Shock and Change: Strategic Surprises in

Strat Surprises: ME War P

A strategic surprise can be defined as a seemingly abrupt change during warfare or bilateral relations that is unexpected in timing, location, and scope. Traditionally, this term has been applied within the framework of decision-making and policy formulation during conflicts. However, a broader perspective sees strategic surprises not only as sudden attacks that fundamentally alter the conflict landscape but also as political developments that lead to dramatic paradigm shifts – such as the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 or the end of the apartheid regime in South Africa.

This course addresses pivotal moments that have dramatically disrupted conventional paradigms in the Middle East conflict, a conflict marked by surprising events yet persistently resistant to long-lasting transformative progress. By examining occurrences of strategic surprise, including the wars of 1948, 1967, and 1973; Sadat’s peace initiative; the Oslo Accords; and the October 7 attack by Hamas, we will investigate the tension between a seeming stagnation and the potential for sudden shifts – for Peace or War. Through case studies and theoretical frameworks, students will analyze how these dynamics shape policy, conflict, and peace processes, gaining tools to critically address historical patterns and behaviors that continue to shape the region.

• T 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Nadav Eyal
  Info
• 1.5 points

Israel Lebanon: A Case Study for Pra

Israel-Lebanon Case Study

Effective negotiation in the Middle East begins not with idealism or righteous vs evil, but with a clear-eyed understanding of stability, leverage, risk, and the interests that define each side’s bottom line. This short course explores the practice of real-world negotiation through the lens of two recent Israeli-Lebanese agreements, the 2022 maritime boundary accord and the subsequent ceasefire negotiations that ended the Lebanon front of the post-October 7 war. Using these cases, students will study how political, economic, and security incentives intersect in a region where zero-sum assumptions often prevail. The course will also examine the conditions under which negotiations succeed or fail, encouraging students to assess the use of leverage, timing, public opinion, and shared interests in negotiating complex agreements. Students will analyze how practical negotiation operates within deeply entrenched conflicts, focusing on the third-party negotiator’s tools and strategies to move actors from a “total victory” or “win-lose” outcome posture toward a “win-win” frame. By the end of the course, students will have developed a grounded understanding of the mechanics of deal-making in complex regional environments where war, political fragility, religious tensions, external pressures, and shifting alliances define the space for diplomacy. The course aims to prepare students to think like practitioners, drawing lessons from the Middle East’s most complex negotiations to understand what makes agreements work in practice. 
To register for this course, you must join the waitlist in Vergil and submit an application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScF7jYVZIZc9icZaWaP2wm4RwI6bEIrXXAcGHW0FPTwkg1ieg/viewform

• F 9 a.m.-11 a.m.
• 1.5 points

Indo-Pacific Security Dynamics

This intensive two-day workshop examines North Korea’s nuclear program within the broader security dynamics of the Indo-Pacific region. Students will explore how North Korea’s ambitions intersect with U.S.-China strategic competition and the evolving roles of Japan, South Korea, India, and other regional actors. Topics include extended deterrence, crisis escalation, alliance management, economic statecraft, and the linkage between Korean Peninsula security and Taiwan Strait tensions.
To register for this course, you must join the waitlist in Vergil and submit an application: 
https://forms.gle/t6ZxptA5YyB6cd6RA
.

• F 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• 1.5 points

China's Impact on Global Governance

China & Global Governance

This seminar explores China’s rise and its implications for global governance. The course introduces core international relations concepts and theoretical debates, then examines China’s behavior in areas such as trade, development finance, human protection, maritime disputes, nuclear policy, and technology. The final weeks focus on national strategy debates in the United States and China. Students will engage in critical reading, policy writing, and seminar discussion.

