The curriculum The U.S. Role in a Changing World helps students reflect on global changes, assess national priorities, and decide for themselves the role the United States should play in the world today.
Videos for Readings: The videos below follow the outline of the printed curriculum unit. The headings correspond to the headings in the student readings.
Videos for Lessons accompany lessons in the teacher's guide of the printed curriculum unit.
Scholars Online: Videos for Readings
The U.S. Role in a Changing World
Scholars
Abbott (Tom) Gleason
Brown University
Mark Garrison
Brown University
P. Terrence Hopmann
Brown University
Mark Blyth
Brown University
Steven Hamburg
Watson Institute
Simone Pulver
Watson Institute
Ricardo Lagos
Former President, Chile
Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro
Brown University
Susan Allee
United Nations
Jarat Chopra
Brown University
Catherine Lutz
Brown University
Charles Tripp
University of London
Michael Bhatia
Watson Institute
Jennifer Fluri
Dartmouth College
David B. Edwards
Williams College
Jo-Anne Hart
Lesley University
Thomas Nichols
US Naval War College
Joseph Cirincione
Center for American Progress
Lincoln Chafee
Former US Senator
Dennis Davis
High Court of South Africa
Benjamin Hopkins
George Washington University
Introduction: A Changing World
Part I: Considering the United States’ Changing Role
The Spanish-American War: Coming to Grips with Empire
World War I: Making the World Safe for Democracy
Post World War II: Confronting the Soviet Challenge
Part II: A Changing World
How did the end of the Cold War change international relations? [P. Terrence Hopmann - 1:21]
Economy
What is "free" trade? [Mark Blyth - 1:45]
Do some countries benefit more from trade than others? [Mark Blyth - 1:51]
What are the benefits of free trade? [Mark Blyth - 1:45]
What are the negative effects of free trade? [Mark Blyth - 2:16]
Human Health and the Environment
What is climate change? [Steven Hamburg - 0:55]
What are some of the consequences of climate change? [Steven Hamburg - 0:50]
How do we know that climate change is getting worse? [Steven Hamburg - 1:22]
What are other pressing global environmental problems? [Steven Hamburg - 1:31]
What is the North-South divide? [Simone Pulver - 1:03]
What are the disagreements between the North and South? [Simone Pulver - 1:30]
International Relations
Why are there permanent seats in the UN Security Council? [Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro - 1:05]
Is the UN a democratic organization? [Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro - 1:25]
Culture and Values
What are human rights? [Susan Allee - 2:12]
What is the U.S. track record on human rights? [Dennis Davis - 3:09]
Part III: Conflict and Military Security
After the Cold War
How did the U.S. relationship with the UN change after the Cold War? [P. Terrence Hopmann - 2:23]
How did NATO's intervention in Bosnia set a precedent? [Susan Allee - 1:23]
What is the UN authorized to do when human rights are violated? [Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro - 1:44]
Why does the United States have military bases abroad? [Catherine Lutz - 1:06]
The Bush Doctrine
What are unilateralism, bilateralism, and multilateralism? [P. Terrence Hopmann - 0:57]
What are the advantages and disadvantages of multilateralism? [P. Terrence Hopmann - 1:45]
What is the difference between preemptive and preventive war? [Thomas Nichols - 1:10]
What motivated the Bush administration to invade Iraq? [Charles Tripp - 2:15]
What have been the largest costs of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars? [Catherine Lutz - 3:15]
Three Security Issues
Afghanistan and Pakistan
Why are U.S. forces in Afghanistan? [Michael Bhatia - 1:04]
Why should high school students learn about Afghanistan? [Benjamin Hopkins - 3:26]
Why is security an important issue for Afghans? [Jennifer Fluri - 2:04]
Why is there an insurgency in Afghanistan? [David Edwards - 3:03]
Terrorism
Can terrorists have legitimate demands? [Thomas Nichols - 2:03]
What is the significance of the death of Osama bin Laden? [David Edwards - 3:51]
How difficult would it be for a terrorist to obtain a nuclear weapon? [Joseph Cirincione - 1:59]
Nuclear Weapons
What problems do we face from nuclear weapons? [Thomas Nichols - 1:57]
Options
How does discussion in the Senate affect U.S. foreign policy? [Lincoln Chafee - 1:10]