories: conflict, security, and terrorism; globalization and the international economy; and international human rights and justice. The class attempts not only to understand these problems but also to develop solutions, which are then presented in a peer group setting. Through lectures and visual presentations, students learn about important geographical and geostrategic factors contributing to the political crises to be examined.