• T 8 a.m.-9:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Raymond Wang
  Info
• 3 points

Law and Politics of Spying and Lying

Law & Politics of Espiona

This seminar explores the legal, political, and historical dimensions of U.S. intelligence activities. It examines how secrecy, deception, and covert action have evolved within a constitutional democracy. Through case studies and legal analysis, students consider the balance between national security and accountability, the roles of courts and Congress, and the ethics of surveillance, interrogation, and targeted killing. The course draws from law, policy, and history to understand how intelligence is authorized, constrained, and debated in a democratic society. Students are expected to participate actively and submit concise written memoranda throughout the semester.

• W 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Timothy Naftali
  Info
• 3 points

Data and Conflict

This course equips students for humanitarian, human rights, foreign policy and political risk jobs that require real-time interpretation and analysis of conflict data. The course will introduce students to contemporary open-source data about conflict events, fatalities, forced displacement, human rights violations, settlement patterns in war zones, and much more. Students will learn about how this data is generated, what data reveals, what data obscures, and the choices analysts can make to use conflict data transparently in the face of biases. Then, students will learn introductory skills to visualize a range of conflict data in 
R
 and ArcGIS Pro. The objective is to give students the foundations to go further independently after the course using open-source training material and trouble-shooting portals. Each student will choose a conflict-related policy problem which they will investigate as the course progresses, culminating in a four-page policy brief or an ArcGIS Story Map, along with an explanatory memo.

• R 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Sophia Dawkins
  Info
• 3 points

Intelligence and US Foreign Policy

Intelligence & US Foreign

Instructor permission required. Join the waitlist in Vergil to request registration.
This seminar explores the role of intelligence in U.S. national security and foreign policy, focusing on both historic and contemporary controversies. Topics include intelligence failures such as 9/11 and Iraq’s WMDs, challenges in cyber and surveillance, and debates about covert action and interrogation practices. The course also considers the Intelligence Community’s (IC) relationship with policymakers, particularly during election cycles and presidential transitions. Recent failures in Russia and Israel will prompt discussion on whether intelligence failures are inevitable and how success or failure should be defined. Students will examine the core functions of intelligence—collection (human, technical, cyber), analysis, and covert action—and their place in a democratic society. Readings focus on the post-WWII period to the present, with an emphasis on reform efforts. Guest speakers and a crisis simulation will provide practical insight into intelligence work, including real-world pressures faced by analysts and decision-makers.

• R 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Peter Clement
  Info
• 3 points

Terrorism and Counterterrorism

This course examines the origins and development of modern terrorism, the challenges it poses to states and the international system, and the strategies employed to confront it. The course explores a wide range of terrorist groups, assessing the psychological, political, socioeconomic, and religious factors that contribute to terrorist violence. Students will also evaluate the effectiveness and ethical implications of various counterterrorism approaches. The course is structured in two parts. Part I addresses the nature, causes, tactics, and objectives of terrorism and terrorist organizations. Part II focuses on counterterrorism, including U.S. policy responses, international strategies, and the tension between security and democratic values.

• T 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Stuart M Gottlieb
  CULPA: 12 Info
• 3 points

Conduct of War

The conduct of war is central to international security policy. Even when unused, the ability to wage war effectively underpins deterrence and shapes foreign policy. Military organization, training, and strategy are built around this capacity, and the institutions that support it exist largely to ensure effectiveness in conflict. A strong grasp of modern warfare theory and practice is essential for anyone pursuing a career in security policy. This course provides a foundation in the conduct of war, preparing students for professional roles in government agencies, legislative offices, think tanks, and international organizations. It focuses on developing the analytical skills and conceptual tools needed for early-career success and long-term growth in the defense policy field. While the course includes critical thinking and key concepts, it is intended as targeted professional preparation rather than general education. The course complements ISDI IA6000: Foundations of International Security Policy, ISDI IA7250: Military Technology Assessment, and ISDI IA7275: Methods for Defense Analysis. While these courses may be taken independently, this course does not address topics such as war’s causes, ethics, or technology evaluation, which are covered elsewhere. Instead, it concentrates on the theory and practice of how wars are conducted.

