Quantitative Analysis I for Internationa

Open to MIA, MPA, and MPA-DP Only. 
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of statistical analysis. We will examine the principles and basic methods for analyzing quantitative data, focusing on applications to problems in public policy, management, and the social sciences. We will begin with simple statistical techniques for describing and summarizing data and build toward more sophisticated methods for drawing inferences from data and making predictions about the social world. The course assumed that students have at least high school algebra. Students will be trained on STATA. This powerful statistical package is frequently used to manage and analyze quantitative data in many organizational/institutional contexts. A practical mastery of a significant statistical package is an essential proficiency.

• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• W 8:10 p.m.-10 p.m.
• R 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• F 9 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
• F 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• 0 points

Quantitative Analysis II for Internation

Pre-req: Quant I.
 This course introduces students to regression analysis as a tool for policy analysis and program evaluation (i.e., econometrics). As future practitioners and policymakers, your professional decisions will impact the world in many ways. This course will equip you with the empirical skills needed to evaluate these impacts and assess the causal effects of programs and policies.

The first half of the course will focus on the fundamentals of multiple regression analysis (including a review of Quant I), emphasizing causal inference. The second half builds on this foundation, introducing experimental and non-experimental methods widely used in empirical research and program evaluation.

Note that this is not a math course. Instead of solving math problems, you will be asked to articulate the statistical concepts we have learned and how they relate to different policy settings. Beyond the technical and conceptual foundations, a key emphasis is developing the ability to apply and explain statistical concepts in non-technical language. This skill is crucial for communicating effectively with policymakers who are not statistical experts, as you would be expected to do in many jobs and with most audiences. This course will also prepare you to take any of SIPA’s Quant III courses. This course aims to achieve three broad goals: 


Develop the technical foundations and intuition to become intelligent consumers of statistical analysis for policy research and program evaluation. This enables you to assess empirical studies and articulate findings in non-technical language critically.

Understand causal thinking and its role in interpreting data analysis and empirical studies.

Build the skills to apply and explain statistical concepts in accessible language, fostering effective communication with policymakers and non-experts.

• M 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• M 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• R 9 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
• F 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• Instructor: Harold B Stolper
  Info
• 3 points

Into to Text Analysis in Python

Priority Reg: DAQA and TMaC Specializations. 
This introductory course will explore a variety of approaches to studying text-as-data, collected from newspapers, social media, websites, and any other kind of text data source using th programming language Python. Designed for beginners with no prior coding experience, students will leave this course with beginner-to-intermediate Python programming abilities and the tools to continue building their skills beyond the classroom. Students will learn the fundamentals of the data process in addition to gaining hands-on experience with methods for data collection (e.g., web scraping and working with APIs) and text analysis (e.g., sentiment analysis, topic modeling, and more). Practical in nature, the course will culminate in a final project that will ask students to explore a research question of their choice using the various methods for data collection and analysis learned across the semester, which students can then share as public scholarship and/or with prospective employers. The course content is geared towards students interested in pursuing careers in journalism, marketing, social media strategy, policy analysis, financial analysis, and tech.

• W 9 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Rebecca S Krisel
  Info
• 3 points

Basics of Cybersecurity

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Elizabeth Cartier
  Info
• 1.5 points

Intro to Infographics and Data Visualiza

Intro Infographics & Data Vis

Priority Reg: DAQA and TMaC Specializations. 
This is a seven-week course that introduces students to design principles and techniques for effective data visualization. Visualizations graphically depict data to foster communication, improve comprehension and enhance decision-making. This course aims to help students: understand how visual representations can improve data comprehension, master techniques to facilitate the creation of visualizations as well as begin using widely available software and web-based, open-source frameworks.

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Douglas Williamson
  Info
• 1.5 points

Cybersecurity: Technology, Policy, & Law

Cybersecurity: Tech, Pol & Law

Prerequisites: Instructor-Managed Waitlist & Course Application. 
This course will bring together professors and select students from technology, policy, and law to discuss how different disciplines solve cybersecurity issues. Classes will cover the technical underpinnings of the Internet and computer security, the novel legal aspects of technology, crime, and national security, and the various policy problems and solutions involved in this new field.

This course will be organized around four of the “great hacks”: SolarWinds (and the supply chain in general), NotPetya (and state-based disruptions), Colonial Pipeline (and ransomware), and the intrusion into Sony Pictures Entertainment (and major corporate intrusions).

The core of the class is a group project combining the problems identified with the Great Hacks with the solutions suggested in the U.S. National Cybersecurity Strategy. Students will work in teams to examine what went wrong in each of these incidents and what can be done to mitigate them in the future.

• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• 3 points

Writing on Eurasia

This course is designed to help MA-level students improve their researching and writing skills, and become adept at distilling acquired knowledge into straightforward prose. The aim is to assist students in being more effective communicators regardless of whether they pursue careers in academia, journalism, government service, private enterprise or the non-governmental sector. The course will also promote better understanding of how to get work published by mass media outlets. The course places particular emphasis on practical work, including the preparation of commentaries and book reviews concerning current affairs in Eurasia. Lectures examine the basic elements of editing, interviewing and concise writing. Other lectures focus on how to maintain personal and digital security while living and researching/working in Eurasia, and discuss best practices on harnessing social media for career advancement. Guest speakers will provide additional perspectives on ways to make writing on academic topics more accessible to the general reading public, and how to leverage expertise in Eurasian-area affairs in ways that can jump-start careers.

• R 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Justin Burke
  Info
• 1.5 points

Cyber Risks & Vulnerabilities

The purpose of this course is to familiarize SIPA students with the protocols and devices used in the function of the internet while focusing on the flaws and vulnerabilities. This course will approach each session in the following manner: discussion of the topic to include what the topic is and how it is used, vulnerabilities and specifically, and example, and will follow up with a video or other demonstration of a common hacker technique or tool to illustrate the problem so the students can better understand the impact. This course is intended to complement Basics of Cybersecurity with a tighter focus on specific vulnerabilities and how these can be exploited by hackers, criminals, spies, or militaries. This course is intended to be an introduction to cybersecurity 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 seven topics; the first five iteratively build on each other. Session six will look to future technologies. Session seven will challenge students to understand the authorities encountered and the friction between the authorities and agencies in responding to a cyber incident. 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 and public policy issues.

