General description
The module will trace the development of processes of globalization throughout the twentieth century. In particular, it will investigate the nature of the pre-1914 international economy and balance of power, the impact of the two world wars, the reasons for the apparent disintegration of the inter-war period, the association between globalization and the development of the cold war, and the evidence for a distinctive form of globalization since the 1980s.

Aims
The module aims to provide a thematic overview of twentieth century international history around the organizing concept of globalization. It will explore the utility of this concept to determine whether it is a helpful theme around which to construct a `macro' interpretation of the century.

Objectives

• That students become familiar with broad outlines of the international history of the century as a whole
• That they be able to develop soundly-based comparative generalizations about trends and developments over relatively long periods of time
• That they be able to integrate knowledge about the political, economic, social and strategic aspects of international history
• That they engage with the problems in trying to write large-scale thematic history