International Studies: Global Forces, Interactions, and Tensions is a comprehensive guide for students embarking on the complex terrain of global politics and issues. Authored by award-winning scholars Scott Straus and Barry Driscoll, this first edition provides an accessible and coherent framework to understand the multifaceted causes and effects of global problems. The book’s 472 pages offer insights into how key factors—global markets, shifting centers of power, information and communications technologies, and global governance—affect world events with both broad and localized impacts.

The authors begin by introducing four world-shaping forces that serve as the foundation for their analysis: global markets, changing dynamics in power, advancements in technology, and evolving systems of global governance. Through systematic tracing of how these forces lead to interactions among various actors on the global stage, they highlight the tensions that arise from such interactions. This framework empowers students to formulate their own questions about who is involved, where interactions occur, what policies or institutions govern them, and why certain reactions are observed globally and locally.

The book then encourages readers to apply this framework to pressing global challenges such as human rights abuses, economic inequality, terrorism, forced migration, pandemics, climate change, food security, and more. By doing so, it not only educates but also equips students with the tools necessary to engage critically with contemporary international issues.

Published by CQ Press on October 15, 2018, in English, this edition is designed for readers seeking a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of global forces and their implications. With its clear structure and relevance to current events, it serves as an invaluable resource for students and educators alike.

ISBN-10: 1452241198 | ISBN-13: 978-1452241197