Evolution of the geopolitical situation of the world. Dynamics of civilisations 4208-Esg-OG

The lecture is an attempt to present the geopolitical history of the world as a history of emerging, development (expansion), disintegration and fall (and sometimes rebirth) of civilizations, their mutual contacts and conflicts, form the most ancient times to the establishment of the contemporary world system, with special reference to the latest times and the role of the US-American civilization in it.
As regards theoretical approach, the lecture presents original author’s concept of “dynamics of civilizations”, it also draws on theories of “grammar of civilizations” (Braudel), clash of civilizations (Huntington), World-System (Wallerstein), center-periphery (Prebisch and others), geopolitical concepts of Z. Brzeziński, etc. The lecture concentrates on geopolitical issues, but it also deals with political, military, economic, technological, cultural and social psychology factors. An important place is dedicated to mechanisms of emerging of empires-civilisations, and in its framework to ways of transfer of innovations and to mental changes
According to the approach presented in this lecture, history of the world went through several stages: 1) pre-Columbian period (many and changing civilizations, contacts and conflicts between civilizations resulting in transfers of knowledge and ideas), 2) the first wave of globalization 1500 – 1800 (expansion of the European civilization on the American continent, contact and conflict of the European civilization with other civilizations, changing centers of the European civilization), 3) the second wave of globalization 1815 - 1914 (consolidation of the world system with the dominant role of the European civilization headed by the UK, emerging of the US-American civilization and its progress in the world system), 4) “geopolitical earthquake” 1914-1949 (disintegration of the world system), 5) cold war and the beginning of the third wave of globalization 1949-1989/91 (bipolar West – East political-ideological system with the USA heading the West, and center-periphery [North-South] system with the USA heading the Center [North]), 6) the golden decade of PAX Americana and acceleration of the third wave of globalization 1989/91 – 2001 (multidimensional domination of the USA in the world system, global expansion of the American values – democracy and free market), 7) toward a multipolar system 2001 – 2011 (growth of the role of emerging powers [BRIC], relative decline of the West, including the USA, in the world system, 8) return of the USA as the global leader?, after 2011 (changes in energy geopolitics and world economy as a result of the “shale revolution”). 9) USA in the present world system: problem or solution? 10. Crisis of globalization and the Chinese challenge
In particular, the lecture presents factors of emerging and expansion of civilization centers – the author’s theory of GKP (“greatness”, “knowledge”, “power”). In this context, the lecture describes circumstances of emergence of the European, Arab-Muslim, Japanese, Moscow-Russian, US-American civilisations and the rebirth of the Chinese civilisation.