The Global History Reader

Global history is a fast growing area of historical study. With the acceleration of the age of globalization in the twentieth century, we have been able to view the world across national boundaries. From the speed of electronic communications and the coverage of global news to the proliferation of 'ethnic' restaurants, globalization is situated directly in our everyday lives, and affects our perceptions of world events. It also has a major impact on how we should study the history of the world, and this reader shows how that can be put into practice.
Drawing together a wide international range of contributors, this ground-breaking work presents an important collection of essays to set globalization in its historical context. Thematic in focus, these essays also draw on perspectives from other disciplines, such as anthropology and development studies. The reader uses global history to view the history of the world through key themes that transcend national boundaries, such as terrorism, the environment, human rights, the information revolution and multinational corporations.
"The Global History "Reader is essential reading for all students with an interest in learning more about this definitive new area of historical study.

This groundbreaking work brings together an important collection of essays from an international range of contributors to set globalization in its historical context. Through these thematically focused essays, the history of the world is examined in key themes that transcend national boundaries such as terrorism, the environment, human rights, the information revolution and multinational corporations. This is a fast-growing and definitive new area of historical study, and this book is essential reading for all students with an interestin learning more.

Introduction 1. The Question of Periodization 2. Time and Space 3. The Information Revolution 4. Multinational Enterprises 5. Migrations 6. Consumerism 7. The Natural Environment 8. Human Rights 9. Non-Governmental Organizations 10. Internationalism 11. Global Culture 12. The Globalization of Disease 13. Terrorism 14. Syntheses and Conclusions

Akira Iriye is Professor of American history and Chair of the History Department at Harvard University. Bruce Mazlish is a senior professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, specialising in intellectual history and world history.