World History Explorer

Topic 1.1: The Age of Enlightenment and Reason (18th Century)

• 1.1.1: Core Philosophical Ideas and Thinkers

  • 1.1.1.1: John Locke: Natural Rights, Social Contract, Limited Government
  • 1.1.1.2: Jean-Jacques Rousseau: General Will, Popular Sovereignty
  • 1.1.1.3: Voltaire: Religious Tolerance, Freedom of Speech
  • 1.1.1.4: Montesquieu: Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances
  • 1.1.1.5: Immanuel Kant: 'Dare to Know', Public Use of Reason
  • 1.1.1.6: Diderot & the Encyclopédie: Dissemination of Knowledge
• 1.1.2: Impact on Political Thought & Governance

  • 1.1.2.1: Rise of Liberalism, Republicanism, and Democratic Ideals
  • 1.1.2.2: Concept of Human Rights and Individual Freedoms
  • 1.1.2.3: Challenge to Absolutism and Divine Right of Kings
• 1.1.3: Impact on Economic Thought

  • 1.1.3.1: Physiocrats: Laissez-faire, Importance of Agriculture
  • 1.1.3.2: Adam Smith: "Wealth of Nations," Free Markets, Invisible Hand (Foundations of Capitalism)
• 1.1.4: Impact on Social and Cultural Sphere

  • 1.1.4.1: Rise of Secularism and Decline of Church Authority
  • 1.1.4.2: Reforms in Education and Justice Systems
  • 1.1.4.3: Concept of Progress and Rationalism
• 1.1.5: Spread and Influence

  • 1.1.5.1: Salons, Coffeehouses, and Print Culture
  • 1.1.5.2: Enlightened Despotism (Frederick the Great, Catherine the Great, Joseph II)
  • 1.1.5.3: Transatlantic Influence (American Revolution, French Revolution)
• 1.1.6: Legacy and Link to Subsequent Revolutions

Topic 1.2: The American Revolution (1775-1783)

• 1.2.1: Pre-Revolutionary Background & Grievances

  • 1.2.1.1: British Colonial Policy: Mercantilism, Navigation Acts
  • 1.2.1.2: Taxation Without Representation: Stamp Act, Townshend Acts, Tea Act
  • 1.2.1.3: Growing Sense of American Identity and Self-Governance
  • 1.2.1.4: Influence of Enlightenment Ideas (Locke, Paine)
• 1.2.2: Key Events Leading to Conflict

  • 1.2.2.1: Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, Intolerable Acts
  • 1.2.2.2: First and Second Continental Congresses
• 1.2.3: Course of the War

  • 1.2.3.1: Declaration of Independence (1776) - Principles and Significance
  • 1.2.3.2: Key Battles and Figures (George Washington, Benjamin Franklin)
  • 1.2.3.3: Foreign Intervention (France, Spain, Netherlands) and its Role
• 1.2.4: Outcomes and Post-War Developments

  • 1.2.4.1: Treaty of Paris (1783) and Recognition of US Independence
  • 1.2.4.2: Articles of Confederation (Weaknesses)
  • 1.2.4.3: Formation of the United States Constitution (1787):

    • Federalism, Separation of Powers, Checks & Balances
    • Bill of Rights (First 10 Amendments) - Guarantees of Individual Liberty
    • Republicanism and Popular Sovereignty
• 1.2.5: Significance and Global Impact

  • 1.2.5.1: First Successful Anti-Colonial Revolution
  • 1.2.5.2: Model for Democratic Republics
  • 1.2.5.3: Inspiration for the French Revolution and other Nationalist Movements

Topic 1.3: The French Revolution (1789-1799)

• 1.3.1: Causes and Pre-Revolutionary France

  • 1.3.1.1: Ancien Régime: Social Hierarchy (Estates System - Clergy, Nobility, Commoners)
  • 1.3.1.2: Economic Crisis: Royal Debt, Food Shortages, Unequal Taxation
  • 1.3.1.3: Political Instability: Inefficient Monarchy (Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette)
  • 1.3.1.4: Influence of Enlightenment Ideas and American Example
  • 1.3.1.5: Role of Intellectuals and Pamphleteers
• 1.3.2: Key Phases and Events