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Elizabeth Cartier
  Info
• 1.5 points

Cyber Conflict and Cybersecurity in the

Cyber Conflict&Sec-Indo Pacifc

This class will study the dynamics of cyber conflict and cybersecurity in the Indo-Pacific. Students will examine cybersecurity threats across the region; compare policies, actors, and institutions across countries; and analyze competition within the region and with other major cyber actors such as the United States, Russia, and the European Union. Topics will include: development of cyber strategies; regional approaches to cyber norms, confidence building measures, and capacity building; information operations; and crime and non-state actors. Prior knowledge of cybersecurity and/or Indo-Pacific security is not necessary, but is useful.

• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Adam Segal
  Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

Systemic Corruption in Eurasia: Competit

Systemic Corrupt: Eurasia

In Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, and other countries of the Eurasia region, corruption is systemic.  Corruption, defined as the abuse of public trust and power for private gain, is institutionalized in government at the national, regional, and local levels.  Formal government decision-making processes have been captured by informal networks of political and business elites who exert significant control over the allocation of public resources. They utilize this control to make illegal financial gains with the support of government authorities and protection of the law. 

When President Putin began Russia’s expanded military invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the imprisoned Russian anticorruption activist and political opposition leader Alexey Navalny was on trial once again over fabricated charges of embezzlement. Though Mr. Navalny faced another 15 years in a penal colony, he seized the opportunity during his February 24 hearing to publicly state his opposition to Russia’s war on Ukraine. “This war between Russia and Ukraine was unleashed to cover up the theft from Russian citizens and divert their attention from problems that exist inside the country,” he said. 

This seminar examines the role that Russia’s systemic corruption played as a cause of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Is the war an extension, and drastic escalation, of the Putin regime’s campaign against both his own citizens and the citizens of post-Maidan Ukraine? We will consider how the Kremlin’s strategic use of corruption is threatening the sovereignty of other nations in Eurasia. 

This seminar analyzes the political economy, power relationships, historical and cultural factors that have engendered systemic corruption in Eurasian countries. We identify different types of corrupt systems that have emerged in the regions. We will also examine how systemic corruption causes conflict and war, and poses a threat to the global economy and democracy. Finally, we analyze various anti-corruption reforms to understand why some failed while others succeeded.

The seminar will benefit SIPA and Harriman Institute students who specialize in regional studies of countries of the Eurasia.  It will also benefit SIPA and other graduate students who specialize in international security, economics, finance, energy, law, development, conflict resolution, and journalism.  To achieve a deep understanding of Eurasia corruption, we will examine

• M 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Matthew H Murray
  Info
• 3 points

Human Rights in the Western Balkans

Human Rights-Western Balkans

This Human Rights practicum course focuses on the Western Balkans of the Former Yugoslavia in a contemporary context. The course focuses on war crimes and their respective consequences that have occurred during the most recent Balkan Wars 1991-1999 in the Former Yugoslav states and will include a detailed review and examination of human rights policies and practices carried out by international, regional and national bodies, laws, organizations, frameworks of transitional justice and evaluative tools employed in an effort to stabilize a post-war, post-Communist, post-conflict scenario. The course will present and examine in detail policies and practices deployed by international and national state structures to address the legacies of war crimes and the emergence of new human rights issues that are currently present in the Former Yugoslav space. The course will require students to prepare a 10-page paper on a human rights issue in the region, analyze the issues, review implementation to date and recommend policy initiatives that will address the problem (75 percent of the grade). Students are expected read weekly assignments and regularly participate and attend the class, which will constitute 25 percent of their final grade. Failure to attend class without a justifiable explanation will be penalized by a reduction of one grade letter.

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Tanya L Domi
  Info
• 1.5 points

Artificial Intelligence and Conflict Pre

AI & Conflict Prevention

In this course, we will review several case studies in which AI technologies have been (and are being) developed with the express purpose of better predicting and understanding human conflict dynamics. The course instructor will draw on his own experience developing AI tools for multilateral organizations, as well as on a wide range of literature from both academia and policy research. Ultimately, the course is designed to further students' overall understanding of the practical, policy, and ethical aspects of the introduction of AI technologies in international peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts (in particular, the UN conflict prevention/response architecture).

• W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Eduardo Albrecht
  Info
• 3 points

Peacebuilding After Mass Violence

Peacebuild After Mass Violence

Prerequisite: Instructor-Managed Waitlist.
How can we build peace in the aftermath of extensive violence? How can international actors help in this process? This seminar focuses on international peacemaking, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding efforts in recent conflicts. It adopts a critical, social science approach to the topic of building peace (it is not a class on how to design and implement peacebuilding programs, but rather a class on how to think about such initiatives). It covers general concepts, theories, and debates, as well as specific cases of peacebuilding successes and failures. Throughout the course, students will acquire a broad understanding of the concepts, theoretical traditions, and debates in the study of peacemaking, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding. The course also will introduce students to new issues in the field, such as the micro-foundations of peace settlements, the importance of local perceptions, and the attention to the everyday in the study of conflict-resolution. Furthermore, by the end of the semester, students should have an in-depth understanding of some of the most salient peace processes in recent years, including those in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and the former Yugoslavia. Interested students should join the waitlist and make sure that they attend the first class meeting.
Fall 2024 Schedule: The class meets weekly on Tuesdays (4:10 - 6 pm) from September 3 to October 15, and then for two full Saturdays (10 am - 5 pm, including a one-hour lunch break) on October 26 and November 16.

