About Unit 10

💭 Essential Question: How have shifting global power dynamics since the 1980s shaped opportunities, inequalities, and responsibilities around the world?

Unit 10: A New Global World unit investigates the shifting global dynamics since the 1980s, focusing on the complex challenges and opportunities that have emerged in the post-Cold War era. The unit begins by exploring the collapse of the Soviet Union and the rise of new global power structures, examining how democracy has expanded in some regions while contracting in others. Students then turn to human rights movements, including the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa, to analyze the role of global pressure and local resistance in promoting justice. The unit continues with an in-depth study of ongoing conflict and insecurity, especially in the Middle East, highlighting how political, religious, and economic factors fuel instability and war. From there, students assess how globalization has driven both economic development and inequality, investigating how urbanization, environmental limits, and technological innovation have reshaped daily life and global priorities. In the final set of lessons, students confront urgent global challenges—including disease, climate change, and migration—by evaluating how international institutions and nations respond to shared crises. Throughout the unit, students develop the historical thinking skill of historical empathy, seeking to understand global issues from the perspectives of those living through them. For the final assessment, students participate in a Mock UN General Assembly, where they take on the role of global representatives to debate real-world issues and collaboratively propose solutions. This structured peer dialogue builds understanding of global interdependence, civic responsibility, and the power of collective action in shaping the world today.