• T 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• 3 points

The Politics of Defense in the United St

Politics of U.S. Defense

This course examines how national security and defense policy are developed and implemented in the U.S., focusing on political processes and institutional dynamics. Topics include military strategy, budgeting, force structure, acquisition, personnel policy, and the use of force. Students explore five key dimensions: partisan politics, Congress–Executive relations, civil-military relations, inter-service dynamics, and coordination across federal agencies. While grounded in U.S. policy, the course addresses global contexts and current debates, including defense reform, great-power competition, and the sustainability of the all-volunteer force. Readings span historical and contemporary sources.

• W 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Michael O'Hanlon
  Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

Intro to American Civil-Military Relatio

How does, and how should, the United States manage the relationship between elected leadership, the military, and society? This course will examine the history and current state of American civil-military relations, helping students place current challenges and debates within historical and theoretical context while also providing a better understanding of the relationship between elected political leadership, the military, and the people they both serve. This course places a special focus on the unique challenges the US faces in maintaining healthy civil-military relations in an era of heightened partisan polarization and political change.

• W 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• Instructor: Jason K Dempsey
  Info
• 3 points

Military Technology Assessment

Technology is central to modern defense debates in the United States and globally. Its assessment underpins core functions across the defense policy and planning community, including budgeting, modernization, intelligence, campaign planning, force design, and program management. In the U.S., this work spans think tanks, Defense Department offices, Congressional and Service staffs, the intelligence community, and the defense industry. These assessments influence hundreds of billions in spending and carry life-and-death stakes in wartime.

The demand for analysts with the ability to assess military technology is high. Thousands perform or rely on this work, making it a critical and widely applicable skill for early- and mid-career professionals in the defense field.

This course prepares students for that work by introducing the fundamentals of military technology and its analysis in policymaking contexts. It does not assume prior technical background, nor is it an engineering course. Instead, it focuses on how technologies function and interact under design constraints, and how to assess their operational utility.

The course complements other SIPA security courses, especially
The Conduct of War
and
Methods for Defense Policy Analysis
. It does not cover broader strategic or policy debates, which are addressed elsewhere in the curriculum. While the course can stand alone, it is most useful when paired with related coursework.

• T 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• 3 points

Failures and Successes of Three Decades

Peacemaking: Lessons & Fa

This course examines three decades of international peacemaking efforts to assess what has been learned, and what has been unlearned, through major conflicts. Drawing on the instructor’s experience leading UN peacekeeping operations and conflict resolution initiatives, the course explores case studies from various regions, including Rwanda, Bosnia, Libya, Syria, Colombia, Ukraine, and Israel-Palestine. Students will analyze how geopolitical shifts, institutional capacities, and strategic choices have influenced outcomes. The course pays particular attention to the United Nations' involvement, the evolution of doctrines such as the Responsibility to Protect, and the role of external actors.

• W 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• W 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Jean-Marie Guehenno
  Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

History for Future Policymakers

This course examines the uses and misuses of historical analysis in policymaking and strategic thinking. Although leaders often invoke historical analogies, they tend to rely on a limited set of familiar episodes. Students will explore the value and limitations of using history to inform decisions about present and future challenges. The course introduces key tools of historical reasoning, including concepts such as continuity and change, contingency, human agency, and structural constraint. Students will also consider the risks of overreliance on analogy or using history to support predetermined conclusions. The goal is to deepen understanding of frequently cited historical examples while encouraging more original and critical approaches to thinking about the future.

• T 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Sarah C Kovner
  Info
• 3 points

The UN Development System in Action: Gov

UN Development System Wor

This course examines the United Nations Development System (UNDS) as the world’s most prominent multilateral development actor. Students will explore the governance and funding structures of over 35 UN agencies, programs, and funds, and analyze how they collaborate to achieve country-level results. Topics include joint responses to global crises, UNDS reforms, SDG financing, and partnerships with governments, donors, civil society, and the private sector. Drawing on real-world case studies and practitioner insights, the course emphasizes practical competencies in multilateral development cooperation.