• S 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Severine Autesserre
  CULPA: 19 Wikipedia h-index: 14 Info
• 3 points

Sovereign Risk

This course will examine the multifaceted nature of sovereign risk, with a focus on its recent history and contemporary issues.  The surge in sovereign debt caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed the global debt burden to historical levels, surpassing the WWII debt peak.  The course will focus on the interplay of economic, institutional, fiscal, financial, market, political and geopolitical factors that influence sovereign credit quality.  It will primarily rely on country examples to analyze pivotal periods when sovereign risk spiked—namely, starting with the 1980s Latin American debt crisis, and continuing with the 1990s Nordic and Japanese financial crises, 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 2009 Greek crisis, recent cases of sovereign default and the effect of the Covid-19 shock on high and lower-middle income countries. The course will examine sovereign risk through the prism of credit rating agency methodologies (namely, Moody’s).  The course will take a look at how Environmental, Social and corporate Governance (ESG) concerns fit into sovereign credit risk assessment.

• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Thomas Byrne
  Wikipedia 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 these data are generated, what they reveal, what they obscure, and the choices analysts can make to use conflict data transparently in the face of biases. Then, students will learn introductory skills to visualize 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 they will investigate.

• T 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• Instructor: Sophia Dawkins
  Info
• 3 points

Applied Econometrics

Prerequisite Course: SIPAU6501 - Quantitative Analysis II.
 The goal of this course is to enable students to evaluate the policy relevance of academic research. While academic research frequently considers treatments that approximate a potential public policy, such prima facie relevance alone does not inform policy. In particular, public policy is predicated on the credible estimation of causal treatment effects. For example, although researchers frequently document the strong correlation between years of schooling and better health, this tells us surprisingly little (and arguably nothing) about the health effects of public tuition assistance, compulsory school laws, or any other program that raises educational attainment. Policies guided by statistical correlations - even the regression-adjusted estimates that dominate the academic literature - will frequently have unintended and even perverse real-world effects. Policymakers must distinguish between causal estimates that should inform policy design and statistical correlations that should not. The catch is that distinguishing correlation from causation in empirical studies is surprisingly difficult. Econometric technique alone does not provide a reliable path to causal inference. Applications of instrumental variables (IV) techniques, while wildly popular, arguably obscure sources of identification more often than isolating exogenous variation. Similar concerns apply to popular panel data and fixed effects (FE) models, which can eliminate certain unobservable sources of bias. Furthermore, causal claims by a study's author should be regarded with skepticism - frequently this is merely the marketing of a non-transparent statistical correlation. Put differently, when has a researcher portrayed his empirical result as a mere correlation when in fact he/she had identified a credible causal impact? A basic theme of the course is that identification strategy - the manner in which a researcher uses observational real-world data to approximate a controlled/randomized trial (Angrist & Pischke, 2009) - is the bedrock of causal inference. Econometric technique cannot rescue a fundamentally flawed identification strategy. In other words, econometrics and identifications strategies are complements in the production of causal estimates, not substitutes. Examples of appropriate econometric technique applied to compelling identification strategies will be described to illustrate this approach (most often from health economics), along with their implic

• T 9 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Douglas V Almond
  Info
• 3 points

Transforming the Urban Economy

Priority Reg: Executive MPA.
This course focuses on the development of cities and transformative initiatives, especially New York City. In this course, a wide array of economic development projects and strategies will be examined. It will take a look at the core economic goals that were set forth nearly two decades ago in an effort to diversify the economy and make it less dependent on financial services, while examining the challenges faced by cities today in light of the COVID 19 pandemic.

Land use policy, use of incentives, new developments, placemaking initiatives, and approaches to district management will also be studied. Students will get a broad understanding of how economic development tools and tactics have been leveraged to revitalize central business districts, neighborhoods, the waterfront and public spaces.

This course will review the effectiveness of public-private partnerships including business improvement districts (BIDs) local development corporations, and park conservancies.  New York City is the home of the largest network of (BIDs) in the world. During the course, we will also examine how anchor institutions (
universities, hospitals, cultural organizations
) are playing an increased role in community revitalization.  Students will be able to assess various economic development strategies through the use of case studies, articles, and guest speakers.

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Robert Walsh
  Info
• 3 points

Data Analysis for Policy Research Using

Data Analysis Using R

Prerequisites: Instructor-Managed Waitlist, Course Application, and Quantitative Analysis II.
This course will develop the skills to prepare, analyze, and present data for policy analysis and program evaluation using R. In Quant I and II, students are introduced to probability and statistics, regression analysis and causal inference. In this course we focus on the practical application of these skills to explore data and policy questions on your own. The goal is to help students become effective analysts and policy researchers:  given available data, what sort of analysis would best inform our policy questions? How do we prepare data and implement statistical methods using R? How can we begin to draw conclusions about the causal effects of policies, not just correlation? We’ll learn these skills by exploring data on a range of policy topics: COVID-19 cases; racial bias in NYPD subway fare evasion enforcement; the distribution of Village Fund grants in Indonesia; US police shootings; wage gaps by gender/race; and student projects on topics of your choosing.

• T 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• T 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• R 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Harold B Stolper
  Info
• 3 points

Microeconometrics

Priority Reg: MPA-EPM. Prerequisite: MPA-EPM Student, or SIPAU6500 - Quantitative Analysis I. 
This course introduces students to multiple regression methods for analyzing data in economics and related disciplines. Extensions include regression with discrete random variables, instrumental variables regression, analysis of random experiments and quasi-experiments, and regression with time series data. The objective of the course is for the student to learn how to conduct – and how to critique – empirical studies in economics and related fields. Accordingly, the emphasis of the course is on empirical applications. The mathematics of econometrics will be introduced only as needed and will not be a central focus.