  • 1.3.2.1: Estates General, National Assembly, Tennis Court Oath
  • 1.3.2.2: Storming of the Bastille (July 14, 1789) - Symbolic Beginning
  • 1.3.2.3: Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (Principles, Influence)
  • 1.3.2.4: Abolition of Feudalism and Church Reforms
  • 1.3.2.5: Rise of Political Factions (Jacobins, Girondins)
  • 1.3.2.6: Reign of Terror (1793-1794): Robespierre, Committee of Public Safety, Mass Executions
  • 1.3.2.7: The Directory (1795-1799) - Instability and Weakness
• 1.3.3: Ideals and Principles

  • 1.3.3.1: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity - Evolution and Contradictions
  • 1.3.3.2: Concept of Citizenship and Nation-State
  • 1.3.3.3: Secularism and Separation of Church and State
• 1.3.4: Consequences and Impact

  • 1.3.4.1: End of Absolute Monarchy and Feudalism in France
  • 1.3.4.2: Rise of Nationalism and Popular Sovereignty
  • 1.3.4.3: Spread of Revolutionary Ideas across Europe (Napoleonic Wars)
  • 1.3.4.4: Seeds of Socialism and Women's Rights Movements (Olympe de Gouges)
  • 1.3.4.5: Prelude to Napoleonic Era

Topic 1.4: The Industrial Revolution (Late 18th - 19th Century)

• 1.4.1: Origins and Factors in Britain

  • 1.4.1.1: Agrarian Revolution (Enclosures, New Farming Techniques)
  • 1.4.1.2: Abundance of Resources (Coal, Iron Ore)
  • 1.4.1.3: Political Stability and Pro-Business Policies
  • 1.4.1.4: Developed Banking and Credit System
  • 1.4.1.5: Entrepreneurial Spirit and Scientific Inquiry
  • 1.4.1.6: Growing Overseas Markets and Colonies
• 1.4.2: Key Technological Innovations and Inventions

  • 1.4.2.1: Textile Industry (Spinning Jenny, Power Loom, Cotton Gin)
  • 1.4.2.2: Steam Power (James Watt's Steam Engine) - Revolutionizing Production and Transport
  • 1.4.2.3: Iron and Steel Production (Puddling Process, Bessemer Converter)
  • 1.4.2.4: Transportation (Railways, Steamships, Canals)
  • 1.4.2.5: Communication (Telegraph)
• 1.4.3: Spread of Industrialization

  • 1.4.3.1: First Wave (Britain) vs. Second Wave (Germany, USA, Japan)
  • 1.4.3.2: Industrialization in Continental Europe and North America
  • 1.4.3.3: Distinct Features of Industrialization in different countries (e.g., role of state in Germany/Japan)
• 1.4.4: Socio-Economic Impact

  • 1.4.4.1: Urbanization and Growth of Industrial Cities
  • 1.4.4.2: Emergence of New Social Classes: Industrial Bourgeoisie and Proletariat
  • 1.4.4.3: Working Conditions: Factory System, Child Labor, Long Hours, Low Wages
  • 1.4.4.4: Social Problems: Poverty, Disease, Slums
  • 1.4.4.5: Rise of Labor Movements and Trade Unions
  • 1.4.4.6: Social Reform Movements and Legislation (Factory Acts)
• 1.4.5: Ideological Responses to Industrialism

  • 1.4.5.1: Laissez-faire Capitalism and Economic Liberalism (Adam Smith, David Ricardo)
  • 1.4.5.2: Utopian Socialism (Robert Owen, Charles Fourier)
  • 1.4.5.3: Scientific Socialism / Communism (Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels)

    • "Communist Manifesto," "Das Kapital"
    • Concepts of Class Struggle, Historical Materialism, Dictatorship of the Proletariat
  • 1.4.5.4: Anarchism, Fabian Socialism, Christian Socialism
• 1.4.6: Political and Environmental Impact

  • 1.4.6.1: Rise of Imperialism and Colonialism (Demand for Raw Materials, Markets)
  • 1.4.6.2: Shifting Balance of Power among Nations
  • 1.4.6.3: Early Environmental Degradation and Pollution (Link to current climate change discussions)

