The book of Global Perspectives which is “A Handbook for Understanding Global Issues” written by Anne Kelleher and Laura Klein in 2005 is a book that I found really enjoyable to read. To begin with, this is a book that gives a multidisciplinary vocabulary that elucidates some of the general issues and trends that are facing the world today. Some of these broad-spectrum issues and trends that face the contemporary world include: economic development, the natural environment, cultural diversity, and intercontinental peace and aggression (Kelleher & Laura, 2005). This handbook for understanding global issues can be considered as a book that affords equal time to the scrutiny of global issues by applying a number of alternative perspectives. The book has eight major case studies and one for each of the central issues has been explored in order to encourage the use of various concepts and perspectives entailed in the narrative.
This book has really explored a number of issues or perspectives which include: Ethnicity and Global Diversity, Economic Development, Human Ecological Sustainability, World Ecology, and Peace and War. This book is also one of the best books that are recommended to those individuals who are interested in being introduced to world issues that happen today. As a matter of fact these issues relate to anthropology, sociology, history, and political science and therefore the book offers very comprehensive ideas that must be addressed in order to be in line with the challenges that are facing the business world today.
Some of the Features in the book
Global Perspectives: A Handbook for Understanding Global Issues is a book that has been premeditated to aid or assist readers with answers to some of the important questions about the contemporary world, which include the questions highlighted below: a) Why the thousands of intellectual groups around the globe have such special customs and beliefs while human beings possess a number of requirements in common, b) Why billions of individuals around the globe are living below the poverty line and malnourished, c) Why it has always been a problem to address problems arising from atmospheric pressure and those of global warming in a number of countries, and finally, d) Why in most countries political conflicts cause very tremendous wars.
This is a book that after the reader goes through in a proper manner; upon completing it, the reader will likely be in a position to do the following: a) Provide explanation to the historical growth of trends that are being witnessed to have effect on today’s world, b) Link current events with the universal problems and long-term trends in various countries, c) Define the basic concepts behind the need to provide an explanation for the trends and definite events, d) Use various alternative perspectives in addressing a number of issues that are affecting several nations, and finally, e) Evaluate the probability or likelihood and effects of a number of coping strategies and solutions to human problems.
Global Perspectives- “A Handbook for Understanding Global Issues” gives a beginning through the presentation of a process for opinion about the world’s long-term trends, and the manner in which they are reflected in particular situations. The book also assumes that explanations for human behavior are possible; this is to say that events do not just happen, but rather they happen for a particular reason. The book has various chapter that address different issues that happen or take place in the world today. Below are some of the chapters that introduce concepts for addressing what is going on in our present world. This is a book that helps individuals to learn on how to think conceptually, which means how to use ideas and generalizations that link events to each other and offer explanations for why such events transpired. For example, this is a book that happened to define and apply words like such as, industrialization, maturity, ecosystem, carrying capacity, ethnic groups, supremacy, interests, resources, and balance of power (Kelleher & Laura, 2005).
This book also provides perspectives on why events happen but also the manner in which people differ so powerfully over how to construe and answer to them. This book clearly indicates that the answer lies in perspectives; that is, the set of unified ideologies, worldviews, and values that people apply in the determination of the actions that may deem helpful. It also highlights that any given issue there must be several perspectives that can reasonably be applied in diagnosing the predicament and also helps in the process of decision making. Therefore we can argue that if only one perspective had validity, then the dilemma or the crisis would not become an unending issue.
This insight–that different individuals can candidly, powerfully disagree on the basis of validity but opposing guiding principles thus giving the explanation as to why issues seem to have a life of their own and continue to persist day in day out. It also affirms that the problems that are generated by such issues can at times seem insoluble (Kelleher & Laura, 2005). Discussions in regards to an endangered species, or U.S. foreign policy toward China or any other country, for instance, can turn into full-blown divergence with no decree. It is true that people engaged in an argument apply their own viewpoint or perception, but surprisingly this usually at times is done unconsciously. It is evident through this book that perspectives entail more than just different viewpoints, which can be deliberated sensibly. Also, it affirms that perspectives are value based and represent beliefs about what are the right and wrong actions to take and thus is why they must be debated or argued in order to reach the appropriate decision. Moreover, knowledge regarding alternative perspectives enables a person to comprehend why fierce debates and conflicts take place. Therefore, understanding world events implies that must know the perspectives that must be applied in a given situation or issue.
Understanding globalization; in this case the book informs us that if at all a student decides not to become engaged in policy debates as diligent citizens, it is true that they still reside or dwell in the planet. The book provides that decisions people make in their day to day lives become part of international consumption networks. Making tough or simple choices concerning what to buy and how much water to use, for instance, influences people not only locally but as well as other nations (Kelleher & Laura, 2005). Moreover, not paying attention does not mean our actions have no effects because the world is becoming ever more interconnected through its intellectual, linguistic, financial, ecological, technical, and political systems. What we do is part of the above mentioned systems and must be considered in every step we make.
Basically, the book of “Global Perspectives” provides practical conceptual tools. This is to say that its concepts and perspectives are defined with sufficient specificity to spark meaningful discussions in class. A suitable conceptual framework is used to each of four generic issues which usually face the world as a whole currently. These generic issues include: economic interdependence and dependence, cultural diversity, deterioration of the natural environment, and political conflict. The book also ensures that the two chapters on each subject include some examples to help elucidate the points that are being made.
I basically believe that it would make no sense if at all we will not be able to have a look at the table of contents when reviewing this book. This is because even just by looking at the table of contents, one is likely to know or understand what the book is all about. Global Perspectives- “A Handbook for Understanding Global Issues” has nine chapters that the writer has used eloquently to highlight a number of issues. These chapters begin with the Introduction to the Modern World, Ethnicity and Global Diversity, Perspectives on Ethnicity and Global Diversity, Economic Development, Perspectives on Economic Development, Human Ecological Sustainability, Perspectives on World Ecology, Peace and War, and it ends with Perspectives on Peace and War (Kelleher & Laura, 2005).
In conclusion, I must say that Global Perspectives- “A Handbook for Understanding Global Issues” entails a brief multidisciplinary primer that provides the introduction to the basic concepts desirable in studying global issues as well as the contradictory perspectives that scholars, policymakers, and folks bring to these issues. Global Perspectives therefore aids in the students to make sense while tackle issues that address both short and long-term problems facing the humankind in the twenty-first century, historical and present events that lead to and fuel some of the problems that are being faced, and finally the book also looks into the costs of the choices that human beings make in this era of globalization. Finally, I must say that I found this book very enlightening and in fact enjoyable to read, as far as required reading is concerned. However the final two chapters look a little bit monotonous and confusing. But, in general I learned and any student who is determined can learn a lot from this text.