• TR 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• F 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Alan S Yang
  CULPA: 5 Info
• 4 points

Gender and Development in Southeast Asia

Gender & Developmnt in SE Asia

This course is designed to introduce students to issues of gender and development in Southeast Asia in comparative context. Development debates are currently in flux with important implications for the practice and analysis of gender and development. Some argue for market-driven, neo-liberal solutions to gender equality, while others believe that equitable gender relations will only come when women (and men) are empowered to understand their predicaments and work together to find local solutions to improve their lives. Empowerment and human rights approaches are popular among development practitioners, particularly those concerned with gender equity. This course uses the context of development in Southeast Asia to critically engage with issues important to development planners, national leaders and women’s groups throughout Southeast Asia. This course is designed for maximum student participation, engagement and community learning. While the course will be taught remotely during Fall 2020, student attendance and participation throughout the semester is expected. There will be options to make up work for the occasional missed class due to technology mishaps, personal illness, or family emergencies. However, more than three (3) missed classes will significantly affect students’ grades. Please do not enroll this term if you anticipate difficulties in being able to actively participate via Zoom during the assigned class time.

• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Kristy Kelly
  h-index: 3 Info
• 3 points

Economics of Sustainable Development

Economics - Sust Develop

Priority Reg: EPD Concentration.
This course will provide students with a framework for historical and current debates on development. It will offer students a basic understanding of what constitutes “development” (ends) and how to promote it (means). The initial lecture presents the broad issue of development trends and the multidisciplinary approach, as seen today through the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015. The subsequent classes then look at classical and contemporary theories of economic development. They will be followed by a critical comparative analysis of development experiences. A series of lectures will then concentrate on institutional issues, social development and environmental sustainability (climate change).

• M 9 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
• W 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Jose A Ocampo
  Wikipedia h-index: 77 Info
• 3 points

Cities in a Globalizing World

Priority Reg: Executive MPA. 
Cities such as New York, London, Hong Kong, Sao Paolo, Tokyo and Mumbai, have been at the heart of deepening economic, social and political globalization. International trade, financial flows, the arts, and migration have shaped their process of urbanization and position in national life and they in turn have influenced the character of globalization. Policymakers in global cities have abundant resources at their disposal but face complicated governance challenges due to their size, complexity and deep linkages to the rest of the world. In addition, global cities increasingly must compete for human capital and investment. This course examines the key features of global cities and the main stages of their development. It explores the governance challenges that policymakers in global cities face in the areas of economics, infrastructure, environment, human capital development, and social welfare. For instance, in the area of economic policymaking, students will analyze the importance of agglomeration, economic clusters, economies of scale, and spillovers as well as the possible strategies for gaining a competitive edge over other cities.

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Francisco L Rivera-Batiz
  Info
• 3 points

Central Asian Politics and Security

Central Asian Pol & Security

This course surveys the politics and history of the five countries of contemporary Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan). In addition to imparting a substantive understanding of these countries, the course explores several conceptual lenses through which the region can be analyzed both over time and in comparison with other parts of the world. The first half of the course examines the political history of the region, with particular reference to how policies and practices of the Soviet state shaped the former republics of Soviet Central Asia. The second half turns to special topics at the center of the region’s political and social life today. Coverage of these topics—which include democratization, Islam and the politics of counter-insurgency, women and definitions of the public sphere, the politics of nation-building, and international security—will involve light reading from other regions to provide comparative perspective.

• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Lawrence Markowitz
  Info
• 3 points

Security and International Politics of t

Security/Intl Pol-Persian Gulf

The course will be divided into two sections. The first will focus on the international dimensions of security, and will situate the Gulf in the Middle East and the world. It will review the consequences of the three major wars fought there over the past three decades before addressing both hard and soft security issues (the latter including climate issues and food security), border disputes, the nuclear issue, and the role both Iran and the U.S. play in the Gulf. Part II will focus on domestic sources of instability, including national identity and the ruling bargain, the rise of the post-rentier state, sectarian conflict, the problem of migrant workers (who currently make up a majority of the population in the GCC states), and the repercussions of the Arab Spring, which has led to an ominous retreat from earlier signs of liberalization.

• W 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Lawrence G Potter
  CULPA: 2 Info
• 3 points

Geopolitics of Oil and Natural Gas

Geopolitics- Oil & Natural Gas

The course will examine in detail the geopolitics that support U.S. energy security and the geopolitics that may challenge it. The class will focus on U.S. energy relations with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq, as well as with Venezuela, Brazil Russia and Nigeria. We will explore the possibility of a Canada-U.S.-Mexico united energy market and the likely geopolitical effects of a united Northern American energy system. China, and India as major growing consumer markets will also be a point of discussion. We will also look at the various factors that have made the shale oil and gas revolution so successful, the forces that continue to drive the revolution forward despite falling prices The class will discuss the geopolitical effects the U.S. shale revolution has had on the world.

• T 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• Instructor: Natasha Udensiva
  Info
• 3 points

Sustainable Finance I: Foundations of ES

This course discusses how Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) information and objectives can be incorporated in investment portfolios. ESG objectives are important for investors representing trillions of dollars, and may affect their portfolios’ risk and return. We will consider ways in which investors can articulate their financial and non-financial portfolio goals across a variety of asset classes, and the potential for ESG-minded asset owners to impact the issuers whose securities they invest in. The course will blend academic research with case studies from investment practice.

• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• F 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• Instructor: Frederic A de Mariz
  Info
• 3 points

Sustainable Finance II: System-level Inv

Prerequisites: Instructor-Managed Waitlist & Course Application.
Investing always evolves. The investing challenges of the 21st century are new, destabilizing, and systemic. They involve complex, interconnected global issues that impact societies and economies. To finance a more sustainable world—and, arguably, maximize returns while minimizing risk—investing needs to consider the interplay and interdependencies between investment, the real economy, and the most complex challenges facing our environmental, social, and financial systems. System-level investing does just that.

• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• 3 points

Impact Investing I: Foundations

Impact Invest I: Fndn

The “Impact Investing I: Foundations'' course provides a foundation to the growing practice of impact investing. The course focuses on the private capital market and equips students with the foundational knowledge, technical skills and tools needed to pursue a career in impact investing. Moreover, it provides students with the broader understanding of the opportunities, challenges, and limitations for impact investing to have an “impact” and help mitigate climate change, biodiversity loss, social inequality, poverty, and other system-level challenges.