• R 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Gulden Turkoz-Cosslett
  Info
• 1.5 points

United Nations and Globalization

United Nations & Globaliz

United Nations and Globalization
introduces the various ways in which the United Nations affect global governance. Over the last decade, every aspect of global governance has become subjected to review and debate: peacekeeping and peacebuilding, the future of humanitarianism, a new climate change architecture, human rights, a new sustainable development agenda, and the need for a new understanding of multilateralism.

Part 1
of this course introduces the different actors, entities, and platforms through which the UN affects global governance. It creates the conceptual foundations for the role of international organizations in today’s multiplex world. It sheds light on how the UN acts at various levels, in different forms and with a varied set of partners to foster global public goods and global public policy. This includes discussions on the role of international law, goal setting, and frameworks, as well as the interlinkages between global-level interventions and regional, national, and local activities and outcomes.

Part 2
applies the conceptual insights to specific issue areas. Discussions on global governance mechanisms in the areas of peace and security, humanitarian action, sustainable development, climate change, human rights, gender, migration, global health, and COVID-19 deepen the understanding of the role the UN plays in global governance regimes more broadly.

In addition to critical scholarship on international organizations and global governance, the course relies on students’ analysis of relevant proceedings and debates at the UN, original policy documents, as well as expert testimony from a range of guest speakers, who share their extensive first-hand observations as actors of global governance processes. By these means,
United Nations and Globalization
offers insights into the processes, challenges, and impacts of UN activities to make global governance regimes stronger, more effective, and hold actors more accountable.

• T 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Daniel Naujoks
  Info
• 3 points

Risk Management for UN Crisis and Post-c

This course introduces students to the theory and practice of risk management in crisis and conflict settings, with a focus on the United Nations’ efforts to deliver on mandates in complex environments. Drawing on UN doctrine and international standards such as ISO 31000, the course emphasizes practical skills and real-world applications across the UN’s peace and security, development, human rights, and humanitarian pillars. Students will engage with case studies, guest speakers, and group simulations, culminating in the development of a comprehensive risk assessment for a selected UN mandate. Topics include security risk management, access and protection, strategic communications, human rights, program and partner risks, political engagement, civil affairs, DDR, and mission transitions.

• M 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
• Instructor: Marc Jacquand
  Info
• 3 points

Basics of Cybersecurity

The purpose of this half-semester course is to familiarize students with how the Internet and cybersecurity works; to provide a foundation of knowledge for later courses; and to familiarize students with the devices, protocols, and functions of computers, the Internet, industrial control systems, and cybersecurity. This course is not intended to be a computer science course, but to provide the students with the lexicon of cyberspace and the understanding of how hardware, software, and networks fit together to create the Internet experience. We will also illuminate some essential and current cybersecurity policy topics, including privacy and risks of emerging technology.

It is a broader course meant to complement Cyber Risks and Vulnerabilities and other coursework throughout SIPA.

• W 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• Instructor: Ian W Gray
  Info
• 1.5 points

Foundations of Cyber Conflict

This course explores the strategic, policy, and institutional dimensions of cyber conflict. It focuses on the national security implications of cyber threats and responses, rather than the technical mechanics of cyberspace. Students will examine how cyber operations unfold at both tactical and strategic levels, assess the comparison of cyber power to other domains of conflict, and trace the development of U.S. cyber policy and organizational structures. There are no prerequisites, though students without prior exposure to cybersecurity are encouraged to complete the assigned foundational readings before the first class or take a 1.5-credit introductory course.