Topic 2.1: The Age of Nationalism in Europe (19th Century)

• 2.1.1: Defining Nationalism: Evolution from Civic to Ethnic Nationalism

  • 2.1.1.1: Factors Promoting Nationalism (French Revolution, Napoleonic Wars, Romanticism, Print Culture)
  • 2.1.1.2: Liberal vs. Conservative Nationalism
• 2.1.2: Unification of Italy

  • 2.1.2.1: Key Figures: Giuseppe Mazzini (Young Italy), Camillo Cavour (Piedmont-Sardinia), Giuseppe Garibaldi (Red Shirts)
  • 2.1.2.2: Role of Piedmont-Sardinia and Foreign Assistance
  • 2.1.2.3: Challenges and Consequences of Unification
• 2.1.3: Unification of Germany

  • 2.1.3.1: Role of Prussia and Otto von Bismarck (Realpolitik, Blood and Iron)
  • 2.1.3.2: Wars of Unification (Danish War, Austro-Prussian War, Franco-Prussian War)
  • 2.1.3.3: Proclamation of German Empire (1871)
  • 2.1.3.4: Impact on European Balance of Power
• 2.1.4: Nationalism in Multi-Ethnic Empires

  • 2.1.4.1: Austro-Hungarian Empire (Dual Monarchy, Slav Nationalism)
  • 2.1.4.2: Ottoman Empire (Sick Man of Europe, Balkan Nationalism, Young Turks)
  • 2.1.4.3: Russian Empire (Russification, Polish Uprising)
• 2.1.5: Consequences of Ascendant Nationalism

  • 2.1.5.1: Creation of New Nation-States
  • 2.1.5.2: Intensification of International Rivalries
  • 2.1.5.3: Seeds of Future Conflicts (Balkan Crises)

Topic 2.2: The Age of Imperialism and Colonialism (Mid-19th - Early 20th Century)

• 2.2.1: Drivers and Motivations for Imperialism

  • 2.2.1.1: Economic Motives (Raw Materials, Markets, Capital Investment - Hobson's critique)
  • 2.2.1.2: Political and Strategic Motives (Naval Bases, Global Power Projection, Prestige)
  • 2.2.1.3: Ideological Motives (Social Darwinism, White Man's Burden, Civilizing Mission)
  • 2.2.1.4: Technological Superiority (Industrial Revolution's role in military, transport, medicine)
• 2.2.2: Forms of Colonial Control

  • 2.2.2.1: Colony, Protectorate, Sphere of Influence, Concession
• 2.2.3: Case Studies of Imperial Expansion

  • 2.2.3.1: The Scramble for Africa: Berlin Conference (1884-85), Congo Free State (Belgian Atrocities), Fashoda Incident, Boer Wars
  • 2.2.3.2: Imperialism in Asia:

    • China: Opium Wars, Unequal Treaties, Spheres of Influence, Open Door Policy, Boxer Rebellion
    • Southeast Asia: French Indochina, Dutch East Indies, British Malaya
    • Japan: Meiji Restoration (Modernization and Industrialization), Emergence as an Imperial Power (Sino-Japanese War, Russo-Japanese War, Annexation of Korea)
  • 2.2.3.3: American Imperialism (Philippines, Latin America - Monroe Doctrine, Roosevelt Corollary)
• 2.2.4: Impact and Consequences of Imperialism

  • 2.2.4.1: Economic Exploitation and Underdevelopment of Colonies
  • 2.2.4.2: Political Subjugation and Disruption of Traditional Systems
  • 2.2.4.3: Cultural Impact and Imposition of Western Values
  • 2.2.4.4: Artificial Borders and Ethnic Tensions (Legacy in post-colonial states)
  • 2.2.4.5: Rise of Anti-Colonial and Nationalist Movements

Topic 2.3: World War I (1914-1918)