• W 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• 3 points

Inside the Situation Room

Prerequisite: Course Application.
In an era increasingly defined by geopolitical competition, it is more important than ever for future policymakers to understand why and how foreign policy decisions are made. Inside the Situation Room, co-taught by Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton and Dean Keren Yarhi-Milo, employs insights from diverse academic fields—including political psychology, domestic politics, and international relations—and the direct experience of high-level principals in the room to understand the key factors which underpin a nation’s most crucial decisions. This course allows students to engage with a range of case studies and examine decision-making in a variety of historical and contemporary contexts, from the search for Osama bin Laden, to the “red line” in Syria, to negotiating with Iran.

Students will be taught how to analyze and understand the complex interplay between individual psychology, domestic politics, public opinion, bureaucracy, the international environment, and other factors which feed into decisions about foreign policy—from crisis diplomacy to the use of force, signaling and perception, intelligence and its analysis, the deployment of other instruments of statecraft, and more. Through this course, students will think carefully and analytically about how leaders and other actors view the world, how they arrive at their decisions, and how various social, political, and psychological factors shape the policies they devise to promote their interests abroad. For more information, visit: https://www.sipa.columbia.edu/situationroom

• W 2:10 p.m.-3:50 p.m.
• M 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• M 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• T 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• F 9 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
• F 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• F 9 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
• R 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• R 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• W 9 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
• W 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• Instructor: Keren Yarhi-Milo
  Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Lincoln A Mitchell
  Info
• 0 points

ESG and Corporate Political Strategy

ESG and Corp Poli Strat

The world is facing multiple grand societal challenges, including climate change, social inequality, global health issues, and more. As governments face obstacles in tackling these challenges alone, corporations face increasing pressure to take on greater responsibility for their impact on society, to take public positions on contentious social issues, and to engage with government and others to shape policy and address pressing systemic challenges.
Firms' license to operate and business success nowadays depends on the ability of leadership to lead their organization through these turbulent times. To respond to the increased expectations and pressures by their various constituencies, to leverage opportunities, and to build shareholder value, corporations need to understand how to align their portfolio of market and non-market strategies. That is, they need to understand how to integrate and align their ESG and political strategies with their business strategies to sustain their competitiveness and firm value. Moreover, and importantly, they need to understand whether and how corporations can act as stewards of systemic change by actively engaging with policymakers to improve industry-wide business practices that level the playing field and mitigate system-level challenges such as climate change.
The ESG and Corporate Political Strategy course explores how organizations can align their ESG and corporate political strategies, and how they can engage with policymakers to help shape the rules of the game. In particular, through influencing legislation, regulators, the courts, and NGOs, organizations can modify the rules by which they operate and to trigger systemic change. This course teaches the tools and frameworks to effect such change. While some organizations use such methods for ill, they can also be used by (for- and non-profit) organizations alike to effect positive change, even systemic change.

• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Dylan Minor
  Info
• 1.5 points

Sustainability Reporting

The Sustainability Reporting course explores the ever-evolving global Sustainability and ESG reporting environment and the standards and frameworks that are being used by companies to report on their sustainability related performance. Environmental, Social, and Governance Reporting (“ESG”) also referred to in parts as Corporate Responsibility /Accountability Reporting. The course explores the market drivers that generate the demand for sustainability reporting by companies, key areas of focus for investors and other capital providers, regulatory activities and the intersection of sustainability reporting with traditional corporate financial reporting.

• W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Avner Bukspan
  Info
• 3 points

Climate Change & ESG Investing

This is a full-term elective investigating how climate and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) concepts can be integrated into investment strategies to simultaneously generate financial performance of enhanced returns or reduced risk and achieve real-world outcomes. The class presents the framework of the Double Bottom Line or Double Materiality of both financial performance and real-world outcomes. The focus is on developing and evaluating investment strategies in public markets to achieve both aims from a practitioner’s perspective. Guest speakers will also address how climate change and ESG considerations are being integrated into investment products in a rapidly evolving commercial landscape. A key deliverable of the course is for students to apply the double bottom-line framework to propose a climate-related or an ESG investment strategy of their own and demonstrate how it purports to meet both investment and real-world outcomes.

• F 9 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
• 3 points

Impact Measurement and Management

Impact Measurement & Mana

As impact investing further embeds into the mainstream, Impact Measurement and Management (IMM) is its key differentiator, helping impact investors understand a company’s intention to create positive outcomes and impacts and the evidence it uses to demonstrate whether (“if”) the impact, value, or benefit is indeed being created, and importantly, in what ways (“how”) it is improving the lives of concerned stakeholders and the environment. This course reflects decades of progress by hundreds of organizations, agencies, institutions, thought leaders, and companies in every sector across the globe leading to the convergence and harmonization of key IMM tools and frameworks. Levering SIPA’s vast network, students will hear from many of these pioneers throughout the course. Understanding how to identify what to measure and how to measure and manage impact across space and time is critical to ensuring businesses and investors achieve their goals and make decisions that address the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. We will approach IMM through the entrepreneur/business perspective while understanding that understanding the investor perspective is key to harness impact finance. The goal of this course is to equip students with knowledge of the most valuable and widely accepted methods, tools, and best practices in the field and through applied practice, develop these skills as IMM practitioners with a critical lens and a systems-level understanding of impact measurement for ventures seeking investment and investors seeking opportunities.

• F 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• Instructor: Courtney Sara L Minard
  Info
• 3 points

Investor & Corporate Stewardship - Influ

The course explores the relationship between policymakers and key actors in capital markets. Specifically, it examines the ways in which corporates and investors influence policymaking around climate and natural capital and identifies untapped opportunities for positive intervention by investors and corporates.

