To set historical events in time and space, students need a sense of chronology and geography. But they also need large concepts and themes to serve as organizing frameworks for integrating and comparing human experiences across time and culture. CISP uses such concepts and themes as a basis for inquiry into world history, cultures, regional studies and contemporary international problems. Concepts that have a continuing, special importance to CISP are applicable to human experience generally, not solely to international studies.

• Context -- understanding that world cultures and contemporary affairs have been shaped by many historical, religious, political, economic and geographic factors
  
• Interdependent Systems -- the interconnectedness among world regions, events and peoples, and the complexity that is inherent in these relationships
  
• Change -- pervasive transformations that occur in the natural world as well as in societies
  
• Multiple Perspectives -- interpretation of historical and contemporary world events and issues from the viewpoints of people whose cultures, value orientations, or life experiences may be different from one's own
  
• Conflict Management -- recognizing the naturalness of conflict in human affairs and understanding strategies for its constructive management or resolution

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