• 2.3.1: Causes and Underlying Tensions

  • 2.3.1.1: Militarism and Arms Race (Anglo-German Naval Race)
  • 2.3.1.2: Alliance System (Triple Alliance, Triple Entente) and Secret Diplomacy
  • 2.3.1.3: Imperialist Rivalries and Competition for Colonies
  • 2.3.1.4: Aggressive Nationalism and Desire for Revenge (France-Germany)
  • 2.3.1.5: Balkan Crises and Decline of Ottoman Empire
  • 2.3.1.6: Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Immediate Cause)
• 2.3.2: Course of the War

  • 2.3.2.1: Western Front (Trench Warfare, Stalemate) and Eastern Front (Russian Collapse)
  • 2.3.2.2: New Technologies of Warfare (Tanks, Poison Gas, Submarines, Airplanes)
  • 2.3.2.3: Naval Warfare and Blockades (Unrestricted Submarine Warfare)
  • 2.3.2.4: US Entry into the War (Zimmermann Telegram, Sinking of Lusitania)
  • 2.3.2.5: Russian Withdrawal (Bolshevik Revolution)
• 2.3.3: Major Powers, Leaders, and Ideologies

  • 2.3.3.1: Central Powers vs. Allied Powers
  • 2.3.3.2: Total War Concept: Mobilization of Society and Economy
• 2.3.4: Impact and Consequences

  • 2.3.4.1: Human Cost and Economic Devastation
  • 2.3.4.2: Collapse of Empires (Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, Russian, German)
  • 2.3.4.3: Treaty of Versailles (Key Provisions, Reparations, War Guilt Clause) and Other Peace Treaties
  • 2.3.4.4: Creation of New Nation-States in Eastern Europe
  • 2.3.4.5: Formation of the League of Nations (Wilson's Fourteen Points) - Objectives and Weaknesses
  • 2.3.4.6: Rise of United States as a World Power
  • 2.3.4.7: Seeds of World War II

Topic 2.4: The Russian Revolutions (1917) and the Rise of Soviet Union

• 2.4.1: Causes of the Revolutions

  • 2.4.1.1: Autocratic Tsarist Rule and Political Repression
  • 2.4.1.2: Deep Social and Economic Inequality (Peasants, Workers)
  • 2.4.1.3: Intellectual Dissent and Rise of Revolutionary Movements (Bolsheviks, Mensheviks, Social Revolutionaries)
  • 2.4.1.4: Impact of World War I (Military Defeats, Food Shortages, Economic Collapse)
• 2.4.2: The February Revolution (March 1917)

  • 2.4.2.1: Overthrow of Tsarist Autocracy (Abdication of Nicholas II)
  • 2.4.2.2: Formation of Provisional Government and Petrograd Soviet (Dual Power)
  • 2.4.2.3: Failure of Provisional Government (Continuation of War, Land Question)
• 2.4.3: The October Revolution (November 1917)

  • 2.4.3.1: Rise of the Bolsheviks and Vladimir Lenin ('April Theses': Peace, Land, Bread)
  • 2.4.3.2: Seizure of Power by Bolsheviks (Storming of Winter Palace)
  • 2.4.3.3: Immediate Decrees: Land Decree, Peace Decree (Treaty of Brest-Litovsk)
• 2.4.4: Russian Civil War (1918-1922) and Formation of USSR

  • 2.4.4.1: 'Reds' (Bolsheviks) vs. 'Whites' (Anti-Bolsheviks) and Foreign Intervention
  • 2.4.4.2: War Communism and its Impact
  • 2.4.4.3: New Economic Policy (NEP) - Economic Recovery
  • 2.4.4.4: Formation of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) (1922)
• 2.4.5: Stalin's Rise to Power and Consolidation (1924-1953)

  • 2.4.5.1: Power Struggle after Lenin's Death (Trotsky vs. Stalin)
  • 2.4.5.2: Five-Year Plans (Forced Industrialization, Collectivization of Agriculture)
  • 2.4.5.3: Purges, Gulags, and Totalitarian Control
• 2.4.6: Impact on Global Politics

  • 2.4.6.1: Spread of Communist Ideology and Formation of Comintern
  • 2.4.6.2: Challenge to Capitalism and Western Liberalism
  • 2.4.6.3: Seeds of the Cold War

Topic 2.5: The Inter-War Period (1919-1939)

