Core Courses
- International Relations: Theory & Practice
Part I offers a historical background to the theory of international relations. Part II examines mainstream theoretical arguments (i.e., structural, unit-level, cognitive, and world society) about the nature of international relations and seeks to demonstrate the utility of theory for practitioners. Part III applies these theories to a variety of important issues such as nationalism, ethics, environmental change, security, North-South relations, and trade and development. The course concludes with a discussion of several scenarios of the future that emphasize different trends in international relations. This course provides students with a useful set of analytical tools, an appreciation of the complexity of the field and of the value of different approaches to it, and an understanding of some of the major issues facing contemporary policymakers. - Globalization of Intersocietal Relations
The purpose of this course is to track and understand the evolution of the political, economic, social, and cultural relations of the world’s people. The course will examine the establishment of national states in Europe and its subsequent global expansion, and the impact of that expansion on peoples with different political and social traditions. It will also include the impact of the world wars and twentieth-century ideological conflicts on inter- and intra-societal relations; the post-1945 transformation of Latin American, African, and Asian societies and their relations to the international system; the growing influence of a dynamic and pervasive global economy; the expanding roles of regional and transnational organizations and actors; and the rise transnational actors and problems. - Analytical & Statistical Skills
This course is designed as an introduction to the use of quantitative methods for graduate students. The progression of this course includes the theory and rubric of scientific research designs and the practice in generating, interpreting, and ultimately employing quantitative methods to critically assess empirical works as well as informing one’s own research questions. The goals of this course are to develop statistical literacy coupled with analytical and research abilities. - International Economics: Tools and Applications
Major topics covered include: comparative and absolute advantage; production, trade, and consumption; equilibrium in the international market; trade and factors of production; modern theories of trade; commercial policy; factor movements; U.S. trade policy; and trade problems of developing countries, current trade issues and WTO. The course will develop theoretical tools that can be used to analyze the economic performance of open economies and to evaluate alternative policy options for macroeconomic management.
- Ethics & International Affairs
This course addresses the ethical dilemmas facing international affairs practitioners, focusing on the ethics involved in every-day decision-making, weighing priorities and tradeoffs. It will review the current literature on international ethics and cover ethical considerations related to key current international affairs issues, the tools available to international practitioners, and the ethics of the international system. Throughout, the course will focus on decision-making processes and case studies, in order to challenge students to understand how decisions are made, as well as engage in their own decision-making processes. The course will review ethical debates related to key foreign policy issues, tools of foreign policy, and finally, the structure of the global system and how it relates to sovereignty.