Emerging Horizons

“I was in revolt,” he said. “But, no, he was on trial. Had he been aware, he would have been saved.” M. J. Rumi

“All life is,” as Karl Popper once said, “problem-solving.” This holds true for all beings, from microorganisms to whales, and for us humans as well. Wherever we find ourselves, we are not running short of problems—ranging from personal and family to communal, national, regional, and global issues. This course introduces some major global problems, defined as such due to their real or imagined, current or future impacts and effects that transcend local boundaries. Their solutions necessitate the collective efforts of many, if not all, countries.

Beyond merely singling out and describing global problems, this course goes their root causes and explores potential solutions. It is important to note that no single text, whether academic or policy-oriented, can comprehensively capture the depth of any global problem. The assigned readings, therefore, serve a limited purpose and are better viewed as invitations or encouragements for students to conduct their own inquiries into the global problems we, as humans, currently face.

At a more subtle level, the course aims not only to cultivate a strong curiosity in students regarding global problems but also to teach them an approach to recognize, describe, analyze, and propose practical solutions to these issues. In essence, the course seeks to reorient students to think big and to think globally.