Ruby Sisson Library

"As the world's largest nation, the Russian Federation has become a key player in world affairs since the turn of the 21st century. Events within Russia and surrounding former Soviet republics have raised questions about whether Russia's government has successfully transitioned away from the totalitarianism of the Soviet Union to a federal democracy. At the same time, international relations between Russia and the West contain echoes of Cold War distrust,...

"The United Kingdom's status as a world power dates back hundreds of years. With an empire that once spanned the globe, British influence over global economics and diplomacy shaped the histories of North America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Today, the United Kingdom remains a key world power, exerting influence over international affairs. In recent years, governmental decisions about economic policy and diplomatic and military intervention around...

Today, Iran represents a threat to its neighbors and maybe even the world. It could be one of the next nations to develop nuclear weapons. Although the United States and Europe have been engaging in intense diplomatic efforts to convince Iran not to go further down that road, tensions remain high. Iran is a proud country with an exalted history. Many of its leaders see it as their destiny to be a dominant power in the region, and possibly a next world...

For much of the 20th and early 21st centuries, Mexico experienced a number of political, economic, and social upheavals that propelled the nation into the world's news cycle. Internal conflicts have included a growing problem with violent crime and drug cartels, as well as high levels of poverty and obstacles to upward mobility for the Mexican population. International affairs, especially relations with the United States over the security of the border...

As a landlocked country in central Asia, the region now known as Afghanistan has stood at the crossroads of empires from ancient to early modern times. Today, the country remains at the forefront of international attention as numerous terrorist organizations operate within its borders, and the ongoing war between the United States, its allies, and rebel forces is nearly two decades old. Rife with economic strife and poverty, plagued by terrorist activity...