The title of PPGA 591I is Emerging Powers. Limited seating may be available to non-MPPGA students. Please contact the program (mppga.program@ubc.ca).
The global economy and global politics are currently in a period of immense change. For over half a century, the international system was dominated by the US and other Western states. Yet there has recently been a significant shift of global economic activity from the Global North to the Global South, with major developing countries – such as “the BRICS” (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) – emerging as key players in the world economy. Along with their growing economic might, the emerging powers are increasingly asserting themselves in global politics and demanding a greater role in global governance. This transformation has been identified as one of the most important in modern history and prompted considerable debate in academic and policy circles around the world about the agendas of the emerging powers and the consequences of their rise. This course examines the role and impact of emerging powers in the international system. It begins by analyzing the politics, economics, and foreign policy objectives of these countries. It then turns to assessing the sources and nature of contemporary power shifts and their implications for a variety of different areas of global politics and governance, including security, human rights, environment, trade, finance, and development.