Thinking Beyond Boundaries - 9781421415291

In Thinking beyond Boundaries—written under the direction of West Point social sciences faculty for its Student Conference on US Affairs, or SCUSA—contributors introduce undergraduates to aspects of transnational conflict that extend beyond traditional political and intellectual boundaries, providing context to a variety of contemporary issues, including immigration, terrorism, and environmental security. This volume aims to challenge students by asking them to behave not as passive observers, but as decision makers who engage in policy-level debate and formulate specific policy recommendations. Well acquainted with the demands of classroom discussion, the contributors know how to make world politics and foreign policy accessible to students, and they provide recommended readings and resources at the end of each chapter.

The book asks students to consider how the United States promotes or even determines an effective and appropriate policy response to boundary-spanning problems. Since future political and military leaders, as well as policymakers, will face the challenge of collective action within the confines of an uncoordinated international system, the book urges them to consider what role domestic and foreign factors should play in their decision-making processes. Thinking beyond Boundaries’s three-part organization—which considers the blurred line between domestic and foreign policy; the cross-border implications of foreign policy; and the challenges and opportunities that extend beyond the boundaries separating the world’s regions—coupled with recommended reading lists will help students develop a foundation with which to approach the substantial topic of "foreign policy."

Touching on a number of concerns—including civil-military relations and the global challenges involved with hacking, foreign aid, weapons proliferation, international trade, and climate change—this book draws thoughtful conclusions about the proper role of the United States around the world.