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Tanya Khotin
  Info
• 3 points

Global Constitutionalism

Prerequisites: A course in public international law or international relations, Instructor-Managed Waitlist, and Course Application.
The class compares a variety of proposals that have been advanced to promote constitutional world order.  We begin with traditional conceptions of the balance of power among independent “Westphalian” states and then explore arrangements designed to produce alternative forms of constituted international and world order.  These include liberal and authoritarian internationalism, collective security through the League Covenant and the United Nations Charter, John Rawls’s 
Law of Peoples
 and various other contemporary models of international law, global governance networks and global democratization. In addition to assessing the particular merits and limitations of these visions of world order, we will examine the underlying principles of international politics, ethics and constitutional design that characterize these efforts to establish rules for the globe.

• W 4:20 p.m.-6:10 p.m.
• Instructor: Michael Doyle
  Info
• 3 points

International Human Rights Law

Priority Reg: HRHP Concentration.
 The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with the legal regime that exists--or is absent--to respect, protect, and fulfill human rights. This course is intended to introduce students to international human rights through laws, institutions, and advocacy strategies. In this class, we approach human rights law from a practitioner's perspective, which is to say that we are most interested in exploring concrete opportunities for realizing rights once we understand their theoretical and legal bases.

But to start, what is a right? What are the various legal sources of authority for these rights? What are the instruments we can utilize--and how can we utilize them--to try to advance the range of rights from civil and political to economic, social, cultural, and environmental? Who is responsible for protecting and advancing rights, and who may be held accountable for their violations? Does the existence of a right necessarily indicate the existence of a remedy?

In the past decade, human rights advocacy has extended into new realms, well beyond the 'traditional' bounds of violations by repressive governments. Despite the fact that the intersection of human rights with other social and economic justice concerns, including the environment, corporate accountability, and health, has strengthened, questions remain as to how human rights lawyers and advocates can effectively use the law to "enforce" those rights. As a way to strengthen the law, advocates have pushed the boundaries of the tools of human rights advocacy: 'naming and shaming' is still at the core, but public-private engagement to negotiate long-term monitoring programs for private corporations, calls to rights-based programming, litigation, and other tactics are now nearly routine.

In this class, we will learn the law but also explore tools for assessing when, where, and how the law matters. We will explore developments in human rights and the environment, gender analysis, intersections between human rights and humanitarian action, and corporate accountability. The course will endeavor to provide an overview of the range of substantive and procedural rights and the mechanisms and gaps in their enforcement. 
Attendance in the first class session is mandatory.

• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• TW 1 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Betsy Apple
  Info
• 3 points

Forced Displacement: Refugees, IDPs, and

Priority Reg: HRHP Concentration. 
A surge in violent conflict since 2010 has led to historically high levels of forced displacement. More recently, the war in Ukraine has caused the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since the end of World War II. Globally, there are 
more than 100 million forcibly displaced people
 including refugees, internally displaced persons and asylum seekers who have fled their homes to escape violence, conflict and persecution. 

The majority of the world's refugees come from just a handful of countries, with Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Ukraine and Myanmar being among the top countries of origin. These refugees often seek safety in neighboring countries, but many also attempt to make the dangerous journey to Europe or other parts of the world. In recent years, an upsurge of mixed migration has posed enormous practical, but also ethical and legal questions to host governments and aid organizations: in today’s world, what distinguishes a refugee from a migrant? And how does their ensuing treatment differ? Climate displacement, which is growing exponentially outside any normative framework, adds to the complexity of how to address the needs and rights of the displaced globally.

Internal displacement is also a major issue, with people being forced to flee their homes due to conflict, violence, natural disasters, and other factors. IDPs often face similar challenges to refugees, such as lack of access to basic needs like food, water, and healthcare, as well as limited opportunities for education and employment.

The course will allow students to examine the history, norms, principles, actors and governance related to forced displacement to assess with a critical lens whether the system is set up to respond to what forced displacement is today, with all its complexities. Through a combination of thematic sessions and case studies, it will provide an overview of the typologies of displacement, the different initiatives and durable solutions pursued, as well as the remaining questions the international normative and assistance system has to answer.

• M 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Andrew C Heinrich
  Info
• 3 points

Economic Inequality and Its Policy Impli

Economic Inequality & Pol Impl

• M 9 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Wojciech Kopczuk
  CULPA: 5 Wikipedia h-index: 34 Info
• 3 points

Global Financial Mkts & Monetary Policy

Global Fin Mkts & Mon Pol

Prerequisite Course: SIPAU6401 - Macroeconomic Analysis.
 This seminar will focus on some key topics in international finance, with special attention to the relationship between monetary policy and financial markets. Central banks play an important role in driving global financial markets, but at the same time, financial markets can also impact central banks and monetary policy. Understanding the feedback effects between them is important for both market participants and policymakers. Topics covered will include: The relationship between financial conditions and monetary policy; yield curves, term premia, and the real equilibrium interest rate; exchange rates, inflation, and central bank credibility; energy prices and supply shocks; and the recent resilience in emerging markets to higher global policy rates. Each weekly session will combine theory, empirical work, and case studies. Each session will start with a brief overview of the topic from the instructor, followed by a class discussion centered around the assigned weekly readings. Students are expected to be prepared for, and to actively participate in these discussions. Some weeks will also feature brief presentations by students.

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Daniel J Waldman
  Info
• 1.5 points

Portfolio Management and Public Policy

Portfolio Mgmt & Public P

Priority Reg: IFEP Concentration. 
This course is designed for MIA/MPA students who aspire to careers in institutional asset management, either in the industry or at governmental/multilateral institutions. Students will explore the seminal writings that comprise Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT), which is known to all serious practitioners, as well as the challenges to that body of work. Various styles of investing will be defined and differentiated, including active vs passive, value vs growth, factor investing, non-discretionary quantitative investing, risk parity, and ESG. Students will acquire the skills to participate in investment management confidently processes common in the asset management industry, including asset allocation, portfolio construction, risk management, risk and return attribution, portfolio rebalancing, and risk and return reporting. Because this is an MIA/MPA, rather than an MBA course, it will also consider the impact of various public policies on portfolio management, including monetary policy, pension policy, tax policy, tariffs, sanctions, war, and decarbonization.

