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New Courses Spring 2010 The Middle East: National Security, Politics and Society At the crossroads of three continents, the Middle East is home to many diverse peoples, with ancient and proud cultures, in varying stages of political and socio-economic development, often times in conflict. The Middle East, the primary source of the world's energy resources, is also the primary locus of the terror-WMD-fundamentalist nexus, one of the greatest threats today to both regional and international security, and of numerous conflicts. In a state of historic flux, the region's internal sources of unrest and possible upheaval are of great consequence to the world economy and international security. This graduate seminar surveys the national security challenges facing the region's primary players (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria and Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinians, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq), in terms of their respective political, social and economic contexts. Unlike many Middle East courses, which focus on US policy in the region, this seminar takes the regional players' perspectives as its starting point, focusing on how they perceive their external environments, including the threats and opportunities they face, and on the strategies they have adopted to deal with them, given their domestic constraints. It thus provides an essential vantage point for all those interested in gaining a deeper understanding of this critical region. The course is designed for those with a general interest in the Middle East, especially those interested in current national security issues, students of comparative politics and practitioners/future practitioners, with an interest in "real world" international relations. Students are asked to place themselves in the position of current leaders in the region and to write and present policy papers from their perspective, what these leaders can/might actually be able to do, given their foreign and domestic constraints, not what we might believe to be desirable. Key Foreign Policy Challenges Confronting the United States In this course, we will analyze a series of key foreign policy and diplomatic challenges facing the United States today and for the foreseeable future. We will begin with an overview of the U.S. foreign policy establishment, the evolution of American diplomacy after September 11, and President Obama’s foreign policy priorities. We will then look at core challenges falling within the following themes: extremism, nuclear proliferation, emerging powers, select foreign policy issues with complicating domestic political considerations, and U.S. multilateral leadership in an age of globalization. As we look at particular diplomatic challenges facing America today, we will identify the national security interests at stake, assess current U.S. strategy, and consider alternative policy options. This course gives students an opportunity to learn about vital issues affecting the United States and international system, consider the pros and cons of strategic responses available to decision-makers, and understand how domestic and international considerations affect the choices facing policymakers. This course will prepare students for policy analysis and help them to understand and consider the difficult trade-offs often inherent in foreign policy formulation. Back to schedule The purpose of this course is to introduce students to a variety of issues in environmental policy with special emphasis on global problems, politics, and policy. A major goal of the course is to foster a theoretical understanding of environmental sustainability the interdependence between the ecological and human systems. Students will be further expected to apply this knowledge to the analysis of various environmental issues that exist in the world today. Key topics to be examined will include sustainable management of soils and water supplies, atmospheric pollution, biodiversity and wildlife ecology, preservation of marine resources, energy and conservation, and political economy of climate change. The course will also provide an overview of current debates in environmental politics and of the different perspectives that inform policy processes, both in the United States and globally. The course is designed as an interactive seminar in which students will gain knowledge through assigned readings and in-class discussions. Students will be expected to participate in the discussions and to prepare special subjects for oral presentation. The presentations will involve exploring case studies related to significant environmental issues. The collection of outside readings on the particular case and the distribution of policy recommendation to the class are strongly encouraged. Human Security: A New Approach to Today’s Global Challenges Governments today are facing a variety of security threats that do not conform to traditional national security concerns. Among these are terrorism, piracy, transnational crime, human trafficking, forced migration, public health pandemics, and humanitarian crises. These security challenges are not constrained by national borders and cannot be easily resolved through unilateral action. Although the traditional role of governments has been to safeguard the people living within their national borders, these threats to stability are raising questions regarding the utility of established security theories, the role of government in public safety, and the effectiveness of international frameworks to achieve solutions. “Human security” offers an alternative to traditional security perspectives, broadening the focus to include the individual as one of its reference points, and providing a new lens for observing and analyzing threats to peace and security. This course examines a variety of security threats from a human security perspective and will encourage students to think beyond established frameworks in order to consider what steps may be needed to effectively safeguard the lives of citizens in the 21st century. National Security Decision Making Processes: Applied Theories National security issues command a major portion of leaders' time and efforts and of state resources, in the US and many other countries. The processes by which leaders and states make national security decisions, no less than the merits of the issue, often have major consequences for the policy outcomes achieved, indeed, for history. This seminar focuses on the actual processes by which national security decisions are made, including the individual, domestic, bureaucratic and external factors that influence decision making and implementation. In so doing it also addresses the question of why do so many leaders and countries seem to get it wrong so often. The course provides an extensive survey of the relevant theoretical approaches, focusing on theories that truly help explain why things work the way they do. As such, it is designed for all those with an interest in the primary dimensions of national security decision making processes, but is especially suited for those who wish to see theory at work, including practitioners/future practitioners. Comparative Energy Politics This advanced level seminar course will provide up to ten graduate students with an opportunity to analyze differences in current global energy policy and the potential for changes to traditional policy procedures. This course aims to give students the opportunity to understand the determinants used by governments in making decisions regarding energy policy. Students will be encouraged to challenge the way they think about energy, specifically the costs and benefits of conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon sources and renewable energy sources, such as wind, hydropower, solar and biomass. Special emphasis will be given to the study of fossil fuels, specifically oil and natural gas and distinct differences between federal and provincial policies across Canada. More broadly, we aspire to foster engagement of the Center for Global Affairs and broader New York University community in a forward thinking dialogue about the future of U.S.-Canada relations in the energy sector. The Arab-Israeli Conflict Pre-departure classes will provide students with an overview of the Arab-Israeli conflict, a review of international relations and negotiations theory, and an in-depth look at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In New York, students will prepare for their individual case studies in the field. In Jordan, Israel, and the West Bank, sessions will go delve into the failures of various peace processes, as illustrated through first-hand accounts by the architects of the processes themselves, as well as primary accounts of various governmental and non-governmental actors on the periphery of the conflict. The class will visit various NGOs, centers, and government institutions, where students will conduct their own guided field research. South Africa: Challenges of Transformation The world celebrated South Africa’s swift transition from apartheid to democracy in the 1990s. Nelson Mandela brought wisdom and magnanimity to the office of president. The hearings before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission exposed the cruelty of racism and wrongdoings by all parties. But the fairytale ending collided with high expectations abroad and deep problems over poverty, inequality, AIDS and crime at home. In the years since apartheid’s end, South Africans have struggled to transform their society. This course is designed to explore the political, justice, economic, regional and social challenges they face. We will look at the transformation of the political system, accountability when one party dominates and South Africa’s role on the continent. We will discuss the continuing and sometimes clashing quests for justice and for reconciliation, as well as the country’s current soaring rate of violent crime. We will examine the issues of widespread poverty, economic empowerment and regional economic dominance. And we will explore some of the major social concerns, including the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the role of women, education shortfalls, land reform and rising immigration. Revised Course Titles and Descriptions Y45.3000 China’s Reemergence: The Changing Political, Economic and Social Landscape The world celebrated South Africa’s swift transition from apartheid to democracy in the 1990s. Nelson Mandela brought wisdom and magnanimity to the office of president. The hearings before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission exposed the cruelty of racism and wrongdoings by all parties. But the fairytale ending collided with high expectations abroad and deep problems over poverty, inequality, AIDS and crime at home. In the years since apartheid’s end, South Africans have struggled to transform their society. This course is designed to explore the political, justice, economic, regional and social challenges they face. We will look at the transformation of the political system, accountability when one party dominates and South Africa’s role on the continent. We will discuss the continuing and sometimes clashing quests for justice and for reconciliation, as well as the country’s current soaring rate of violent crime. We will examine the issues of widespread poverty, economic empowerment and regional economic dominance. And we will explore some of the major social concerns, including the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the role of women, education shortfalls, land reform and rising immigration.