• T 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• 3 points

Cyberspace in Modern Warfare

This course examines the evolving role of cyberspace in modern warfare. Since the emergence of the Internet, scholars and policymakers have debated whether cyber capabilities represent a fundamental shift in the nature of conflict or a complement to conventional military power. Students will engage key conceptual debates about cyber conflict, assess how major powers including the United States, Israel, Russia, and China develop and employ cyber capabilities, and consider whether cyber operations should be viewed as a distinct strategic domain. The course also explores the future of cyber warfare, including the role of non-state actors and the integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and space-based systems. Through case studies and policy analysis, students will develop a framework for understanding how cyber strategy is shaped and executed in theory and practice.

• M 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Erica D Lonergan
  Info
• 3 points

Cyber Risks and Vulnerabilities

The purpose of this course is to familiarize SIPA students with the function of the internet while focusing on the flaws and vulnerabilities that can be exploited in attacks or impact user privacy.  This course will approach each session in the following manner: discussion of recent cyber events, discussion topic(s) to be covered, and the ramifications when used in the real world.

This course is intended to build on the Basics of Cybersecurity with a tighter focus on specific vulnerabilities and information transmission and how these can be exploited by hackers, criminals, spies, militaries, or business interests.

This course is intended to be an introduction to cyber risk and vulnerabilities and is thus suitable for complete newcomers to the area. It is a big field, with a lot to cover; however, this should get students familiar with all of the basics.  The class is divided into weekly topics; the first five iteratively build on each other, and the others either addressing recent technologies or hosting relevant guest speakers.

Many cyber jobs are opening up with companies that need international affairs analysts who, while not cybersecurity experts, understand the topic well enough to write policy recommendations or intelligence briefs.  Even if you don’t intend your career to focus on cyber issues, having some exposure will deepen your understanding of the dynamics of many other international, privacy, and public policy issues.

• W 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• Instructor: Elizabeth Cartier
  Info
• 1.5 points

Cybersecurity and Business Risk

Cybersecurity & Business

This course introduces cybersecurity as a business risk, emphasizing its impact beyond IT and into areas such as regulation, governance, finance, and reputation. Students explore core concepts in cybersecurity, risk management frameworks, and the evolving threat landscape. The course examines how leading organizations assess, quantify, and address cyber risk through strategies such as risk mitigation, transfer, and resilience. Topics include incident response, supply chain vulnerabilities, regulatory compliance, critical infrastructure, and cyber conflict. Through policy memos and a group-designed risk taxonomy, students build practical tools for evaluating and managing cyber threats in public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

• W 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• 3 points

Cyberspace in Strategy and Grand Strateg

Cyberspace & Grand Strate

This course examines the role of cyberspace in national strategy and grand strategy, with a primary focus on the United States and select comparative cases. As the United States shifts from counterterrorism and counterinsurgency toward renewed great power competition, questions about the utility of force, alliance structures, economic statecraft, and international institutions are increasingly framed by strategic thinking. Although cyberspace influences nearly all instruments of national power, its role in debates about grand strategy remains underexplored. This course addresses that gap by evaluating how traditional concepts of strategy and grand strategy apply in the digital domain. Students will assess how cyberspace shapes the formulation and execution of strategy through military operations, diplomacy, intelligence, and economic tools.

• M 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Erica D Lonergan
  Info
• 3 points

Conduct of Diplomacy

In Conduct of Diplomacy, we will use an interdisciplinary lens to study the strategic and tactical considerations that shape a credible foreign policy and effective international diplomatic engagement.

Drawing examples from U.S. practice, we will explore various forms and attributes of diplomacy, including the international legal framework and the nature of diplomatic missions. We will consider various tools for conflict resolution, including mediation and reconciliation.

We will look at a number of important policy areas where diplomatic strategy can advance national interests, including with respect to the use of force, economic statecraft, human rights, international development, technology, and climate change. In doing so, we will assess the notion that the United States is “the indispensable nation,” as former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and others have suggested.

Towards the end of the semester, we will have an opportunity to test the theoretical and practical knowledge that we have gained by engaging in two simulations—one involving Russia and Ukraine, and the other involving China and Taiwan—before concluding with a discussion of multilateral diplomatic engagement.

