New York Times bestselling author Dr. Thomas Barnett lectured to a King Auditorium crowd of more than 800 faculty, staff and students during NPS’ latest SGL presentation, Oct. 26. Barnett, a nationally known public speaker and security affairs strategist, lectured to the enthusiastic crowd on a variety of subjects ranging from the impacts of globalization to the correlation between communications connectivity and regional stability.

Barnett introduced attendees to a “new look” at the world map that suggests rough boundaries can be drawn around the globe. His outline divides the world into two distinct groups: the Functioning Core, characterized by economic interdependence, and the Non-Integrated Gap, characterized by unstable leadership and absence from international trade. He noted almost all post-Cold War conflict and military actions involving the U.S. occurred in the non-integrated regions that finds trouble keeping pace in the global economy.

“It’s this disconnectedness that tends to define danger areas during this era of globalization,” said Barnett. “These countries, for a variety of reasons, aren’t able to integrate their national economies into the global economy.”

Examples of this military involvement ranges from full-scale combat operations and demonstrations of force to security and peacekeeping missions, as well as contingent positioning and reconnaissance efforts.