REQUIRED CORE COURSES International Relations in the Post Cold War Era The demise of the Soviet Union and its empire, the legacy of colonialism, resurgent nationalism and new non-state actors have given rise to a period of complexity and rapid change in international relations. The academic debate reflects this uncertainty, with contending theories about what constitutes power in the post cold war environment, how to identify the basic units of international affairs, the nature of globalization, the utility and legitimacy of the use of force, the dynamics of the balance of power, the nature of threats to peace and stability, and the role of international institutions. This course will examine alternative theories and frameworks for understanding post cold war developments, and test these theories against emergent reality. How, for example, do these contending theories explain the origins and consequences of terrorism and other global threats? What importance do they assign to the persistence of poverty and global inequality; to internal ethno/religious conflict and political instability; to 'globalization and its discontents'? How do these theories assess the potential and implications of renewed great power conflict? How do they address the problem of U.S. hegemony and the reaction of others (states and non-states) to this new reality? Peacemaking and Peacebuilding (formerly Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution) In an increasingly interdependent world, the need for negotiations and peacemaking as tools for interactive deliberations, problem solving and deal making is paramount. This course considers a wide diversity of negotiation styles, such as informal as well as formal negotiations, ranging from Cold War superpower bargaining to multilateral standing conferences to extended negotiation processes involving states, NGOs, and third-party facilitators and brokers. The course also highlights several approaches to conflict resolution and peacemaking formulated by leading scholars with special emphasis on negotiation, mediation and other relevant aspects. Based on an introductory survey of current theoretical approaches to negotiation and peacemaking, a concerted effort will be made to examine in some detail a number of carefully selected cases and extract relevant lessons for a deeper understanding of these methods of dealing with tensions and violent conflicts in the modern world. Developing Countries in the Global Economy This course will examine the problems poor countries face in today’s interdependent world and the strategies proposed to deal with them, beginning with an analysis of the ways in which the global trading system and the international financial system operate. It will then review the factors affecting the flow of investment capital to developing countries, either as official development assistance or as private investment, with particular attention to the roles of the United Nations, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, transnational corporations and governments of both developed and developing countries. Next, it will consider the requirements for sustainable development and the role of NGOs as well as inter-governmental organizations and national governments, particularly in matters affecting the environment and human rights. The course will conclude with proposals for reform, based on a comparison of the experiences of selected developing countries and of different approaches to governance of the international trading and financial systems. International Political Economy This course provides an introduction to international political economy—the interaction of economics and politics, of markets and government, in the international arena. The course has three fundamental premises: first, economic factors play an important role in international relations; second, the world economy is becoming increasingly integrated and interdependent; third, political institutions and policies have a significant impact on the world economy. The goal of the course is to give students a better understanding of the world economy, the nature of international economic issues, the roles of international economic institutions and multinational enterprises, and the policy challenges of economic interdependence. The first part of the course is intended to provide an interdisciplinary analytical framework for the subject incorporating political science, economics, and recent history. The remaining parts of the course use this analytical framework to examine contemporary issues of international economic relations. These issues are organized under the headings of globalization, economic development, and managing economic interdependence. International Law This course will provide the global studies student with an introductory understanding of the role of public international law in international affairs. Each session will focus on an important aspect of the discipline and will reveal how and why international law affects world affairs in such a profound way. Among the questions addressed are: How are disputes between states settled and what mechanism does international law provide for their resolution? What are the sources of international law? Who is bound by it? How is it interpreted? When may a state apply its own laws extraterritorially? The course will examine key international legal institutions such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) as well as core substantive areas including: use of force, law of the sea, law of territory, human rights, and the global environment. Discussions emphasize the importance of international law in history and in current international relations. Global Civil Society (formerly NGOs: A Historical and Operational Overview) This course examines both the conceptual and practical foundations of global civil society. A history of global civil society will be studied by examining the evolution of NGOs and domestic and international social movements. The readings and in-class course materials provide an opportunity to critically examine the discourse of global civil society and what it mean for our 21st century world. The course offers a history of such NGOs and of their relations with the United Nations, governments, and donors. Our examination will focus on the achievements and limitations of civil society in humanitarian aid, human rights, development and democracy, the environment, and other areas. The class will examine the methods from which NGOs choose, from global advocacy to grassroots service and collaboration with the public and private sectors. Gathering around causes that inspire them, private citizens have brought real changes to international affairs, and this course will use a multidisciplinary lens from which to understand the shifting power of civil society. REGIONAL STUDY COURSES Inside Latin America Latin American regional democracies confront myriad challenges, from U.S. military intervention in Colombia to populism in Venezuela and renewed demands for military accountability in the southern cone. Recent market-oriented policies and globalization have generated economic growth and tamed inflation at the cost of income inequality, environmental stresses, and vulnerability to foreign shocks. University strikes in Mexico, a landless movement in Brazil, and labor organizers on the U.S.-Mexican border challenge the neo-liberal agenda. This class explores key regional trends with a focus on Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina. Europe in the 21st Century This course focuses on the changing realities of modern Europe. The continent’s main democratic political systems, as well as the European Union, are critically examined. The course reveals how the enlargement of the European Union is creating a supranational political and economic framework from the Atlantic to the Baltic to the Mediterranean, with tremendous economic power but still-nascent political unity and foreign-policy clout. Finally, the course examines the process of democratic change and consolidation in post-communist Europe, including both successful and unsuccessful examples. Two crucial countries straddling Europe and Asia—Turkey and Russia—are examined in depth. Inside Africa Today Wars, civil strife, famine, the HIV-AIDS pandemic, and marginalization in the world economy—most of what one hears from Africa is negative. What is the role of the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organizations such as the African Union, the Southern African Development Community and the Economic Community of West African States in dealing with the challenges confronting contemporary Africa? What are these organizations as well as NGOs and civil society doing in the efforts towards conflict prevention and resolution and in the search for sustainable development? This course takes an inside view of the current situation in each major region of the continent, addressing the numerous conflicts which beset it as well as examining the political, economic and social factors which can lead to its revival. Asia Today: An Introduction Scholars spend their lives becoming experts on Japan or Siberia or China or India or Iran or Turkey - and much else in between. From Ankara to Shanghai and Novosibirsk to Djakarta, Asia has long been a geographical concept with uneven trans-regional interconnections. This class dissects all these countries in some detail and examines the extent of the interconnections among the societies on the continent called Asia. The course seeks to help students understand how Asia, with half the world's population, is likely to collide or collaborate with the US and Europe in the context of a global economy and shrinking planet. The Contemporary Middle East This course examines the changing landscape of a region critical to global stability. We examine the political, socio-economic, and cultural aspects of the Arab world, Iran, Israel, and Turkey and their far-ranging transformation. Topics include the role played by various ideologies in shaping the evolution of the Middle East since the advent of modernization, the origins, development, and impact of the Palestinian-Israeli struggle, post-Cold War regional dynamics, and the struggle between Islamists and secularists. We review the domestic structures and regional roles of such local powers as Egypt, Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Issues such as civil society, demography, resources, the media, and globalization provide guidance in projecting the direction of change. We assess the role of outsiders, whether sovereign states or international institutions, and their contributions to the region's adjustments. Emphasis is placed upon current events and their relationship to the recent history of the Middle East. Transformations in Central Asia: A Global Context The region of Central Asia is a fabulous mosaic. Its complex history, vast landscape, diverse ethnic, linguistic and religious populations, and contemporary geopolitical importance make it an area of the world that is both complex and critical to understand and appreciate. The region of Central Asia in the context of this course refers to the five states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The region is especially important at this juncture in history due to its rich natural resource base, fragile political and economic situation following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the region's location in relation to its closest neighbors, Russia and China. Since 1991, many governments, NGOs and investors have actively tried to engage the region through international development assistance around the support for democratic institution building and most critically, in and around the direction of energy supply and security. The year 1991 was pivotal in that it officially severed the relationship between Moscow and the republics that comprised what was the Soviet Union. Since then, the region is engaged in a difficult process of transition, renewal, and redefinition. It is vital in this connection to consider the “historical residue” in Central Asia, where centuries of migrations, colonization, and war have created a unique ethnic, religious and cultural mix of peoples and ideologies. This special seminar introduces students to the region of Central Asia with a brief historical overview and a look at each of the five states, and then moves towards developing a more in-depth look at the energy sector with specific attention to the energy rich Caspian and its key player, Kazakhstan. The geopolitical positioning of the region, and the engagement of three great powers, China, the United States and Russia, is also examined. CONCENTRATION: TRANSNATIONAL SECURITY (New Fall 2009) The Transnational Security concentration focuses on cross-border threats and sources of international instability. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the global security agenda expanded in breadth and rose in prominence. This concentration introduces students to this agenda by combining the study of more traditional issues such as the use of military force, weapons of mass destruction, and disarmament with more contemporary issues like terrorism, organized crime, and human security scourges. In conveying the substance of such issues, the courses in this concentration place great emphasis in helping students develop skills for service in the public sector. Security Policy: Issues and Challenges Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations The concerns of national and international security have evolved considerably since the days of the Cold War. While states are still concerned with traditional threats such as military aggression from other states, emerging issues present different, yet no less compelling, challenges to security. These new challenges include terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, failed states, environmental catastrophes and major public health crises such as HIV/AIDS. This course explores how security policy issues are addressed at the national and international level. How prepared are agencies and organizations to meet newer security challenges? Are classic doctrines of deterrence still applicable? To what extent can technology be relied upon, as a tool to address current security needs? Conflict Assessment: Theory and Practice Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations International actors often apply different methodologies to assess conflicts. These methodologies help them determine the best ways to address a conflict and maximize their opportunities to prevent or alleviate crises. This course examines how international actors including the World Bank, UN agencies, bilateral donors and NGOs, analyze conflict and the interaction between conflict dynamics and their own engagement in a given country or region. The class will explore how analytical frameworks can be used to assess the impact of development, humanitarian and peacebuilding programs or projects on existing conflict factors and dynamics. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the concept of conflict assessment, its development and implementation; exploring different approaches to conflict assessment, including an examination of different implicit assumptions and theories of conflict; analyzing specific conflict case studies and identifying real and potential third party responses. Ethnic Conflicts Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations This course examines the dramatic escalation of ethnic conflict in the post-Cold War era. We begin with a thorough analysis of the factors behind ethnic conflicts, including history, culture, attitudes, leadership, outside influences, and the ethnic group's point of view. In our search for resolutions, we explore new approaches to ethnic conflicts using Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, East Timor, the Sudan, Palestinians, and Kurds as case studies. We conclude by advancing new ideas about the roles that the UN and the U.S. can play in resolving existing conflicts and preventing new ones from escalating beyond control. International Negotiation: Cases and Lessons Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations & Y45.1010 Peacemaking This course is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of how nations and other international actors go about achieving their objectives through the give-and-take of the negotiation process. First, we will focus on the theory and principles of effective international negotiation, using a number of case studies 9including the Arab-Israeli conflict, UN-Iraq negotiations over inspections and the Kyoto conference on climate change) in which negotiation has been used in recent years. The course will examine the role that different mindsets and cultures play in negotiation and will also pay special attention to the importance of developing the negotiating process and attaining mutual benefit from it. Finally, we will review the effective exercise of negotiation to handle issues before they become problems and problems before they become violent conflicts. Machinery and Politics of U.S. Foreign Policy Decision Making Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations Washington's need to manage foreign policy issues arises from America's far-flung concerns abroad, which impinge on U.S. security, economic, commercial, political, military, and ecological interests. Many federal bureaucracies are involved in solving problems, as well as Congress, the media, universities, NGOs, and the public. This course studies relevant institutions, their procedures, and their interactions in seeking solutions. We examine several recent cases of decision making, and discuss how major pending challenges in the Middle East, East Asia and elsewhere may be addressed. The Role of the U.S. in World Affairs Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations America's current global predominance constitutes, for the first time, a unipolar system with far-reaching political, economic, and security implications. Can the U.S. maintain its supremacy for the foreseeable future? Consider sources of U.S. strength, examine how varied and durable they are, and discuss how resources can be channeled to conduct a more coherent and visionary foreign policy. Attempt to answer an even larger question: How should America deal with other significant powers, such as Russia, China, India, and Japan - not only to thwart any attempt to check or diminish its primacy, but to lead with moral authority?
Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Nuclear weapons continue to pose the greatest threat to humanity and the planetary environment. As long as they continue to exist; possession of them will proliferate, they will, at some time be used, whether as the result of accident, miscalculation or decision, and any use would be catastrophic in human, political, ecological and, moral terms. These facts have been broadly recognized since shortly after the creation and then, use of them, in 1945. Following almost a decade, in which nuclear disarmament has been stalled, it is now widely recognized that action must be urgently renewed to rid the world of the unique danger posed by nuclear weapons. This course will: Examine the origin of nuclear weapons, their subsequent development, doctrines of their purported utility and possible use, their relationship to notions of security and state prestige, steps taken to control them and limit the dangers they pose, their cost, the obstacles to their elimination, and, ways in which elimination can be safely achieved. The course will also examine and assess the likelihood of success of current proposals for the elimination of nuclear weapons and for the maintenance of security in a world without nuclear weapons, and in which non- state actors continue to threaten security. Democratic Transitions: Setbacks and Successes Developing countries are under increasing pressure – from inside as well as from outside – to move toward democracy. Opposition parties organize even where it is illegal or risky. Human rights activists and journalists challenge dictators. Citizen groups demand government accountability and the inclusion of the poor, minority groups and women in politics. Western governments, the World Bank and civil society organizations push for reform. This class will examine the efforts to build democracy and the obstacles to that work in select countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. We will discuss countries that have achieved considerable success in building democratic structures, others where the search for better government has become entangled in conflict, and still others where democratic movements are just beginning. Transnational Crime Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations When societies get organized, so too do their criminals. Likewise, the globalization of the ‘upperworld’ has been mirrored by the transnationalization of the underworld. The smallest drug-dealing street gang, whether it appreciates it or not, is part of a global criminal market with an estimated annual turnover of a trillion dollars. This global underworld not only reflects the legitimate world—taking advantages of new opportunities or reacting to the ebb and flow of power and economic development—but, it also influences it, from perpetuating markets in weapons which arm insurgents and terrorists around the world to facilitating migration and undermining government control of territories, borders, and economies. Global crime is not an organized global conspiracy, nor is it a random collection of maladjusted thugs, frauds and psychopaths. It is a complex array of competing, cooperating, stable, fragmenting, local and multinational organizations. It is also powerful, and growing. This course will adopt a deliberately broad perspective, covering thematic issues as well as a wide range of criminal organizations and cultures, from the Sicilian Mafia and its transplanted North American cousins to the emerging threats of the present day, such as the criminalized state of North Korea and the entrenched power of the 'mafia' in modern Russia. Above all, it will explore the impact of transnational crime on our world, and the responses necessary to control it. Intelligence and Counterintelligence Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations Intelligence refers to the process of gathering and analyzing difficult-to-obtain information. Accurate intelligence is essential for any government to formulate and implement strategy with regards to counterterrorism, counterinsurgency and foreign policy. This course will introduce students to the diverse methods employed by the United States government for collecting, processing, analyzing and disseminating intelligence in the 21st century. Students will examine the individual organizations comprising America’s national intelligence community and identify the historical successes, failures and the future challenges that each agency faces in fulfilling their respective missions. This course will help students to develop an informed appreciation of the capabilities and limitations of intelligence and of the US national intelligence community in particular. Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations The attacks of September 11, 2001, have brought the issue of transnational terrorism to the forefront of the global agenda. As such, countering terrorism and protecting national homelands has become a new priority for governments. This course explores how terrorists can be countered and how their impact can be minimized. Some of the key questions that this course deals with include: What exactly is counter-terrorism? What is entailed in homeland security? How can governments and societies effectively deter and, if necessary, combat terrorism? What alternatives are available to the international community for combating transnational terrorism? What are the tradeoffs and costs societies might be asked to incur in order to wage a war on terrorism and/or protect their homelands? How have recent wars on terror fared? How does terrorism end? Transnational Terrorism Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations The attacks of September 11, 2001, have brought the issue of transnational terrorism to the forefront of the global agenda. Terrorism, however, is hardly a new phenomenon. The employment of terrorist tactics for purposes of achieving social or political goals dates back at least several centuries. This course explores what terrorism is and how it has evolved. Some of the key questions that this course deals with include: What exactly is terrorism? What kinds of actors employ terrorist tactics? What are the most common terrorist strategies and tactics? How has terrorism evolved since the end of the Cold War? How much of a threat is terrorism? What are the new threats posed by terrorists in the current era? What role do societal factors, such as the media and public opinion, play in dealing with terrorism? How can governments and societies effectively deter and, if necessary, combat terrorism? What alternatives are available to the international community for combating transnational terrorism? What are the tradeoffs and costs societies might be asked to incur in order to wage a war on terrorism? How have recent wars on terror fared? How does terrorism end?
Peacebuilding and Development Prerequisites: Peacemaking and Peacebuilding – Y45.1010 and International Relations in the Post-Cold War Era – Y45.1000 Amartya Sen defines development as “a process of expanding the real freedoms that people enjoy” and of diminishing their “un-freedoms” such as lack of access to income, markets, healthcare, education and effective institutions for the maintenance of peace and security. Peacebuilding, meanwhile, aims to improve, restore and foster mutually beneficial relationships that enable individuals, groups, communities, nations and states to approach each other constructively even in moments of great conflict or tension. The objective is to achieve substantial gains for all parties rather than the destruction and loss that often results for all parties in violence and war.
Economic Security: Challenges, Prescriptions and Opportunities in the Post 9/11-Era Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations & Y45.1030 International Political Economy Traditional concepts of security have focused on politico-military strength as a means of power projection in international relations with little emphasis on economics and other variables. Many pundits, however are challenging this traditional notion by highlighting such disparate but inter-related factors such as economics, ideology, demography, culture, and geography. Can a superpower remain one in the face of severe structural economic balances? What are the potential symmetrical and asymmetrical threats to national and global economic vitality? This course not only aims to highlight and better explain the economic drivers behind national security but to examine these drivers and their impact on national security in a more holistic and integrated fashion. In this debate, traditional concepts of national security are being challenged and re-defined. This course weaves economic assumptions and underpinnings into the fabric of national security aiming to provoke analysis, thought, and discourse regarding the impact of the global economy on national security and national security on the geo-economy.
International Criminal Law and Tribunals Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law This course examines the international and semi-international institutions established to prosecute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The tribunals examined will include the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the International Criminal Court, and their predecessors - the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg and the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (Tokyo).; The course additionally examines some of the substantive law of the Yugoslav and Rwanda tribunals, particularly, the elements of the crimes of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, and individual and command responsibility. We will also examine the prospects of justice for serious crimes committed in places such as Iraq, Darfur and Cambodia. Students will be required to take a midterm examination, and to write a major research paper (e.g. 20 pages), based substantially on primary sources, due at the end of the course.
International Dispute Settlement: Methods and Procedures Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law Diplomacy and international law offer the countries of the world a variety of options to resolve their disputes by peaceful means. This course examines these means including: negotiation, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, litigation and the use of international organizations. What are the roles of the United Nations and the World Court? Should they be thought of as methods of last resort for international disputes? How may these various methods be utilized to insure the optimal outcome for the parties? We will look at the evolution of dispute settlement and examine numerous cases, both actual and hypothetical, to explore dispute settlement concepts. Transitional Justice in Theory and Practice Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law How do states or societies that have suffered massive human rights abuses deal with the complex legacies of their past as they transition to peace and democracy? What can policymakers or activists do to defuse the bitterness of past conflict or repression and meet rhetorical and political demands for justice? These questions are far from theoretical: a significant and increasing number of countries that have pursued such policies in recent years, ranging from Morocco, East Timor, Sierra Leone and Peru, as well as many others. This course examines the ethical, political, legal, and practical challenges of designing and implementing transitional justice policies. It begins by examining the development of transitional justice as field of political and social activism, including its relationship to political science and international law. It sets out the developing legal framework that supports such activism, as well as the practical constraints and ethical dilemmas that both characterize such contexts and make transitional justice such a complicated field. Policy considerations derived from best practice are also discussed, including techniques for strategy mapping and direct public consultation. The course then examines specific elements of transitional justice strategies in depth. These include, but are not limited to: prosecution of perpetrators, and the growing shift from international-level mechanisms to hybrid and domestic tribunals; truth-seeking, whether conducted as part of official state policy or as a result of unofficial initiatives; the challenges in designing and implementing reparations programs; and complex issues of vetting and institutional reform. Questions related to transitional justice in situations of ongoing conflict will also be explored, as well as the many-sided concept of reconciliation. Readings will cover relevant international standards and methodological/theoretical questions. Real life policy examples from diverse regions will be used throughout the course, and at least two will be examined in depth.
Hard Power: The Uses and Abuses of Military Force To the military theorist Carl von Clausewitz, “War is a continuation of politics by other means.” To Karl Marx, “The redeeming feature of war is that it puts a nation to the test.” To General William Sherman, “War is hell.” Maybe they are all right. Military force is the final expression of state power and one of its most jealously guarded monopolies. It can be a decisive assertion of a state’s strength or can be the last, counterproductive gesture of a system in decline. This course will explore the national and global politics of the military, just how and why wars and other conflicts are fought and their implications at home, abroad, and for the international system. Through the use of case studies, primary materials and a rolling, interactive scenario which will place them in the role of policymakers, commanders and observers in an unfolding hypothetical conflict, students will explore why military force is still an integral element in global politics, from international rivalries to the options for peacekeeping and peacemaking.
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons: Protection and Practice Approximately one in every 200 people in the world is a refugee or internally displaced person. Uprooted from homes and communities, and often without government support, refugees look to the international community for protection. This course examines the system created for international refugee protection after World War II, as well as current policy and practice. It also considers the special circumstances and concerns of refugee women, children and adolescents, who account for more than 80% of the world's refugees. Guest speakers from the International Rescue Committee, Human Rights Watch and other organizations address the class. Contemporary Issues in World Affairs: A Legal Perspective Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law & Y45.1000 International Relations Can we protect endangered species? Who controls the oceans? How can we deal with terrorists and dictators? Is free trade working? International law addresses all of these issues. In this course we examine several current problems in international relations from a legal perspective. Topics include: environmental protection; proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; terrorism; tensions between developed and developing states; access to common resources; and the role of the developing International Criminal Court. Discussions explore the political and legal frameworks from which international problems have arisen and how to address them.
Issues in Humanitarian Assistance and Intervention Prerequisites: Y45.1050 Global Civil Society Humanitarians rush to help starving children, fleeing refugees and others in crisis, but too often what seems like a straightforward solution becomes a dilemma. Aid agencies may be forced to assist combatants in order to gain access to their victims. Food donations may destroy the local economy, making aid a permanent necessity. Warring factions may deliberately cause suffering in order to attract aid, which they then loot. Governments may use humanitarian relief as an excuse not to intervene militarily. This course explores how NGOs and international agencies wrestle with the complex issues that arise in emergency situations.
Energy, Environment and Resource Security The course seeks to help us understand the importance of energy, environment and resource security in the evolving 21st century including demand for greater energy supplies, and other struggles around resource access and management. The class will examine how the demands of the growing global population will present significant challenges to the United States and international community, which may in turn create opportunities for cooperation. The course is designed to provide students with a basis for better understanding the emergence of energy security and energy diplomacy as critical components in international relations study. The course employs key writings in the areas of energy, the environment, water and other resource management, film, negotiation and guest speakers.
The Geopolitics of Oil Since the early part of the twentieth century, when the British Empire sought to guarantee its access to Arabian oil, petroleum has profoundly influenced the strategic policy of energy dependent states. This course looks at the most significant geo-political issues, currently and historically, presented by oil exploration, transportation and usage. This course focuses upon three (3) main geographic areas: the Persian Gulf, the Caspian Sea and Alaska.