• 2.5.1: Economic Instability and the Great Depression

  • 2.5.1.1: Post-WWI Economic Problems (War Debts, Reparations, Inflation)
  • 2.5.1.2: Causes of the Great Depression (Stock Market Crash of 1929, Overproduction, Protectionism, Banking Crisis)
  • 2.5.1.3: Global Impact and Spread of the Crisis
  • 2.5.1.4: Policy Responses (New Deal in US, Autarky in Germany/Italy)
• 2.5.2: Rise of Totalitarian Regimes

  • 2.5.2.1: Common Characteristics of Totalitarianism (One-Party Rule, State Control, Propaganda, Terror, Cult of Personality)
  • 2.5.2.2: Fascism in Italy (Benito Mussolini, March on Rome, Corporate State, Expansionism)
  • 2.5.2.3: Nazism in Germany (Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, Nazi Ideology)

    • Racial Superiority, Antisemitism, Lebensraum
    • Consolidation of Power, Persecution of Jews, Re-armament
  • 2.5.2.4: Militarism in Japan (Expansionist Policy in Manchuria, China - Nanjing Massacre)
  • 2.5.2.5: Stalinism in USSR (Review from 2.4.5, its impact on foreign policy)
• 2.5.3: Failure of Collective Security and Appeasement

  • 2.5.3.1: Weaknesses of the League of Nations (Lack of Enforcement Power, US Absence, Withdrawal of Japan/Germany/Italy)
  • 2.5.3.2: Japanese Aggression in Manchuria (1931) and China (1937)
  • 2.5.3.3: Italian Invasion of Ethiopia (1935)
  • 2.5.3.4: German Aggression (Rhineland Re-militarization, Anschluss with Austria, Sudetenland/Munich Agreement, Invasion of Czechoslovakia)
  • 2.5.3.5: Spanish Civil War (1936-39) - Proxy Conflict, Dress Rehearsal for WWII
• 2.5.4: Road to War

  • 2.5.4.1: Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact (1939)
  • 2.5.4.2: Invasion of Poland (September 1, 1939)

Topic 2.6: World War II (1939-1945)

• 2.6.1: Causes

  • 2.6.1.1: Aggressive Expansionism of Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, Japan)
  • 2.6.1.2: Failure of Appeasement Policy and Collective Security
  • 2.6.1.3: Ideological Conflict (Fascism vs. Democracy/Communism)
  • 2.6.1.4: Unresolved Issues from WWI and Treaty of Versailles
• 2.6.2: Key Events and Fronts

  • 2.6.2.1: European Theater: Blitzkrieg, Battle of Britain, Operation Barbarossa (Invasion of USSR), Siege of Stalingrad, D-Day (Normandy Landings), Battle of the Bulge, Fall of Berlin
  • 2.6.2.2: Pacific Theater: Pearl Harbor Attack, Battle of Midway, Island Hopping Campaign, Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
  • 2.6.2.3: North African and Italian Campaigns
• 2.6.3: Major Powers, Leaders, and Alliances

  • 2.6.3.1: Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, Japan) vs. Allied Powers (USA, UK, USSR, France, China)
  • 2.6.3.2: Key Conferences (Tehran, Yalta, Potsdam) - Shaping the Post-War World
• 2.6.4: Atrocities and War Crimes

  • 2.6.4.1: The Holocaust (Systematic Genocide of Jews, Roma, Others)
  • 2.6.4.2: Japanese War Crimes (Unit 731, Nanjing Massacre, Bataan Death March)
  • 2.6.4.3: Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials (Accountability for War Crimes)
• 2.6.5: Impact and Consequences

  • 2.6.5.1: Unprecedented Human Cost and Physical Destruction
  • 2.6.5.2: End of European Hegemony, Rise of USA and USSR as Superpowers
  • 2.6.5.3: Beginnings of the Cold War
  • 2.6.5.4: Decolonization Process Accelerated
  • 2.6.5.5: Formation of the United Nations (UN) - Objectives, Structure, Significance
  • 2.6.5.6: Bretton Woods Institutions (IMF, World Bank) - New Global Economic Order
  • 2.6.5.7: Dawn of the Nuclear Age

