The authors go back to 1880 to present a thematic history of the tumultuous 20th century organized in fifteen chapters that stress cultural, social, and material issues as well as major political developments. Carefully selected case studies bring to life in ordinary experience the themes of each chapter.

Introduction -- The Early Century -- The Paradoxes of Modernization -- Imperialism and Colonial Rule -- Materialism and the Crisis of Capitalism -- Revolutions Before Bolshevism -- Bolshevism Reshapes Revolution -- Fascism and the Holocaust -- The Later Century -- Independence -- Peasants and Peasant Revolts -- 1968 and New Radical Visions -- Islamic Fundamentalism in Critical Perspective -- Century-Long Themes -- Feminism in the Modern World -- War and Peace -- Science -- Population Growth -- Nations at Risk -- Conclusion