CONCENTRATION: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS This concentration approaches the study of global affairs from the vantage point of politics. These courses explore topics such as the analysis of conflict and means of avoiding and resolving strife through negotiation; the role of the media in shaping policies; the challenges of maintaining security without jeopardizing democracy; the new role of the U.S. as the single superpower and the consequent impact internationally; and the elements that go into foreign policy formulation. Ample use is made of case studies and analyses of current issues and problems. Security Policy: Issues and Challenges Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations The concerns of national and international security have evolved considerably since the days of the Cold War. While states are still concerned with traditional threats such as military aggression from other states, emerging issues present different, yet no less compelling, challenges to security. These new challenges include terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, failed states, environmental catastrophes and major public health crises such as HIV/AIDS. This course explores how security policy issues are addressed at the national and international level. How prepared are agencies and organizations to meet newer security challenges? Are classic doctrines of deterrence still applicable? To what extent can technology be relied upon, as a tool to address current security needs? Conflict Assessment: Theory and Practice Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations International actors often apply different methodologies to assess conflicts. These methodologies help them determine the best ways to address a conflict and maximize their opportunities to prevent or alleviate crises. This course examines how international actors including the World Bank, UN agencies, bilateral donors and NGOs, analyze conflict and the interaction between conflict dynamics and their own engagement in a given country or region. The class will explore how analytical frameworks can be used to assess the impact of development, humanitarian and peacebuilding programs or projects on existing conflict factors and dynamics. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the concept of conflict assessment, its development and implementation; exploring different approaches to conflict assessment, including an examination of different implicit assumptions and theories of conflict; analyzing specific conflict case studies and identifying real and potential third party responses. Ethnic Conflicts Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations This course examines the dramatic escalation of ethnic conflict in the post-Cold War era. We begin with a thorough analysis of the factors behind ethnic conflicts, including history, culture, attitudes, leadership, outside influences, and the ethnic group's point of view. In our search for resolutions, we explore new approaches to ethnic conflicts using Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, East Timor, the Sudan, Palestinians, and Kurds as case studies. We conclude by advancing new ideas about the roles that the UN and the U.S. can play in resolving existing conflicts and preventing new ones from escalating beyond control. Critical Analysis for Global Affairs Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations In an increasingly complex and fast-paced policy environment, international affairs professionals must have the ability to quickly and succinctly analyze information. This course is designed to provide global affairs students with an understanding of the world of think tanks and policy institutes, as well as the fundamentals of policy-relevant thinking, and policy framing and advocacy. Using a set of real-world case studies, this course will equip students with skills vital for presenting an argument in a cogent manner and for influencing decision-makers. Course content is structured to develop fundamental skills applicable for a wide variety of professional careers, including policy analysis, work in think tanks, as well as public interest and international development organizations. Given the premium placed on the ability to communicate persuasively with the written word, this course will place special emphasis on developing writing skills; students will be asked to compose their own policy memos and op-eds as part of the course. International Negotiation: Cases and Lessons Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations & Y45.1010 Peacemaking This course is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of how nations and other international actors go about achieving their objectives through the give-and-take of the negotiation process. First, we will focus on the theory and principles of effective international negotiation, using a number of case studies 9including the Arab-Israeli conflict, UN-Iraq negotiations over inspections and the Kyoto conference on climate change) in which negotiation has been used in recent years. The course will examine the role that different mindsets and cultures play in negotiation and will also pay special attention to the importance of developing the negotiating process and attaining mutual benefit from it. Finally, we will review the effective exercise of negotiation to handle issues before they become problems and problems before they become violent conflicts. Public Diplomacy Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations Public diplomacy can be described as official efforts aimed at conveying information about government positions and policies to engender public support. The events of September 11 and its aftermath have given rise to new directions in public diplomacy that have placed powerful information and imaging campaigns at the forefront of international affairs. This includes the use of, and influence upon, public diplomacy by non-state actors. This course will examine the new realities, methodologies and technologies that drive public diplomacy in the early part of the 21st Century and the challenges to its effective implementation. The course employs current and historical readings, film and other multimedia. Machinery and Politics of U.S. Foreign Policy Decision Making Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations Washington's need to manage foreign policy issues arises from America's far-flung concerns abroad, which impinge on U.S. security, economic, commercial, political, military, and ecological interests. Many federal bureaucracies are involved in solving problems, as well as Congress, the media, universities, NGOs, and the public. This course studies relevant institutions, their procedures, and their interactions in seeking solutions. We examine several recent cases of decision making, and discuss how major pending challenges in the Middle East, East Asia and elsewhere may be addressed. Ethics in International Affairs This course will explore one of the most exciting questions in international relations: Should moral considerations play a role in the conduct of foreign affairs? It is a question that most people would instinctively answer “yes.” But once specific issues are considered, the answer becomes more complicated. For instance, what is a “just” war? Can war ever be just and is the current Iraq war a “just war?” Under what circumstances do we have a right or a duty to intervene in the affairs of another state? Is the killing of civilians justified under any circumstances? Can terrorist acts ever serve moral ends? What about torture? Where do human rights come from? Are they universal or circumscribed by culture and religion? These are just a few of the questions we will discuss on the basis of classic texts and thought-provoking documentaries. At the end of this course students will have a good understanding of the fundamental ideas regarding ethics in international affairs as well as how they apply to key issues driving current international politics. The Role of the U.S. in World Affairs Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations America's current global predominance constitutes, for the first time, a unipolar system with far-reaching political, economic, and security implications. Can the U.S. maintain its supremacy for the foreseeable future? Consider sources of U.S. strength, examine how varied and durable they are, and discuss how resources can be channeled to conduct a more coherent and visionary foreign policy. Attempt to answer an even larger question: How should America deal with other significant powers, such as Russia, China, India, and Japan - not only to thwart any attempt to check or diminish its primacy, but to lead with moral authority? The Future of International Relations: Forces for Change and Alternate Scenarios Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations Rapid change, complexity, and uncertainty characterize the unfolding international system. Theoretical tools designed to help us interpret events, prescribe policies and anticipate trends are essential intellectual equipment. They can also become part of the problem, creating a false sense of confidence in how we understand global dynamics. Can we calibrate our actions to a desired effect? When at the service of great power, an exaggerated sense of understanding and control can produce massive unintended consequences. Policy is constantly playing catch up, scrambling to right itself in the aftermath of the latest shock. This course accepts uncertainty and surprise as givens, and then proceeds to build alternate scenarios around emerging forces for change and potential ‘wild card’ events. The purpose is not prediction, but a fuller understanding of global dynamics, and of plausible international systems that might emerge. In doing so, we will address theories, sources, indicators and consequences of change, and interactively build alternate future scenarios with students, other interested faculty and outside experts. The Media and Global Affairs Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations This course examines the interrelationships between mass media (print and broadcast journalism) and politics in America and abroad. Journalism has both a symbiotic and an adversarial relationship with the political world that it covers. It uses and is used by politicians and their spin-doctors. By exploring the current and historic conflicts between journalists and politicians, students will be made aware of domestic and international U.S. policies and the relationships between Washington and foreign capitals, the United Nations, and regional conflicts. Course topics cover such themes as using and being used by news sources; journalistic ethics and ethical considerations in the setting of the news agenda; yellow journalism; implications of corporate ownership of media; First Amendment issues such as libel, privacy, prior restraint against publishing the news, protection of sources, the right to gather news, and national security; how governments control and spin the news; the changing role of the foreign correspondent; changes in the U.S. at war; broadcast regulations, including the Fairness Doctrine and the questions of equal time and access; the implications of "negative" journalism; the growing role and impact of technological change on newsgathering; and journalism's impact on the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Nuclear weapons continue to pose the greatest threat to humanity and the planetary environment. As long as they continue to exist; possession of them will proliferate, they will, at some time be used, whether as the result of accident, miscalculation or decision, and any use would be catastrophic in human, political, ecological and, moral terms. These facts have been broadly recognized since shortly after the creation and then, use of them, in 1945. Following almost a decade, in which nuclear disarmament has been stalled, it is now widely recognized that action must be urgently renewed to rid the world of the unique danger posed by nuclear weapons. This course will: Examine the origin of nuclear weapons, their subsequent development, doctrines of their purported utility and possible use, their relationship to notions of security and state prestige, steps taken to control them and limit the dangers they pose, their cost, the obstacles to their elimination, and, ways in which elimination can be safely achieved. The course will also examine and assess the likelihood of success of current proposals for the elimination of nuclear weapons and for the maintenance of security in a world without nuclear weapons, and in which non- state actors continue to threaten security. Democratic Transitions: Setbacks and Successes Developing countries are under increasing pressure – from inside as well as from outside – to move toward democracy. Opposition parties organize even where it is illegal or risky. Human rights activists and journalists challenge dictators. Citizen groups demand government accountability and the inclusion of the poor, minority groups and women in politics. Western governments, the World Bank and civil society organizations push for reform. This class will examine the efforts to build democracy and the obstacles to that work in select countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. We will discuss countries that have achieved considerable success in building democratic structures, others where the search for better government has become entangled in conflict, and still others where democratic movements are just beginning. Transnational Crime Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations When societies get organized, so too do their criminals. Likewise, the globalization of the ‘upperworld’ has been mirrored by the transnationalization of the underworld. The smallest drug-dealing street gang, whether it appreciates it or not, is part of a global criminal market with an estimated annual turnover of a trillion dollars. This global underworld not only reflects the legitimate world—taking advantages of new opportunities or reacting to the ebb and flow of power and economic development—but, it also influences it, from perpetuating markets in weapons which arm insurgents and terrorists around the world to facilitating migration and undermining government control of territories, borders, and economies. Global crime is not an organized global conspiracy, nor is it a random collection of maladjusted thugs, frauds and psychopaths. It is a complex array of competing, cooperating, stable, fragmenting, local and multinational organizations. It is also powerful, and growing. This course will adopt a deliberately broad perspective, covering thematic issues as well as a wide range of criminal organizations and cultures, from the Sicilian Mafia and its transplanted North American cousins to the emerging threats of the present day, such as the criminalized state of North Korea and the entrenched power of the 'mafia' in modern Russia. Above all, it will explore the impact of transnational crime on our world, and the responses necessary to control it. Intelligence and Counterintelligence Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations Intelligence refers to the process of gathering and analyzing difficult-to-obtain information. Accurate intelligence is essential for any government to formulate and implement strategy with regards to counterterrorism, counterinsurgency and foreign policy. This course will introduce students to the diverse methods employed by the United States government for collecting, processing, analyzing and disseminating intelligence in the 21st century. Students will examine the individual organizations comprising America’s national intelligence community and identify the historical successes, failures and the future challenges that each agency faces in fulfilling their respective missions. This course will help students to develop an informed appreciation of the capabilities and limitations of intelligence and of the US national intelligence community in particular. Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations The attacks of September 11, 2001, have brought the issue of transnational terrorism to the forefront of the global agenda. As such, countering terrorism and protecting national homelands has become a new priority for governments. This course explores how terrorists can be countered and how their impact can be minimized. Some of the key questions that this course deals with include: What exactly is counter-terrorism? What is entailed in homeland security? How can governments and societies effectively deter and, if necessary, combat terrorism? What alternatives are available to the international community for combating transnational terrorism? What are the tradeoffs and costs societies might be asked to incur in order to wage a war on terrorism and/or protect their homelands? How have recent wars on terror fared? How does terrorism end? Transnational Terrorism Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations The attacks of September 11, 2001, have brought the issue of transnational terrorism to the forefront of the global agenda. Terrorism, however, is hardly a new phenomenon. The employment of terrorist tactics for purposes of achieving social or political goals dates back at least several centuries. This course explores what terrorism is and how it has evolved. Some of the key questions that this course deals with include: What exactly is terrorism? What kinds of actors employ terrorist tactics? What are the most common terrorist strategies and tactics? How has terrorism evolved since the end of the Cold War? How much of a threat is terrorism? What are the new threats posed by terrorists in the current era? What role do societal factors, such as the media and public opinion, play in dealing with terrorism? How can governments and societies effectively deter and, if necessary, combat terrorism? What alternatives are available to the international community for combating transnational terrorism? What are the tradeoffs and costs societies might be asked to incur in order to wage a war on terrorism? How have recent wars on terror fared? How does terrorism end? The United States in the World Economy Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations & Y45.1030 International Political Economy This course combines a variety of approaches from history, sociology and economics in the study of the political economy of the United States and its unique position in the world economy. While tracing the historical development of the US in the world economy, the course will examine major events and forces that have shaped the global political economy from the late 19th century to the present day. Particular attention will be paid to the long-term development trends of the US/world economy, the growth of institutions and markets, industrialization/deindustrialization, internationalization of production and finance, and the impact of governmental economic policies. In this context, we will discuss the historical roots of US hegemony and its structural impact on the global economy. Finally, we will try to reach some general conclusions about the current condition and prospects for the US position in the world economy. Peacebuilding and Development Prerequisites: Peacemaking and Peacebuilding – Y45.1010 and International Relations in the Post-Cold War Era – Y45.1000 Amartya Sen defines development as “a process of expanding the real freedoms that people enjoy” and of diminishing their “un-freedoms” such as lack of access to income, markets, healthcare, education and effective institutions for the maintenance of peace and security. Peacebuilding, meanwhile, aims to improve, restore and foster mutually beneficial relationships that enable individuals, groups, communities, nations and states to approach each other constructively even in moments of great conflict or tension. The objective is to achieve substantial gains for all parties rather than the destruction and loss that often results for all parties in violence and war.
