Examines the U.S. role in the world by focusing on the dynamics of power in the international system. Explores the theoretical foundations, historical contexts, and domestic sources of past and present U.S. foreign policy choices. Evaluates the roles of nongovernment actors. Assesses the impact of inter-agency rivalries. Case materials and topics include humanitarian intervention; the militarization of U.S. foreign policy; the global economy; tensions in the Middle East; and bilateral relations between the United States and such nations as China, Russia, Iran, as well as the European Union. Debates the efficacy and ethics of U.S. global power and the future of the U.S.-dominated liberal world order.