- Although the Third World is increasingly differentiated internally, it has suffered the multiple impacts of colonialism and comparative poverty.
- A recent intensification of global processes has been marked by technological advances in communication, rapid movement of financial capital, growth of supranational legal and political institutions and advocacy networks; and sometimes extreme destabilization of families, historical identities, and communities.
- Students are encouraged to engage these issues through a variety of disciplines: history, economics, the arts, legal studies, and politics, among others. Students are also encouraged to learn new languages and visit disadvantaged regions.