Globalization and America since 1945

In 1999 more than 50,000 protestors at the World Trade Organization meeting turned downtown Seattle into a war zone. Windows were smashed, stores were looted, and 500 were arrested. In 2001 a demonstration at the Group of 7 meeting in Genoa, Italy, left one man dead as protestors clashed with police. And in 2002, only a few months after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, 201 demonstrators were arrested as 7,000 protested at the meeting of the World Economic Forum in New York City. What was the issue that evoked such intense, passionate and sometimes violent opposition? Globalization.

Students are familiar with the term, but how to define the term and explain its many nuances and ramifications? In his new book, Globalization and America since 1945, D. Clayton Brown provides a brief, jargon-free and easy-to-understand overview of this important issue. This volume examines how the United States has impacted globalization and how it has been affected by the growing interconnectedness of the world's nations. Professor Brown argues that since the end of World War II, the United States has led the way in interacting with other countries.

Prof. Brown looks at globalization in a historical perspective, defining and explaining all of the factors responsible for this phenomenon. Unlike other books that focus solely on the economics of globalization, Globalization and America since 1945 explores a host of issues-immigration, public health, technology, popular culture, and others. The book shows how these disparate areas have been affected by the changing way countries interact and how these issues have in turn affected the increasing interrelatedness of the world.

In the final chapter, Prof. Brown brings the analysis up to date in a fascinating discussion of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. Brown points out that Osama Bin Laden's Al Qaeda network is a global entity that takes advantage of the same technologies that are used to promote trade, capital flow, international travel and rapid communications.

Prof. Brown has been teaching and lecturing about politics and government for more than 30 years. Drawing on his extensive background, he makes a complex topic accessible. His clear-cut explanations in Globalization and America since 1945 will help students make sense of this vital issue that is shaping our world.