11010TSE 500100 | Civilizations, Empires and World Order
3 credits | W2W3 
Module: Foundational Knowledge
Instructor(s): Prof Chung-min Tsai, with Prof Amitav Acharya (American University)

Course Description:
The 21st century is witnessing the end of the “great divergence” between the West and the Rest, which began with the rapid ascent of Western Europe from the 17th century AD onwards and the corresponding decline of the once mighty and wealthy civilizations, such as those of China, India, and Islam. As the global power and idea shifts reshape dynamics of world politics civilizational identities are asserting themselves, creating fears of what Samuel Huntington called a “clash of civilizations”. At the same time, the relative decline of the West, the crisis in the US-led liberal hegemonic order and the increasingly global role of rising powers such as China and India in world affairs are creating new possibilities of both conflict and mutual learning and cooperation between the West and the Rest. Against this backdrop, it has become ever more important to revisit the concepts of “civilization” and “world order”.