Topic 3.1: The Cold War (1945-1991)

• 3.1.1: Origins and Nature of the Conflict

  • 3.1.1.1: Ideological Divide (Capitalism vs. Communism)
  • 3.1.1.2: Mutual Mistrust and Post-War Power Vacuum
  • 3.1.1.3: US and Soviet Expansionism (Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan vs. Cominform, Comecon)
  • 3.1.1.4: Bipolarity and Balance of Terror (Nuclear Arms Race)
• 3.1.2: Key Stages and Events

  • 3.1.2.1: Division of Germany (Berlin Blockade, Berlin Wall)
  • 3.1.2.2: Formation of Alliances (NATO, Warsaw Pact)
  • 3.1.2.3: Korean War (1950-53) - First Major Proxy War
  • 3.1.2.4: Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) - Brink of Nuclear War
  • 3.1.2.5: Vietnam War (1955-75) - US Involvement and Defeat
  • 3.1.2.6: Détente (1970s): SALT Treaties, Helsinki Accords
  • 3.1.2.7: Second Cold War (1980s): SDI (Star Wars), Afghanistan Invasion
  • 3.1.2.8: Space Race, Arms Race and Nuclear Proliferation
• 3.1.3: Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)

  • 3.1.3.1: Origins (Bandung Conference, Belgrade Summit) and Principles (Panchsheel)
  • 3.1.3.2: Objectives and Role in a Bipolar World
  • 3.1.3.3: Key Leaders (Nehru, Tito, Nasser, Sukarno, Nkrumah)
  • 3.1.3.4: Relevance in the Post-Cold War Era (Current Affairs Link)
• 3.1.4: End of the Cold War

  • 3.1.4.1: Internal Factors in USSR (Economic Stagnation, Political Dissent, National Movements)
  • 3.1.4.2: Gorbachev's Reforms (Glasnost, Perestroika)
  • 3.1.4.3: Fall of Berlin Wall (1989) and Revolutions in Eastern Europe
  • 3.1.4.4: Dissolution of the Soviet Union (1991)
• 3.1.5: Impact on Global Order

  • 3.1.5.1: Emergence of a Unipolar Moment (US Hegemony)
  • 3.1.5.2: Shift towards Globalization and Market Economies
  • 3.1.5.3: Rise of New Regional Conflicts

Topic 3.2: Decolonization and Nation-Building (Post-WWII)

• 3.2.1: Causes and Factors Accelerating Decolonization

  • 3.2.1.1: Weakened Colonial Powers (Post-WWII Economic and Military Exhaustion)
  • 3.2.1.2: Rise of Nationalist Movements (Gandhi, Nkrumah, Sukarno, Mandela)
  • 3.2.1.3: Ideological Support (Atlantic Charter, UN's Principle of Self-Determination)
  • 3.2.1.4: Cold War Dynamics (US and Soviet pressure on colonial powers)
• 3.2.2: Process of Decolonization (Case Studies)

  • 3.2.2.1: Indian Independence and Partition (Impact of Colonial Policies, Legacy)
  • 3.2.2.2: Indonesia (Dutch East Indies, Sukarno, Armed Struggle)
  • 3.2.2.3: French Indochina (Vietnam War, Algeria)
  • 3.2.2.4: African Decolonization (Ghana, Kenya, Congo Crisis, Apartheid in South Africa)
• 3.2.3: Challenges of Nation-Building in Newly Independent States

  • 3.2.3.1: Political Instability and Authoritarianism
  • 3.2.3.2: Economic Underdevelopment and Dependence (Legacy of Colonial Exploitation)
  • 3.2.3.3: Ethnic Conflicts and Border Disputes (Artificial Borders)
  • 3.2.3.4: Quest for Identity and Development Models
• 3.2.4: Neo-colonialism and its Implications

  • 3.2.4.1: Economic Dependence, Debt Traps, Influence of MNCs
  • 3.2.4.2: Cultural Hegemony
  • 3.2.4.3: International Institutions and their role (IMF, World Bank - Criticisms)

Topic 3.3: Rise of New Economic Powers and Globalization (Post-Cold War)