Political Economy of Development This course examines the various issues and problems associated with economic growth and development from both classical and Marxist perspectives. We look at case studies from East Asia and Latin America; explore the challenges posed by economies in transition in central and eastern Europe; and consider the experience of industrial countries with specific reference to their less developed regions. In particular, the course tries to define the conditions that allow for economic growth and seeks to understand the relationship between economic growth and human development. Economic Security: Challenges, Prescriptions and Opportunities in the Post 9/11-Era Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations & Y45.1030 International Political Economy Traditional concepts of security have focused on politico-military strength as a means of power projection in international relations with little emphasis on economics and other variables. Many pundits, however are challenging this traditional notion by highlighting such disparate but inter-related factors such as economics, ideology, demography, culture, and geography. Can a superpower remain one in the face of severe structural economic balances? What are the potential symmetrical and asymmetrical threats to national and global economic vitality? This course not only aims to highlight and better explain the economic drivers behind national security but to examine these drivers and their impact on national security in a more holistic and integrated fashion. In this debate, traditional concepts of national security are being challenged and re-defined. This course weaves economic assumptions and underpinnings into the fabric of national security aiming to provoke analysis, thought, and discourse regarding the impact of the global economy on national security and national security on the geo-economy. Globalization and Its Impacts Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations & Y45.1030 International Political Economy Few developments have aroused as much political passion in recent years as the liberalization of global markets, generally termed “globalization.” This course explores the benefits, risks and drawbacks of economic globalization from the standpoints of both the developing and developed worlds. In evaluating the mixed blessings of globalization, the course will examine: the trend of increased flows of goods, services, capital and people across borders; the evolving impact of information and communications technology, such as the Internet, as well as other forms of high-speed communications; the effects of cheaper and growing transport; the increasing importance of NGOs; growing worldwide socio-political activities; the phenomenon of almost frontier-less private sector business and industrial dealings like outsourcing; and the growing need for global attention to climatic, ecological, and health concerns. Contemporary Issues in World Affairs: A Legal Perspective Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law & Y45.1000 International Relations Can we protect endangered species? Who controls the oceans? How can we deal with terrorists and dictators? Is free trade working? International law addresses all of these issues. In this course we examine several current problems in international relations from a legal perspective. Topics include: environmental protection; proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; terrorism; tensions between developed and developing states; access to common resources; and the role of the developing International Criminal Court. Discussions explore the political and legal frameworks from which international problems have arisen and how to address them. International Organizations: UN Geneva Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law & Y45.1000 International Relations (Course description subject to change.) The number of regional and universal international organizations has skyrocketed in our time - and for good reason. No single institution can deal with the many pressing global issues of our interdependent world. This course provides an analytical overview of inter-governmental organizations at global and regional levels, including the UN system and such non-UN institutions and arrangements as OAS, OAU, OSCE, ASEAN, and others. We examine the structures and processes of these organizations, their size, role, and influence, the issues upon which they focus, and the impact of politics on the realization of their goals. Energy, Environment and Resource Security The course seeks to help us understand the importance of energy, environment and resource security in the evolving 21st century including demand for greater energy supplies, and other struggles around resource access and management. The class will examine how the demands of the growing global population will present significant challenges to the United States and international community, which may in turn create opportunities for cooperation. The course is designed to provide students with a basis for better understanding the emergence of energy security and energy diplomacy as critical components in international relations study. The course employs key writings in the areas of energy, the environment, water and other resource management, film, negotiation and guest speakers. China at a Crossroads: Political, Economic and Social Change (Course description subject to change.) This course will enable up to twenty graduate students to travel to China to study and actively engage in the tremendous transitions facing the country today. The program features senior academic, policy, and professional presenters and affords participants a two-day practicum to shadow municipal, corporate, educational, and nonprofit leaders shaping modern Shanghai. China is changing rapidly, asserting itself on the world stage, and will undoubtedly continue to increase its impact globally. In order to provide our students with the best possible opportunity to understand China, it is necessary to travel there and engage with leaders in the different spheres. The program aims to harness transitions China faces and articulate to students the dynamism and dilemmas facing decision-makers today. Ghana: A Case Study in Development (Course description subject to change.) Development in the world’s poor countries is one of the great policy debates and moral imperatives of our day. In Ghana, more than a third of the people live in poverty, despite a decade of democratic rule and nearly a quarter century since economic reform began. In this course, we will examine multiple dimensions of development – economic, political, environmental, social, cultural and regional – through the example of Ghana. As the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence from colonial rule, Ghana played a major role in the transformation of the continent. Despite its early promise, the country has endured political upheaval, military rule and economic collapse, as have many in the region. Today, its market liberalization, democratic transition and political leadership put it in the forefront of what many hope will be an African renaissance. These are among the reasons that a case study of Ghana will fortify a broader look at development in Africa. The course will be organized in two segments: three sessions in New York before departure for Accra, and 10 days of talks and field visits in Ghana. Pre-departure sessions will provide students with an overview of development issues, a review of African history and political evolution, and an introduction to Ghana’s history, politics, economy and culture. The sessions will include talks by scholars and practitioners. In Ghana, sessions will go into depth on major dimensions of the country’s development, including political, social and environmental as well as economic. We will learn from talks by political and business leaders, scholars, and representatives of intergovernmental and NGOs. We also will visit development projects and other sites in the field. PRIVATE SECTOR: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, ECONOMICS, AND DEVELOPMENT This concentration provides students with a broad introduction to international business and finance as well as in-depth examinations of emerging issues such as corporate power and social responsibility. Attention is paid throughout to the challenges of economic globalization and interdependence, the issues and problems associated with economic growth, and the relationship between economic growth and human development. The United States in the World Economy Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations & Y45.1030 International Political Economy This course combines a variety of approaches from history, sociology and economics in the study of the political economy of the United States and its unique position in the world economy. While tracing the historical development of the US in the world economy, the course will examine major events and forces that have shaped the global political economy from the late 19th century to the present day. Particular attention will be paid to the long-term development trends of the US/world economy, the growth of institutions and markets, industrialization/deindustrialization, internationalization of production and finance, and the impact of governmental economic policies. In this context, we will discuss the historical roots of US hegemony and its structural impact on the global economy. Finally, we will try to reach some general conclusions about the current condition and prospects for the US position in the world economy. Political Economy of Development This course examines the various issues and problems associated with economic growth and development from both classical and Marxist perspectives. We look at case studies from East Asia and Latin America; explore the challenges posed by economies in transition in central and eastern Europe; and consider the experience of industrial countries with specific reference to their less developed regions. In particular, the course tries to define the conditions that allow for economic growth and seeks to understand the relationship between economic growth and human development. Economic Security: Challenges, Prescriptions and Opportunities in the Post 9/11-Era Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations & Y45.1030 International Political Economy Traditional concepts of security have focused on politico-military strength as a means of power projection in international relations with little emphasis on economics and other variables. Many pundits, however are challenging this traditional notion by highlighting such disparate but inter-related factors such as economics, ideology, demography, culture, and geography. Can a superpower remain one in the face of severe structural economic balances? What are the potential symmetrical and asymmetrical threats to national and global economic vitality? This course not only aims to highlight and better explain the economic drivers behind national security but to examine these drivers and their impact on national security in a more holistic and integrated fashion. In this debate, traditional concepts of national security are being challenged and re-defined. This course weaves economic assumptions and underpinnings into the fabric of national security aiming to provoke analysis, thought, and discourse regarding the impact of the global economy on national security and national security on the geo-economy. The Multinational Corporation: Economic, Political and Managerial Perspectives Prerequisites: Y45.1030 International Political Economy There are over 60,000 multinational corporations (MNCs). They are the most significant force behind globalization. Whether as customers, suppliers, competitors, regulators, employees, shareholders, or citizens, we are directly affected by their output of products, services, and ideas. Moreover, through trading and investing, MNCs are dramatically compressing our notions of time and space. This course examines the economic dimensions of MNCs' behavior, their interaction with national and local governments and communities, and the ways they organize to operate effectively across borders. Through case studies, students explore issues such as: MNCs and protectionism; environment and labor relations; control of strategic natural and technological resources; and transborder mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures. Introduction to International Business and Finance Prerequisites: Y45.1030 International Political Economy This course provides an introduction to international business and finance and the policy challenges of economic globalization and interdependence. It examines current issues of trade policy, exchange-rate regimes, international economic strategies of developed and developing countries, regional economic integration, multinational corporate management, exporting, importing, foreign direct investment, capital markets, and international financial flows. Corporate Social Responsibility (formerly Corporate Power and Responsibility) “Ninety percent of global businesses believe that Corporate Social Responsibility is a priority" (The Economist, 2008). However, a recent IBM study of global business leaders found that 76% of the business leaders surveyed admitted they don’t understand their customers’ expectations well (a McKinsey study of customers in 3/08 further validated this finding). This course explores: the global trends of business awareness of customer and employee involvement, the definitions models and metrics of CSR (the triple bottom line and focus on environment, social and governance issues), the influence of socially responsible investing (SRI), and the blurred global boundaries between corporations, nonprofits and governments. The course uses a multidisciplinary approach. Guest participants from corporations and nonprofits will highlight key points through practical examples. Learning will be interactive and require your participation. You will be expected to hand in four short papers and participate in a final team project. American Trade Politics and the World Trade System Prerequisites: Y45.1030 International Political Economy This course examines current issues in the political economy of international trade in the U.S. and the world. Topics include: the politics of open or "free" trade vs. protectionism; tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers; "unfair" trade; trade in services and trade-related aspects of intellectual property; the World Trade Organization; regional arrangements such as NAFTA and the European Union; U.S.