An overview of the historical development and interrelationships of the civilizations, or population centers of the world, from 1500 to the present. The course examines political, economic, social and cultural themes by emphasizing the important ideas, significant persons, and world views described within the context of each civilization.

The podcasts are pre-recorded audio segments about the week's material. They are about 25 minutes apiece. One to two podcasts are usually uploaded per week during the semester.