• T 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Miriam Sapiro
  Info
• 3 points

Conflict Resolution

This course introduces the study and practice of international conflict resolution, providing students with a broad understanding of the subject and a framework for approaching more specific strands of study offered by CICR. Can a war be stopped before it starts? Is it realistic to talk about ‘managing’ a war and mitigating its consequences? What eventually brings adversaries to the negotiating table? How do mediation efforts unfold and how are the key issues resolved? Why do peace processes and peace agreements so often fail to bring durable peace? Students will address these and other fundamental questions in order to develop an understanding of international conflict resolution.

• R 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• 3 points

Mediation in a World in Flux

This course explores the challenges and opportunities in international peacemaking, with a particular focus on mediation as a tool for advancing political solutions to violent conflict. Complementing other CICR courses, it offers students the opportunity to deepen their understanding of how various mediators—including the United Nations, multilateral institutions, states, and non-governmental organizations—are responding to shifting dynamics in global conflict and politics.

The course considers key questions: What factors hinder current conflict resolution efforts? How have mediators adapted to changes in geopolitics, the fragmentation of non-state armed groups, and a crowded mediation landscape? How should they continue to adapt, especially amid declining resources for peace and humanitarian efforts and growing resistance to established norms?

Students will also examine how mediators can engage conflict parties on emerging issues, including the effects of the climate crisis and digital technologies on conflict dynamics and peace processes.

• M 7:10 p.m.-9 p.m.
• Instructor: Teresa Whitfield
  Info
• 1.5 points

Applied Peacebuilding and Conflict Resol

Peacebuilding Fieldwork

Instructor permission and application required. Join the waitlist in Vergil to request registration.

This course prepares students to engage in peacebuilding practice by developing fieldwork-related competencies rooted in critical reflection, professional strategy, and ethical engagement. Students examine foundational values, frameworks, and dilemmas in the peacebuilding field, while cultivating skills in project design, monitoring and evaluation (MEAL), communication, collaboration, and cultural awareness.

Structured as the first part of a spring-summer-fall sequence, the course introduces peacebuilding theory and practice through seminar-style discussions and applied assignments. Students collaborate with vetted field-based partner institutions to design projects aligned with real-world needs. These projects are implemented through optional summer internships, followed by a fall debrief session with the incoming cohort.

Coursework emphasizes partnership with local actors, conflict sensitivity, reflective practice, and an openness to critique and adaptation. Students are expected to grapple with the complexity of field conditions and to develop strategies for self-care, ethical engagement, and navigating uncertainty. Assignments include reflective journals, a midterm conflict analysis and thematic research paper, and a final project design paper.

Please note: All fieldwork and associated travel are voluntary and student-funded, though external funding opportunities may be available.

• F 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Zachary B Metz
  Info
• 3 points

Islam, Judaism, and the Israeli-Palestin

This course seeks to help students learn
how
to think, not
what
to think – we pursue fuller thinking by drawing on the broadest range of evidence from right and left, Arab, Israeli and Palestinian, Jewish and Muslim, and others. No questions are banned: all perspectives are open to challenge. What tools are required to engage, understand and be involved with improving the Israeli-Palestinian issue by acquiring greater intelligence, nuance, and awareness of the claims and sensitivities of both sides? Too often, American and European policymakers bring our own biases and blind-spots to the negotiating table, and do not understand the beliefs of local nations. Which leads to the question: How do policy practitioners help participants in the conflict move forward, while taking seriously the claims and cultures of the people involved? This course respects and meets the people involved in the conflict in their words, narratives, and deeds. The longest war in the Middle East is not only about that region: American university campuses, political parties, and different communities are being torn apart by slogans of “Zionism is racism”, “white colonial settlements”, “apartheid”, “globalize the Intifada”, and “Islam is terrorism”. Why does this conflict matter so much? How do we approach it with intellectual honesty, empathy, openness, facts and mutual respect?