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Robert Kiernan
  Info
• 1.5 points

Economic and Financial Statecraft

Economic & Financial Statecraf

Priority Reg: IFEP concentration. 
A seminar on the contemporary history and practice of economic statecraft. The course focuses on how the United States and other countries weaponize economic, financial, and technological interdependence to advance strategic objectives. Topics include economic sanctions and restrictions on trade and investment, and case studies include efforts to use economic statecraft to curb Iran’s nuclear program, counter Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and interference in democratic elections, and check China’s 5G ambitions. The course also explores how new technologies and sovereign initiatives, including cryptocurrency and other alternatives to dollar-based payment systems, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, could impact economic statecraft in the future.

• W 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Edward B Fishman
  Info
• 1.5 points

The Global Payments Ecosystem

This course will outline the Global Payments System, both domestic and cross-border, emphasizing Large Value Transfers and the infrastructure of the global financial and monetary system. Payment system operators, by definition, pose systemic risks to the global financial system and the global economy, given their criticality and interconnections to businesses, financial institutions, and households worldwide. The course will also examine the digital transformation in payments, the implications of sanctions, and financial crimes such as fraud, Know Your Customer (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML), and cybersecurity.Financial market Infrastructures (FMIs) and Payment Settlement Systems (RTGSs) like Fedwire, CHIPS, Target, DTCC, SWIFT, and CLS will be reviewed in the context of their economic functions, interconnectivity, governance, and regulation. There will be a particular focus on regulation, application of relevant law, and the risk environment for payment system operators and their customers. A review of relevant policy considerations will be undertaken. The impact of emerging technologies, including tokenization, Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC), and AI, will be explored in a rapidly changing environment. No discussion on the Global Payments System is complete without discussing the geopolitical environment. This course will explore how these forces have played out in the past and the near future, including a student mock debate about how they might evolve in an increasingly divided world. 
Instructor: Yawar Shah

• M 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Yawar Shah
  Info
• 1.5 points

War and Captivity

As long as societies have gone to war, commanders have had to consider how they will treat captives. It can be a factor at every stage of a struggle, from negotiations to avert war, tactics and strategy for winning, and post-conflict resolution. And long after the end of fighting, the experience of captivity can continue to shape how people recall and commemorate their history. This course examines how generations of lawmakers, diplomats, military commanders and activists have dealt with the problem of captivity. It will also explore the experience of the captives themselves, as well as their guards, including those guards who themselves were made prisoner after being accused of war crimes. Students will become familiar not just with different kinds of modern conflict, but also the different disciplinary methods for studying it, from sociology and political science to philosophy and international law.

• T 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• Instructor: Sarah C Kovner
  Info
• 3 points

Central Issues in American Foreign Polic

Central Issues in Amer For Pol

This course examines the sources, substance, and enduring themes of American foreign policy. Part I reviews the rise of American power in world affairs from the 18th Century through the end of the Cold War. Part II provides an overview of the process and politics of American foreign policy making. Part III applies the theory and history of Part I, and the process of Part II, to examine a number of contemporary U.S. foreign policy issues and debates, including America’s two wars with Iraq; America’s responses to the threat of global terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; and what role the United States should play in the world economy, global and regional institutions, and the developing world.

• T 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Stuart M Gottlieb
  CULPA: 12 Info
• 3 points

Conceptual Foundations of International

Conceptual Found of Intl Polit

Open to First-Year MIA Only.
Through a review of major academic writings, lectures, and class discussions, Conceptual Foundations of International Politics examines many of the central concepts, theories, and analytical tools used in contemporary social science to understand and explain international affairs. The theoretical literature is drawn from different fields in the social sciences, including comparative politics, international relations, political sociology, and economics; the lecturers include members of the Columbia faculty who are authorities in these fields (as well as, in many cases, experienced practitioners in their own right) alongside a number of outside guest speakers. The course is designed to enhance students' abilities to think critically and analytically about current problems and challenges in international politics. Conceptual Foundations is a semester-long course. The lecture/plenary session is held weekly, and the seminar-style sections also meet every week. Attending lectures and discussion sections is obligatory. Students are required to complete assigned readings before their discussion section.

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• T 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• W 9 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
• W 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• R 9 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
• W 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• R 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• R 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• W 9 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
• W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• R 9 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Hisham Aidi
  Wikipedia Info
• 4 points

Negotiation & Conflict Resolution

There are two purposes to this course: 1. to develop your ability to negotiate in a purposeful, principled and effective way; and 2. to teach you how to build consensus and broker wise agreements with others. Negotiation is a social skill, and like all social skills you have to practice it if you want to get better at it. To give you the chance to practice, we'll do a number of simulated negotiations in and out of class. We'll also use lectures, case studies, exercises, games, videos, and demonstrations to help you develop your understanding. As we advance in the course, our focus will shift from simple one-on-one negotiations to more complex ones involving many parties, agents, coalitions, and organizations.

• W 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• Instructor: Seth Freeman
  Info
• 3 points

International Law

Designed for non-lawyers, this course explores the pressing challenges of international law governing the actions of states, international organizations, multinationals, and civil society. The course strengthens participants' analytical and debate skills while providing practical tools and up-to-date knowledge of international law methodologies. Key areas of international law discussed will include general questions such as treaty application, state responsibility and the responsibility of global companies, and the functioning of international organizations as well as specific substantive areas such as human rights, global health, the environment, and climate change, the world economy, peace and conflict, and serious international crimes.

Students will engage directly with current, critical global issues, such as the war in Ukraine, broader conflicts in the Middle East, ongoing plastic waste negotiations in the UN, the future of the UN climate change conferences, the WHO approach to global health reform, and regulatory frameworks on artificial intelligence. We use case studies drawn from urgent, real-world scenarios such as the South China Sea crisis, US countermeasures against cyber operations, Elon Musk’s Starshield program, the UN's Digital Platforms Code of Conduct proposal, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, WTO disputes on intellectual property rights, the ICJ opinions on the Chagos Archipelago and on the “Occupied Palestinian Territory,” and the enhanced role of the International Criminal Court as key learning tools.