-Japan trade relations; trade embargoes and other economic sanctions; and environmental and human rights issues in trade policy. Globalization and Its Impacts Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations & Y45.1030 International Political Economy Few developments have aroused as much political passion in recent years as the liberalization of global markets, generally termed “globalization.” This course explores the benefits, risks and drawbacks of economic globalization from the standpoints of both the developing and developed worlds. In evaluating the mixed blessings of globalization, the course will examine: the trend of increased flows of goods, services, capital and people across borders; the evolving impact of information and communications technology, such as the Internet, as well as other forms of high-speed communications; the effects of cheaper and growing transport; the increasing importance of NGOs; growing worldwide socio-political activities; the phenomenon of almost frontier-less private sector business and industrial dealings like outsourcing; and the growing need for global attention to climatic, ecological, and health concerns. Global Corporate Ethics, Compliance & Governance: A Hands-on Approach Prerequisites: Y45.1030 International Political Economy In a world of growing corporate, governmental and other scandals where, due to the digitization and democratization of information, perpetrators can no longer hide, the trend is toward a global convergence of laws, regulations and practices to prevent corporate and other organizational crimes and unethical behaviors. This course (1) provides an overview of global trends in compliance, business ethics, governance and corporate responsibility, (2) analyzes key crimes and misdemeanors (including corruption, harassment, fraud, cyber-issues, environmental violations, intellectual property, privacy, etc.), and (3) provides a practical, hands-on approach to solving and preventing ethical, compliance and governance crises. Throughout the course, seminar members are exposed to numerous guest speakers (global leaders in the fields of business ethics, compliance and governance) and are part of a fictitious executive team tackling a broad array of ethical dilemmas and challenges. International Banking Prerequisites: Y45.1030 International Political Economy This course is an overview of global banking and provides a framework for students learning about finance and trade in the world markets. Major themes of globalization, interdependence and sovereign risk will be explored, as well as the critical role of project financing in the developing world, funding strategies, currency crises and their contagion across the globe. Students will gain an understanding of global financial players, banks and global NGOs, that either contribute to economic growth and prosperity or interfere and interrupt market efficiencies and wealth creation in developing countries. Topics will include major trends in today’s financial world including industry mergers, effects of international private banking, the growth of Islamic banking, as well as regulatory compliance and money laundering. Emerging Markets Prerequisites: Y45.1030 International Political Economy This course provides students with an in depth understanding of development in emerging market countries in Latin America and Asia. Topics will include governance, economics, political models and trade as well as discussion of historical, social trends, religion and demographics. The course will compare and contrast the various regions and how they have managed their economic growth, as well as the most recent economic and political crises. Students will have the opportunity to assess and analyze the divergent actions of governments and international financial organizations in the various countries. Course concludes with case studies of specific country pairings in Latin America and Asia. International Trade Law and Policy Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law This course examines the laws regulating international trade in goods and services, focusing primarily on the law of the World Trade Organization and General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, as well as the foreign trade laws of the United States. Topics include: the institutions and processes of trade policy-making, negotiations, and dispute settlement; tariff and non-tariff barriers; discrimination; regional trade agreements; antidumping, countervailing (anti-subsidy), and safeguard measures; and the relationship of trade rules to intellectual property rights, labor standards, human rights, environmental protection, and competition (antitrust) policy. Law and Policy in International Business Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law This course gives global affairs students an understanding of legal and policy issues affecting multinational business enterprises and their transactions and activities. We examine how public international law, international economic institutions such as the WTO and IMF, conflict-of-laws rules (also known as private international law), and national corporate, tax, and regulatory laws in home and host countries combine to create a multidimensional legal environment for international business. Within this legal environment we also examine sales law, intellectual property law, antitrust (competition) law, host-country and international law of foreign investment, labor law, environmental law, and human rights law. For students in the international law concentration, the course offers an introduction to international economic law. For students in the private sector concentration, the course surveys the legal environment of international business. Introduction to Energy Policy Access to energy sources is a key focus of international affairs. Much of the world's known reserves of oil are found in a highly volatile region, the Middle East. The use of fossil fuels, in general, is increasingly under attack for being environmentally unfriendly. Countries that attempt to employ nuclear energy face other significant challenges and responsibilities. Disputes over access to energy have led to international crises and even armed conflict in the past. This course surveys the historical, political, economic, legal and environmental factors of energy policy on the international scale. The Geopolitics of Oil Since the early part of the twentieth century, when the British Empire sought to guarantee its access to Arabian oil, petroleum has profoundly influenced the strategic policy of energy dependent states. This course looks at the most significant geo-political issues, currently and historically, presented by oil exploration, transportation and usage. This course focuses upon three (3) main geographic areas: the Persian Gulf, the Caspian Sea and Alaska. The Economics and Finance of Energy Energy is a central focus of international economics and finance. The financial markets in North America, Europe and Asia have long been concerned with coal, oil and gas. As with any commodities, their pricing, transportation and insurance are subject to rapid fluctuations reflecting numerous factors. This course examines these factors and includes a discussion of anticipated future trends in demand, consumption, efficiency and safety. How do the recent mergers of major multinational oil companies affect energy economics and finance? The investment opportunities for research and development of alternate energy sources are also considered. Energy and the Environment Among the most profound issues raised by modern energy policy is the question of environmental impact. The use of energy in the form of fossil fuels and other sources is coincident with the high standard of living enjoyed by the developed world. However, the enormous cost in terms of environmental damage (global warming, acid rain, photochemical smog, spent fuel disposal, etc.) to Planet Earth demands a serious and dedicated examination of how to sustain our life style through the use of unconventional resources and renewables, nuclear power, and the application of international law and agreements (such as the Montreal and Kyoto Protocols). Sustainable Development Prerequisites: Y45.1030 International Political Economy One of the most famous definitions of sustainable development is that it “seeks to meet the needs of the present world without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."—Brundtland Commission. This course introduces students to the concept of sustainable development, which combines concern for economic progress and the elimination of poverty with awareness of environmental limits. We explore in depth such issues as wealth and poverty, population growth, political economy of food and hunger, the extinction of species, global warming and climatic change, ozone depletion, energy conservation, deforestation, and misuse of technology. We seek to integrate debates about globalization and sustainability by examining the nature of development, the impact of globalization on environment and quality of life, and the role of global and national actors and institutions in either creating sustainability or moving further away from it. International Financial Institutions Prerequisites: Y45.1030 International Political Economy The current global credit crisis has fostered a number of proposals for the creation of a new set of international financial institutions to augment those created at the end of World War II at Bretton Woods, and, hopefully, prevent a repetition of this calamity. The premise for several of these proposals for a “new Bretton Woods” is that the current institutions failed to prevent the current credit crisis and that new ones are needed to regulate a financial world quite different than that of the 1940s. This course will examine the existing set of international financial institutions, the financial systems they were designed to govern, how well they accomplished these tasks, where they may have fallen short and their adequacy to face the challenges of the future. The course will start with the oldest international financial institution, the Bank for International Settlements, established in 1930, and which remains the principal center for international central bank cooperation. The principal Bretton Woods international financial institutions, the World Bank and the IMF will also be covered, as well as the regional development banks such as the Inter American Development Bank, African and Asian Development Banks, and the newest member of the club-- the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Finally, the course will examine some of the lessons learned and take a look at some of the currently proposed plans. These are ambitious proposals and likely to be part of the public debate during the period of this course. China at a Crossroads: Political, Economic and Social Change (Course description subject to change.) This course will enable up to twenty graduate students to travel to China to study and actively engage in the tremendous transitions facing the country today. The program features senior academic, policy, and professional presenters and affords participants a two-day practicum to shadow municipal, corporate, educational, and nonprofit leaders shaping modern Shanghai. China is changing rapidly, asserting itself on the world stage, and will undoubtedly continue to increase its impact globally. In order to provide our students with the best possible opportunity to understand China, it is necessary to travel there and engage with leaders in the different spheres. The program aims to harness transitions China faces and articulate to students the dynamism and dilemmas facing decision-makers today. INTERNATIONAL LAW, DISPUTE SETTLEMENT AND INSTITUTIONS The proliferation of conflict in the post-Cold War era, often accompanied by gross violations of law and abuses against civilian populations, has focused attention on the need to strengthen international standards of behavior and justice. International law, transitional justice, human rights, protection of the environment, national reconstruction, and international organizations are playing an increasingly important role in the discourse of international affairs. These subjects are subsumed in this concentration. Conflict Assessment: Theory and Practice Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations International actors often apply different methodologies to assess conflicts. These methodologies help them determine the best ways to address a conflict and maximize their opportunities to prevent or alleviate crises. This course examines how international actors including the World Bank, UN agencies, bilateral donors and NGOs, analyze conflict and the interaction between conflict dynamics and their own engagement in a given country or region. The class will explore how analytical frameworks can be used to assess the impact of development, humanitarian and peacebuilding programs or projects on existing conflict factors and dynamics. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the concept of conflict assessment, its development and implementation; exploring different approaches to conflict assessment, including an examination of different implicit assumptions and theories of conflict; analyzing specific conflict case studies and identifying real and potential third party responses. Ethnic Conflicts Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations This course examines the dramatic escalation of ethnic conflict in the post-Cold War era. We begin with a thorough analysis of the factors behind ethnic conflicts, including history, culture, attitudes, leadership, outside influences, and the ethnic group's point of view. In our search for resolutions, we explore new approaches to ethnic conflicts using Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, East Timor, the Sudan, Palestinians, and Kurds as case studies. We conclude by advancing new ideas about the roles that the UN and the U.S. can play in resolving existing conflicts and preventing new ones from escalating beyond control. International Negotiation: Cases and Lessons Prerequisites: Y45.1000 International Relations & Y45.1010 Peacemaking This course is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of how nations and other international actors go about achieving their objectives through the give-and-take of the negotiation process. First, we will focus on the theory and principles of effective international negotiation, using a number of case studies 9including the Arab-Israeli conflict, UN-Iraq negotiations over inspections and the Kyoto conference on climate change) in which negotiation has been used in recent years. The course will examine the role that different mindsets and cultures play in negotiation and will also pay special attention to the importance of developing the negotiating process and attaining mutual benefit from it. Finally, we will review the effective exercise of negotiation to handle issues before they become problems and problems before they become violent conflicts. Critical Environmental Issues: Legal and Policy Perspectives (formerly International Environmental Law and Policy) Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law Global climate change has emerged as one of the most serious challenges of the modern era. Even so, it is but one of several key environmental issues that the world faces today. These problems are often mutually reinforcing and include transboundary pollution; loss of eco-systems, habitats and biodiversity to excessive development; destructive agricultural and fishing practices and improper management of migratory and endangered species. To complicate matters, these problems are often viewed very differently by developing and developed states. From the Stockholm Conference of 1972 to the debates of “post-Kyoto Protocol,” this course explores the evolution of the legal and policy frameworks that have been developed to address these critical environmental issues. The emerging role of non-states actors, including NGOs, indigenous groups and other stakeholders are examined together with traditional institutions in the environmental discourse. International Criminal Law and Tribunals Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law This course examines the international and semi-international institutions established to prosecute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The tribunals examined will include the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the International Criminal Court, and their predecessors - the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg and the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (Tokyo).; The course additionally examines some of the substantive law of the Yugoslav and Rwanda tribunals, particularly, the elements of the crimes