• T 8 a.m.-9:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Ed Husain
  Info
• 3 points

Middle East Conflicts and Global Securit

ME Conflicts & Global Sec

This course analyzes the impact of domestic and regional conflicts in the Middle East on global security. Key concepts include: regime change, revolution, civil war, conflict management, security sector reform, arms transfers, nuclear proliferation, counterterrorism, and international criminal justice. These conceptual tools are used for comparative analysis of three sub-regional conflict zones: Saudi Arabia / Iran / Iraq, Egypt / Syria / Lebanon, and Palestine / Jordan / Israel. Each of these regions has galvanized substantial global engagement.

• T 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Naomi Weinberger
  CULPA: 11 Info
• 3 points

China's Foreign Relations

This course examines the foreign policy of the People’s Republic of China from 1949 to the present, analyzing the political, strategic, and economic drivers of Beijing’s engagement with the world. Topics include China’s relations with the United States, Russia, Asia, and the Global South; key historical turning points such as the Cold War, reform era, and post-Tiananmen period; and contemporary challenges including cross-Strait relations, great power competition, and global governance. Emphasis is placed on the causes and consequences of China’s external behavior and how domestic politics, nationalism, and leadership shape policy. Graduate students participate in additional precepts and complete analytic memos designed to build policy-relevant skills.

• F 9 a.m.-10 a.m.
• F 11 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Thomas J Christensen
  CULPA: 2 Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

The U.S. Role in World Affairs, II

This course is the second half of the year-long International Fellows Program (IFP) seminar examining the United States’ evolving role in global affairs. Building on themes from the fall, the spring semester focuses on the challenges confronting a new U.S. presidential administration and the strategic decisions that will shape American leadership in a contested international environment. Through a combination of seminar discussions, case studies, guest speakers, and two regional crisis simulations, students will examine U.S. policy responses to geopolitical competition, regional instability, and transnational threats. Enrollment is limited to students in the International Fellows Program (IFP).

• R 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Victoria Nuland
  Info
• 3 points

Nuclear Theory, Politics, and Strategies

Nuclear weapons are often considered to pose humanity’s gravest danger. Yet despite nuclear threats and crises, states have managed to avoid the deliberate or inadvertent use of nuclear weapons since the end of World War II. Eighty years after Hiroshima, how has nuclear war been avoided? Did the advent of nuclear weapons create a revolution in military affairs that stalemated major powers and dramatically reduced the prospects of great power war by the emergence of mutual vulnerability and mutual assured destruction (MAD) postures? Or are nuclear weapons central to great power competition and valuable instruments of force, including for deterrence and coercion? Is there a taboo against nuclear use? Do the major theories about the nuclear era match actual practice and how has nuclear theory evolved? Are the strategies and approaches that were employed in the past still appropriate for the new multipolar nuclear age? Why do some states acquire nuclear weapons while others that have considered going nuclear (e.g., South Korea and Germany) so far forego the option, while still others (e.g., South Africa and Ukraine) have given up their nuclear weapons? What are the prospects for continued nuclear proliferation and hedging (e.g., Iran)?

This class will explore past and current patterns of behavior among existing, potential, and former nuclear weapons states. Other questions that animate this course include: What do nuclear weapons actually deter? Can they be used for coercion? How do operational plans and force postures serve military and political objectives? What are the incentives, disincentives and risks of strategies premised on deliberate escalation to nuclear use? Do they increase the probability of inadvertent use of nuclear weapons? What role do nuclear weapons play in U.S. strategy and security policies? How does the U.S. experience compare to those of other nuclear weapon states, such as USSR/Russia, China, India, Pakistan, and North Korea? This seminar will examine such questions to gain a better understanding of the importance of nuclear weapons for international relations.

• R 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Cynthia A Roberts
  Wikipedia h-index: 11 Info
• 3 points