• 3.3.1: Japan's Economic Miracle

  • 3.3.1.1: Factors for Post-War Recovery and Rapid Growth
  • 3.3.1.2: Role of State, Zaibatsus/Keiretsu, Export-Oriented Growth
• 3.3.2: Rise of China

  • 3.3.2.1: Mao Era (Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution)
  • 3.3.2.2: Deng Xiaoping Reforms ('Socialism with Chinese Characteristics,' Economic Liberalization)
  • 3.3.2.3: China's Integration into Global Economy (WTO Entry)
  • 3.3.2.4: Current Global Role (BRI, Digital Silk Road, Geopolitical Influence - Current Affairs Link)
• 3.3.3: Emergence of Asian Tigers (South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong)

  • 3.3.3.1: Export-Oriented Industrialization, State Intervention, Education Focus
  • 3.3.3.2: Asian Financial Crisis (1997) and its Lessons
• 3.3.4: India's Economic Liberalization and Growing Influence

  • 3.3.4.1: Post-Independence Economic Model (Mixed Economy, Import Substitution)
  • 3.3.4.2: Reforms of 1991 and Integration into Global Economy
  • 3.3.4.3: India's Role in Global Forums (G20, BRICS, Quad - Current Affairs Link)
• 3.3.5: Globalization: Drivers, Dimensions, and Debates

  • 3.3.5.1: Technological Advancements (Internet, Communication)
  • 3.3.5.2: Economic Liberalization and Free Trade
  • 3.3.5.3: Cultural Homogenization vs. Hybridization
  • 3.3.5.4: Anti-Globalization Movements and Critiques
  • 3.3.5.5: Impact on Developing Countries and Global Inequality

Topic 3.4: Regional Groupings and Global Governance

• 3.4.1: The United Nations (UN)

  • 3.4.1.1: Objectives, Principles, and Major Organs (General Assembly, Security Council, ICJ, ECOSOC, Secretariat)
  • 3.4.1.2: UN Peacekeeping Operations and Humanitarian Interventions
  • 3.4.1.3: Role in Human Rights, Development, and Environment
  • 3.4.1.4: Challenges and Reforms (Security Council Reform, Veto Power - Current Affairs Link)
• 3.4.2: European Union (EU)

  • 3.4.2.1: Evolution from ECSC to EU (Treaties of Rome, Maastricht Treaty, Lisbon Treaty)
  • 3.4.2.2: Common Market, Eurozone, Schengen Area, Common Foreign & Security Policy
  • 3.4.2.3: Challenges: Sovereignty vs. Integration, Migration Crisis, Eurozone Debt Crisis, Brexit (Current Affairs Link)
• 3.4.3: Other Significant Regional and Global Groupings

  • 3.4.3.1: ASEAN: Objectives, ASEAN Way, India's Act East Policy (Current Affairs Link)
  • 3.4.3.2: SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization): Security, Counter-terrorism, India's Role (Current Affairs Link)
  • 3.4.3.3: BRICS: Objectives, New Development Bank, India's Contribution (Current Affairs Link)
  • 3.4.3.4: G7, G20: Role in Global Economic Governance, India's Presidency (Current Affairs Link)
  • 3.4.3.5: OPEC: Role in Energy Politics
• 3.4.4: International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and Trade Organizations

  • 3.4.4.1: IMF and World Bank: Mandate, Structural Adjustment Programs, Criticisms, Reform Debates
  • 3.4.4.2: WTO (World Trade Organization): Uruguay Round, Doha Development Agenda, Disputes, Challenges to Multilateralism

Topic 3.5: Disintegration of the Soviet Union and its Aftermath

• 3.5.1: Causes of Collapse

  • 3.5.1.1: Economic Stagnation and Inefficiency (Command Economy vs. Market Economy)
  • 3.5.1.2: Political Repression and Dissent
  • 3.5.1.3: Rise of Nationalist Movements in Republics
  • 3.5.1.4: Impact of Afghan War
  • 3.5.1.5: Gorbachev's Reforms (Glasnost, Perestroika) and their Unintended Consequences
• 3.5.2: Process of Disintegration

