Global affairs encompasses the many complex, interrelated issues facing our planet. They include war, natural disasters, economic crises, social upheaval, population growth, political instability, and the spread of infectious diseases. These challenges demand fluency in approaches and frameworks from a wide range of disciplines across the humanities and social sciences and an ability to translate between scholarship and practice.
Global governance includes the international institutions, rules, and agreements that manage global issues. These include the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organization (WTO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), and World Bank. They work together to promote free trade, provide financial support to countries with balance of payments problems, and address some of the most pressing environmental and economic problems faced by our world.
The world will continue to change and pose new challenges. We must adapt and thrive in this new reality, while keeping up with the speed of the times. The future will bring more turbulence and peril as populations around the world face the consequences of climate change, mass migration, wars, and political upheaval. We may see more economic inequality and regional rivalries between major powers. The norms of trust and truth are eroding, and polarization impedes dialogue, compromise, and progress toward solutions.
The Jackson School Global Affairs program prepares students to understand and meet these challenges as professionals who are informed, discerning, and effective citizens of our increasingly global world. With a concentration in Latin American Studies, students are especially well-suited for careers as researchers, policy analysts, and legislative assistants in addition to positions in the private sector or law school.
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