of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, and individual and command responsibility. We will also examine the prospects of justice for serious crimes committed in places such as Iraq, Darfur and Cambodia. Students will be required to take a midterm examination, and to write a major research paper (e.g. 20 pages), based substantially on primary sources, due at the end of the course. International Dispute Settlement: Methods and Procedures Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law Diplomacy and international law offer the countries of the world a variety of options to resolve their disputes by peaceful means. This course examines these means including: negotiation, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, litigation and the use of international organizations. What are the roles of the United Nations and the World Court? Should they be thought of as methods of last resort for international disputes? How may these various methods be utilized to insure the optimal outcome for the parties? We will look at the evolution of dispute settlement and examine numerous cases, both actual and hypothetical, to explore dispute settlement concepts. Transitional Justice in Theory and Practice Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law How do states or societies that have suffered massive human rights abuses deal with the complex legacies of their past as they transition to peace and democracy? What can policymakers or activists do to defuse the bitterness of past conflict or repression and meet rhetorical and political demands for justice? These questions are far from theoretical: a significant and increasing number of countries that have pursued such policies in recent years, ranging from Morocco, East Timor, Sierra Leone and Peru, as well as many others. This course examines the ethical, political, legal, and practical challenges of designing and implementing transitional justice policies. It begins by examining the development of transitional justice as field of political and social activism, including its relationship to political science and international law. It sets out the developing legal framework that supports such activism, as well as the practical constraints and ethical dilemmas that both characterize such contexts and make transitional justice such a complicated field. Policy considerations derived from best practice are also discussed, including techniques for strategy mapping and direct public consultation. The course then examines specific elements of transitional justice strategies in depth. These include, but are not limited to: prosecution of perpetrators, and the growing shift from international-level mechanisms to hybrid and domestic tribunals; truth-seeking, whether conducted as part of official state policy or as a result of unofficial initiatives; the challenges in designing and implementing reparations programs; and complex issues of vetting and institutional reform. Questions related to transitional justice in situations of ongoing conflict will also be explored, as well as the many-sided concept of reconciliation. Readings will cover relevant international standards and methodological/theoretical questions. Real life policy examples from diverse regions will be used throughout the course, and at least two will be examined in depth. International Trade Law and Policy Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law This course examines the laws regulating international trade in goods and services, focusing primarily on the law of the World Trade Organization and General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, as well as the foreign trade laws of the United States. Topics include: the institutions and processes of trade policy-making, negotiations, and dispute settlement; tariff and non-tariff barriers; discrimination; regional trade agreements; antidumping, countervailing (anti-subsidy), and safeguard measures; and the relationship of trade rules to intellectual property rights, labor standards, human rights, environmental protection, and competition (antitrust) policy. Law and Policy in International Business Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law This course gives global affairs students an understanding of legal and policy issues affecting multinational business enterprises and their transactions and activities. We examine how public international law, international economic institutions such as the WTO and IMF, conflict-of-laws rules (also known as private international law), and national corporate, tax, and regulatory laws in home and host countries combine to create a multidimensional legal environment for international business. Within this legal environment we also examine sales law, intellectual property law, antitrust (competition) law, host-country and international law of foreign investment, labor law, environmental law, and human rights law. For students in the international law concentration, the course offers an introduction to international economic law. For students in the private sector concentration, the course surveys the legal environment of international business. Contemporary Issues in World Affairs: A Legal Perspective Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law & Y45.1000 International Relations Can we protect endangered species? Who controls the oceans? How can we deal with terrorists and dictators? Is free trade working? International law addresses all of these issues. In this course we examine several current problems in international relations from a legal perspective. Topics include: environmental protection; proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; terrorism; tensions between developed and developing states; access to common resources; and the role of the developing International Criminal Court. Discussions explore the political and legal frameworks from which international problems have arisen and how to address them. International Human Rights: Laws, Mechanisms, and Practices Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law International human rights are not vague concepts of justice. They are precisely defined international laws, stemming from a series of international treaties and overseen by a complex of United Nations and other mechanisms. This course provides an introduction to international human rights laws (including special laws for the protection of children, women, racial minorities, and other groups); an explanation of the international procedures for overseeing their protection; and the methods used by NGOs in human rights advocacy. Particular attention is paid to international economic, social, and cultural rights, including the human rights to food, health, housing, education, and work. International Organizations Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law & Y45.1000 International Relations The number of regional and universal international organizations has skyrocketed in our time - and for good reason. No single institution can deal with the many pressing global issues of our interdependent world. This course provides an analytical overview of inter-governmental organizations at global and regional levels, including the UN system and such non-UN institutions and arrangements as OAS, OAU, OSCE, ASEAN, and others. We examine the structures and processes of these organizations, their size, role, and influence, the issues upon which they focus, and the impact of politics on the realization of their goals. HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE Human rights protection and advocacy, refugees and internally displaced persons, issues in humanitarian assistance and intervention, women's movements and rights, the historical evolution of NGOs and the increasingly important role they play in advocacy and in foreign policy are among the issues to be covered in this concentration. Ethics in International Affairs This course will explore one of the most exciting questions in international relations: Should moral considerations play a role in the conduct of foreign affairs? It is a question that most people would instinctively answer “yes.” But once specific issues are considered, the answer becomes more complicated. For instance, what is a “just” war? Can war ever be just and is the current Iraq war a “just war?” Under what circumstances do we have a right or a duty to intervene in the affairs of another state? Is the killing of civilians justified under any circumstances? Can terrorist acts ever serve moral ends? What about torture? Where do human rights come from? Are they universal or circumscribed by culture and religion? These are just a few of the questions we will discuss on the basis of classic texts and thought-provoking documentaries. At the end of this course students will have a good understanding of the fundamental ideas regarding ethics in international affairs as well as how they apply to key issues driving current international politics. International Criminal Law and Tribunals Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law This course examines the international and semi-international institutions established to prosecute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The tribunals examined will include the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the International Criminal Court, and their predecessors - the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg and the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (Tokyo). The course additionally examines some of the substantive law of the Yugoslav and Rwanda tribunals, particularly, the elements of the crimes of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, and individual and command responsibility. We will also examine the prospects of justice for serious crimes committed in places such as Iraq, Darfur and Cambodia. Students will be required to take a midterm examination, and to write a major research paper (e.g. 20 pages), based substantially on primary sources, due at the end of the course. Transitional Justice in Theory and Practice Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law How do states or societies that have suffered massive human rights abuses deal with the complex legacies of their past as they transition to peace and democracy? What can policymakers or activists do to defuse the bitterness of past conflict or repression and meet rhetorical and political demands for justice? These questions are far from theoretical: a significant and increasing number of countries that have pursued such policies in recent years, ranging from Morocco, East Timor, Sierra Leone and Peru, as well as many others. This course examines the ethical, political, legal, and practical challenges of designing and implementing transitional justice policies. It begins by examining the development of transitional justice as field of political and social activism, including its relationship to political science and international law. It sets out the developing legal framework that supports such activism, as well as the practical constraints and ethical dilemmas that both characterize such contexts and make transitional justice such a complicated field. Policy considerations derived from best practice are also discussed, including techniques for strategy mapping and direct public consultation. The course then examines specific elements of transitional justice strategies in depth. These include, but are not limited to: prosecution of perpetrators, and the growing shift from international-level mechanisms to hybrid and domestic tribunals; truth-seeking, whether conducted as part of official state policy or as a result of unofficial initiatives; the challenges in designing and implementing reparations programs; and complex issues of vetting and institutional reform. Questions related to transitional justice in situations of ongoing conflict will also be explored, as well as the many-sided concept of reconciliation. Readings will cover relevant international standards and methodological/theoretical questions. Real life policy examples from diverse regions will be used throughout the course, and at least two will be examined in depth. International Human Rights: Laws, Mechanisms and Practices Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law International human rights are not vague concepts of justice. They are precisely defined international laws, stemming from a series of international treaties and overseen by a complex of United Nations and other mechanisms. This course provides an introduction to international human rights laws (including special laws for the protection of children, women, racial minorities, and other groups); an explanation of the international procedures for overseeing their protection; and the methods used by NGOs in human rights advocacy. Particular attention is paid to international economic, social, and cultural rights, including the human rights to food, health, housing, education, and work. Human Rights Promotion and Practice: The Role of NGOs Prerequisites: Y45.1050 Global Civil Society From the mid 19th century victories in Europe of the Anti-Slavery Society to the successful struggles in the 1990's to establish the post of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and The International Criminal Court, every major human rights and humanitarian victory, including the epic struggles on behalf of Soviet Jewry and against South African apartheid, has been spearheaded by NGOs. This course examines the unique and historic role of NGOs in creating global human rights machinery, educating the public about human rights, and shaming violating governments into abiding by their human rights commitments. Nongovernmental Organizations in the Developing World: A Regional Perspective Prerequisites: Y45.1050 Global Civil Society Those interested in working in the non-governmental sector need to familiarize themselves with the diversity and richness of civil society throughout the world. In this course we consider the views of NGO leaders, UN officials, and diplomats from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and East Europe describe the main characteristics of NGOs within their respective regions; the legal parameters governing their activities; their relationships, cooperative or adversarial, with the respective national governments; and the interrelationship between local and international NGOs. Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons: Protection and Practice Approximately one in every 200 people in the world is a refugee or internally displaced person. Uprooted from homes and communities, and often without government support, refugees look to the international community for protection. This course examines the system created for international refugee protection after World War II, as well as current policy and practice. It also considers the special circumstances and concerns of refugee women, children and adolescents, who account for more than 80% of the world's refugees. Guest speakers from the International Rescue Committee, Human Rights Watch and other organizations address the class. Issues in Humanitarian Assistance and Intervention Prerequisites: Y45.1050 Global Civil Society Humanitarians rush to help starving children, fleeing refugees and others in crisis, but too often what seems like a straightforward solution becomes a dilemma. Aid agencies may be forced to assist combatants in order to gain access to their victims. Food donations may destroy the local economy, making aid a permanent necessity. Warring factions may deliberately cause suffering in order to attract aid, which they then loot. Governments may use humanitarian relief as an excuse not to intervene militarily. This course explores how NGOs and international agencies wrestle with the complex issues that arise in emergency situations. International and National Women's Movements Recent United Nations conferences and agreements on human rights (1993), population (1994) and women (1995) have been followed by stronger national and international women's rights initiatives, especially in countries and regions with traditionally less vigorous civil movements, and by increased networking among women's advocacy NGOs worldwide. This course focuses on the structure and activities of women's groups and networks working at national and international levels. Lectures address issues salient in women's movements, such as violence and honor crimes, sexual and reproductive rights and the role of religious fundamentalism. Ghana: A Case Study in Development Development in the world’s poor countries is one of the great policy debates and moral imperatives of our day. In Ghana, more than a third of the people live in poverty, despite a decade of democratic rule and nearly a quarter century since economic reform began. In this course, we will examine multiple dimensions of development – economic, political, environmental, social, cultural and regional – through the example of Ghana. As the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence from colonial rule, Ghana played a major role in the transformation of the continent. Despite its early promise, the country has endured political upheaval, military rule and economic collapse, as have many in the region. Today, its market liberalization, democratic transition and political leadership put it in the forefront of what many hope will be an African renaissance. These are among the reasons that a case study of Ghana will fortify a broader look at development in Africa. The course will be organized in two segments: three sessions in New York before departure for Accra, and 10 days of talks and field visits in Ghana. Pre-departure sessions will provide students with an overview of development issues, a review of African history and political evolution, and an introduction to Ghana’s history, politics, economy and culture. The sessions will include talks by scholars and practitioners. In Ghana, sessions will go into depth on major dimensions of the country’s development, including political, social and environmental as well as economic. We will learn from talks by political and business leaders, scholars, and representatives of intergovernmental and NGOs. We also will visit development projects and other sites in the field. ENVIRONMENT / ENERGY POLICY These courses reflect the increasing importance of energy in the formulation of foreign policy among countries the world over. Among the issues examined are: affordable supplies for sustainable economic growth, safeguards against supply disruptions, securing a sound environment, lessening dependence on fossil fuels, oil as a source of great wealth and hindrance to economic diversification, the Gulf's strategic importance, and the correlations between energy interests and foreign policy. Global Climate Change Prerequisite: International Relations in the Post-Cold War Era – Y45.1000 The science on global warming is broad, deep and unequivocal. The impacts are already severe and our present trajectory, if it isn’t changed substantially, will lead to even more dire consequences. Many national governments and industries have obstructed progress on addressing the issue. Many others though have been rising to meet the challenge. There is a growing consciousness about climate change and a number of important developments and trends give clear indications that we can and very well may successfully confront the crisis. This course will look at the science, history, economics, policy and politics of global climate change, as well as our options for the future. Critical Environmental Issues: Legal and Policy Perspectives (formerly International Environmental Law and Policy) Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law Global climate change has emerged as one of the most serious challenges of the modern era. Even so, it is but one of several key environmental issues that the world faces today. These problems are often mutually reinforcing and include transboundary pollution; loss of eco-systems, habitats and biodiversity to excessive development; destructive agricultural and fishing practices and improper management of migratory and endangered species. To complicate matters, these problems are often viewed very differently by developing and developed states. From the Stockholm Conference of 1972 to the debates of “post-Kyoto Protocol,” this course explores the evolution of the legal and policy frameworks that have been developed to address these critical environmental issues. The emerging role of non-states actors, including NGOs, indigenous groups and other stakeholders are examined together with traditional institutions in the environmental discourse. Introduction to Energy Policy Access to energy sources is a key focus of international affairs. Much of the world's known reserves of oil are found in a highly volatile region, the Middle East. The use of fossil fuels, in general, is increasingly under attack for being environmentally unfriendly. Countries that attempt to employ nuclear energy face other significant challenges and responsibilities. Disputes over access to energy have led to international crises and even armed conflict in the past. This course surveys the historical, political, economic, legal and environmental factors of energy policy on the international scale. Energy, Environment and Resource Security The course seeks to help us understand the importance of energy, environment and resource security in the evolving 21st century including demand for greater energy supplies, and other struggles around resource access and management. The class will examine how the demands of the growing global population will present significant challenges to the United States and international community, which may in turn create opportunities for cooperation. The course is designed to provide students with a basis for better understanding the emergence of energy security and energy diplomacy as critical components in international relations study. The course employs key writings in the areas of energy, the environment, water and other resource management, film, negotiation and guest speakers. The Geopolitics of Oil Since the early part of the twentieth century, when the British Empire sought to guarantee its access to Arabian oil, petroleum has profoundly influenced the strategic policy of energy dependent states. This course looks at the most significant geo-political issues, currently and historically, presented by oil exploration, transportation and usage. This course focuses upon three (3) main geographic areas: the Persian Gulf, the Caspian Sea and Alaska. The Economics and Finance of Energy Energy is a central focus of international economics and finance. The financial markets in North America, Europe and Asia have long been concerned with coal, oil and gas. As with any commodities, their pricing, transportation and insurance are subject to rapid fluctuations reflecting numerous factors. This course examines these factors and includes a discussion of anticipated future trends in demand, consumption, efficiency and safety. How do the recent mergers of major multinational oil companies affect energy economics and finance? The investment opportunities for research and development of alternate energy sources are also considered. Energy and the Environment Among the most profound issues raised by modern energy policy is the question of environmental impact. The use of energy in the form of fossil fuels and other sources is coincident with the high standard of living enjoyed by the developed world. However, the enormous cost in terms of environmental damage (global warming, acid rain, photochemical smog, spent fuel disposal, etc.) to Planet Earth demands a serious and dedicated examination of how to sustain our life style through the use of unconventional resources and renewables, nuclear power, and the application of international law and agreements (such as the Montreal and Kyoto Protocols). Sustainable Development Prerequisites: Y45.1030 International Political Economy
Nuclear Energy, the Environment and Proliferation
STUDY ABROAD ELECTIVES Students select up to two (2) additional courses from any of the concentrations, or with the approval of the faculty advisor or program director, students may select a maximum of two courses from among designated courses in the graduate programs offered by NYU’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, or from the following courses that will be offered periodically. International Organizations :UN Geneva Prerequisites: Y45.1040 International Law & Y45.1000 International Relations The number of regional and universal international organizations has skyrocketed in our time - and for good reason. No single institution can deal with the many pressing global issues of our interdependent world. This course provides an analytical overview of inter-governmental organizations at global and regional levels, including the UN system and such non-UN institutions and arrangements as OAS, OAU, OSCE, ASEAN, and others. We examine the structures and processes of these organizations, their size, role, and influence, the issues upon which they focus, and the impact of politics on the realization of their goals. China at a Crossroads: Political, Economic and Social Change This course will enable up to twenty graduate students to travel to China to study and actively engage in the tremendous transitions facing the country today. The program features senior academic, policy, and professional presenters and affords participants a two-day practicum to shadow municipal, corporate, educational, and nonprofit leaders shaping modern Shanghai. China is changing rapidly, asserting itself on the world stage, and will undoubtedly continue to increase its impact globally. In order to provide our students with the best possible opportunity to understand China, it is necessary to travel there and engage with leaders in the different spheres. The program aims to harness transitions China faces and articulate to students the dynamism and dilemmas facing decision-makers today. Cuba in the World: an Intercambio The course, Cuba in the World – an Intercambio, will engage up to twenty graduate students in a special spring break study trip examining the realities shaping the largest Caribbean island country today. It will focus on post Cold War Cuba from a socio-cultural perspective, with a specific look at the country’s complex and evolving relationship with the US and Latin America. Through a unique collaboration with the Ludwig Foundation Center, Havana– a non governmental organization dedicated to bridging understanding in Cuba and abroad through cultural exchange– students will gain exclusive exposure to an “inside out” perspective of a country that is most often viewed from the “outside in.” The seminar will be composed of organized lectures, site visits and meetings at local organizations and educational institutions. Pre departure (New York-based) sessions will focus on preparing students with a contemporary historical context of Cuban inter-American relations in order to inform the socio-cultural conversation during the onsite portion of the course. Ghana: A Case Study in Development Development in the world’s poor countries is one of the great policy debates and moral imperatives of our day. In Ghana, more than a third of the people live in poverty, despite a decade of democratic rule and nearly a quarter century since economic reform began. In this course, we will examine multiple dimensions of development – economic, political, environmental, social, cultural and regional – through the example of Ghana. As the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence from colonial rule, Ghana played a major role in the transformation of the continent. Despite its early promise, the country has endured political upheaval, military rule and economic collapse, as have many in the region. Today, its market liberalization, democratic transition and political leadership put it in the forefront of what many hope will be an African renaissance. These are among the reasons that a case study of Ghana will fortify a broader look at development in Africa. The course will be organized in two segments: three sessions in New York before departure for Accra, and 10 days of talks and field visits in Ghana. Pre-departure sessions will provide students with an overview of development issues, a review of African history and political evolution, and an introduction to Ghana’s history, politics, economy and culture. The sessions will include talks by scholars and practitioners. In Ghana, sessions will go into depth on major dimensions of the country’s development, including political, social and environmental as well as economic. We will learn from talks by political and business leaders, scholars, and representatives of intergovernmental and NGOs. We also will visit development projects and other sites in the field. Non-Credit Internship 2009 Internship Directory (.pdf) Download Y45.3910 Registration Form (.pdf) Students interning at an organizations which require enrollment may take this take this course and provide an evaluation and reflective summary based on the knowledge and experience gained. Students have a wide variety of internship opportunities in the New York City area. Internships are undertaken in many organizations in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. In order to register for the Internship course, students must contact the office of the academic director or associate director for approval and complete an agreement form. The general core is the building block for careers in global affairs. The seven required core courses provide an in-depth understanding of:
Generally, a full-time student will take 12 credits (four classes), and we encourage that the majority of these be selected from the Core Curriculum. A new part-time student can register for one to three classes, with the majority being selected from the Core curriculum. The maximum number of credits a graduate student can take is 12 credits per semester. In order for students to have good academic standing, they must maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout the course of the MSGA program. In planning the semester, students should keep in mind that the program of study is 42 credits. All students need to take a minimum of 4 courses (12 credits) in their chosen concentration and must complete a grand total of six concentration/elective courses in order to graduate. Fall and Spring Global Affairs graduate courses meet for a total of 14 sessions for two hours and 40 minutes each. Please refer to each course syllabus for make up dates and cancellations. Also, please refer to the NYU Academic Calendar at http://www.nyu.edu/academics/academic.calendar.html for a full listing of holidays and other important dates. Summer semester advisement notice: The Summer semester consists of two sessions. Summer courses meet 12 times per session (twice weekly for 6 weeks) and classes are three hours and ten minutes. Students are advised to take only one class per session. In order to qualify for federal financial aid during the summer semester, students must take a minimum of 6 credits. SCPS Graduate Student Policies are IMPORTANT! Please read this online bulletin, particularly the section on Academic Policies. |
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NYU SCPS WOOLWORTH CAMPUS, 15 BARCLAY STREET 4TH FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10007 212.992.8380 |
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