  • 3.5.2.1: Secession of Baltic States
  • 3.5.2.2: Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Formation
  • 3.5.2.3: End of Warsaw Pact and Soviet Satellite States
• 3.5.3: Impact on Former Soviet Republics

  • 3.5.3.1: Challenges of Transition to Market Economies and Democracy
  • 3.5.3.2: Ethnic Conflicts and Border Issues (e.g., Nagorno-Karabakh - Current Affairs Link)
  • 3.5.3.3: Geopolitical Significance of Central Asian Republics
• 3.5.4: Russia's Role in the New World Order

  • 3.5.4.1: Post-Soviet Russia's Challenges (Economic Transition, Political Instability)
  • 3.5.4.2: Resurgence of Russia as a Geopolitical Actor (Ukraine Conflict, Syria - Current Affairs Link)
  • 3.5.4.3: Relations with NATO and Western Powers

Topic 3.6: Contemporary Global Issues & Challenges (Post-1991)

• 3.6.1: Terrorism and Non-State Actors

  • 3.6.1.1: Evolution of Terrorism (State-sponsored, Religious Extremism, Cyber Terrorism)
  • 3.6.1.2: Major Terrorist Organizations (Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Boko Haram, Lashkar-e-Taiba)
  • 3.6.1.3: International Response and Challenges (UN Counter-Terrorism Efforts)
• 3.6.2: Climate Change and Environmental Degradation

  • 3.6.2.1: Historical Context of Human Impact on Environment (Industrial Revolution onward)
  • 3.6.2.2: Scientific Consensus, Global Warming, Extreme Weather Events
  • 3.6.2.3: International Climate Regimes (UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement)
  • 3.6.2.4: Climate Justice, Loss and Damage, India's Climate Action (Current Affairs Link)
• 3.6.3: Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) and Disarmament Efforts

  • 3.6.3.1: Nuclear Proliferation (NPT, CTBT, NSG) - Challenges from Non-signatories (India, Pakistan, Israel, North Korea)
  • 3.6.3.2: Chemical and Biological Weapons (OPCW, BWC)
  • 3.6.3.3: Iran Nuclear Deal, North Korea Crisis (Current Affairs Link)
• 3.6.4: Global Health Crises

  • 3.6.4.1: Major Pandemics (HIV/AIDS, SARS, Ebola, COVID-19) and their Socio-Economic Impact
  • 3.6.4.2: Role of WHO and Global Health Governance
  • 3.6.4.3: Health Diplomacy and Vaccine Equity (Current Affairs Link)
• 3.6.5: Refugee Crises and International Migration Patterns

  • 3.6.5.1: Drivers of Migration (Conflict, Persecution, Climate Change, Economic Opportunity)
  • 3.6.5.2: Major Refugee Crises (Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar - Rohingya)
  • 3.6.5.3: International Refugee Law, UNHCR, Challenges for Host Countries
• 3.6.6: Cyber Warfare, Information Age Challenges, and Disinformation

  • 3.6.6.1: Rise of Cyberattacks (State-sponsored, Non-State Actors)
  • 3.6.6.2: Data Privacy Concerns, Surveillance, Digital Divide
  • 3.6.6.3: Impact of Social Media and Disinformation Campaigns on Democracy (Current Affairs Link)
• 3.6.7: Rise of Populism, Nationalism, and Challenges to Democracy

  • 3.6.7.1: Causes (Economic Inequality, Cultural Grievances, Immigration)
  • 3.6.7.2: Impact on Liberal Democracies and International Cooperation (e.g., US, Europe - Current Affairs Link)
• 3.6.8: Major Geopolitical Hotspots (Historical Roots, Current Dynamics)

  • 3.6.8.1: Middle East Conflicts (Israel-Palestine, Arab Spring, Syria, Iran - Historical context, current status)
  • 3.6.8.2: South China Sea Disputes (Historical claims, current maritime law, US-China rivalry)
  • 3.6.8.3: Ukraine Crisis (Historical Russia-Ukraine relations, NATO expansion, current conflict)
  • 3.6.8.4: Taiwan Strait (One-China policy, US position, historical legacy)