Global Issues beyond Sovereignty

Other global issues books are a rather eclectic mash up of topics, headlines du jour, with an "e;and now this!"e; organizational scheme. The "e;hot"e; topics may have cooled by press time, and the presentation to students is disjointed, not clear. The approach is often a "e;scare 'em and leave 'em"e; presentation of a global horror show of problems, without clear arguments about the connections among the issues, or integrated discussions of solutions. In contrast, Global Issues Beyond Sovereignty provides a thesis and a common narrative throughout the "e;issue"e; chapters. The range of responses to manage global issues are compared and discussed throughout. Global problems move at internet speed; governments do not move so quickly. This creates gaps in what citizens expect the state to do, and what countries have the capacities to do. This paradox is a problem not only for weak or failing states; even the strongest states in the system struggle in how to effectively respond to global issues, from cybersecurity to environmental toxins. States cannot solve or manage trans-sovereign issues alone. The power of the private sector is growing (both legal and illegal, for profit and non-profit), while state power is flat or in some places declining. While private sector actors have means to impact transnational issues, they do not have a public mandate to do so. Countries increasingly must learn how to play well with others; this is easier said than done. Attempts to manage global issues flow through three channels: public sector responses, private sector responses, and mixed public-private partnerships. All three channels are explored throughout the book, uniting the issue chapters in a common discussion of challenges and responses. The conclusion presents lessons learned for theory and practice from managing global issues.