This course enables students to understand the foundations of international relations, the interaction among states, and the roles of key international organizations. The key learning outcomes include: 1. Grasping core concepts and terminology of international law and understanding its formation. 2. Developing logical thinking about key rules and areas of international law and the work of relevant bodies. 3. Researching international law topics and applying and critiquing major frameworks to understand global political and social changes. 4. Enhancing group work and communication skills through activities such as drafting legal texts, organizing assignments, and making presentations in simulated classroom settings. By the end of the course, students will enhance their collaboration and communication skills through practical activities aimed at addressing global challenges in the protection of victims. They will practice form

• M 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Horst Fischer
  Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

Theory of International Political Econom

Thry of Intl Political Economy

The course serves as an introduction to the politics of international economic relations. It examines the major conceptual approaches in the field of international political economy and the main elements of several key substantive issue areas such as money, finance, trade, economic development and globalisation. Students need not have an extensive background in international economics to complete the course, but those unfamiliar with basic economic principles may find several sections of the course challenging.

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Markus H Jaeger
  Info
• 3 points

Methods for Sustainable Development Prac

Methods for Development Pract

Open to EPD Concentration Only. Prerequisite: Course Application. 
This course is the first part of a two-course sequence for advanced students concentrating in Economic and Political Development. The second part is the Workshop in Sustainable Development Practice (SIPA U9001). These courses are integrated into a year-long encounter with the actual practice of sustainable development, guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals. The course seeks to help students develop a conceptual and critical understanding of some of the key tools and approaches employed by organizations in sustainable development practice, and to skill students in using these approaches and tools in a discerning, ethical and effective manner that recognizes their shortcomings and limitations. The course takes a hands-on approach and promotes learning by doing. Questions of Whose development? Whose priorities and agenda? Whose proposed solutions and strategies? are ever present in choosing development approaches and outcomes. Development work, to the extent it involves development organizations and workers entering as external agents of change into a national arena or local community, is an intensely political exercise. What has changed in the course of sustainable development practice is that development workers increasingly perceive themselves less as direct agents of change - delivering top-down transfers of knowledge and resources from those who know best or have more, to those in need or who need to be influenced - and more as facilitators of change. According to this approach, the development worker seeks to act as a medium and partner in identifying local needs and priorities, and helping to translate these into equitable and sustainable development outcomes through knowledge-sharing, empowerment, capacity building and/or additional resources. However, this transition has been uneven, and externally-driven, top-down approaches persist. Development workers also need to be continually aware of the values, assumptions and biases that they bring to their interactions with local actors and that are implicit in the approaches and tools that they use. With needs, priorities and agendas contested across many levels and sets of interests, the job of a development worker is a complex and responsible one. To that end, this course also challenges students to reflect on their goals and desired approaches in their future roles as development agents. Registration in this cours

• W 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• R 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• F 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
• F 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• Instructor: Eugenia McGill
  Info
• 3 points

Methods for Sustainable Development Prac

Methods for Development Pract

Open to EPD Concentration Only. Prerequisite: Course Application. 
This course is the first part of a two-course sequence for advanced students concentrating in Economic and Political Development. The second part is the Workshop in Sustainable Development Practice (SIPA U9001). These courses are integrated into a year-long encounter with the actual practice of sustainable development, guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals. The course seeks to help students develop a conceptual and critical understanding of some of the key tools and approaches employed by organizations in sustainable development practice, and to skill students in using these approaches and tools in a discerning, ethical and effective manner that recognizes their shortcomings and limitations. The course takes a hands-on approach and promotes learning by doing. Questions of Whose development? Whose priorities and agenda? Whose proposed solutions and strategies? are ever present in choosing development approaches and outcomes. Development work, to the extent it involves development organizations and workers entering as external agents of change into a national arena or local community, is an intensely political exercise. What has changed in the course of sustainable development practice is that development workers increasingly perceive themselves less as direct agents of change - delivering top-down transfers of knowledge and resources from those who know best or have more, to those in need or who need to be influenced - and more as facilitators of change. According to this approach, the development worker seeks to act as a medium and partner in identifying local needs and priorities, and helping to translate these into equitable and sustainable development outcomes through knowledge-sharing, empowerment, capacity building and/or additional resources. However, this transition has been uneven, and externally-driven, top-down approaches persist. Development workers also need to be continually aware of the values, assumptions and biases that they bring to their interactions with local actors and that are implicit in the approaches and tools that they use. With needs, priorities and agendas contested across many levels and sets of interests, the job of a development worker is a complex and responsible one. To that end, this course also challenges students to reflect on their goals and desired approaches in their future roles as development agents. Registration in this cours

• F 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• 0 points

International Intelligence Systems

Intl Intelligence Systems

The collection and use of intelligence have been functions of the state for thousands of years and an essential element of the national security and foreign policy systems of the modern nation-state. However, it has long been apparent that different states conduct intelligence activities differently. What accounts for these differences? Until recently, the secrecy surrounding the activities, structure, and impact of the specialized organizations involved in the intelligence process has made them difficult to study on a comparative basis. Recent advances in the unclassified literature have now made the such study possible.   The comparative study of foreign intelligence systems provides important insights into the foreign policy priorities and goals of the states in question, relevant to the work of both the national security and wider foreign policy communities in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Moreover, the extent to which intelligence systems reflect the political culture of their host societies is also a subject of interest.   This course will begin with an introduction to intelligence systems as an academic subject.   It will continue with a comparative treatment of several Western and non-Western intelligence systems, including those of major international actors and small powers. For each intelligence system, we will examine the historical, institutional, and cultural factors that make it unique. Finally, the course will examine several functional intelligence challenges and compare how different states address these. Particular attention will be paid to the identification of pathologies that can have a negative impact on the role of intelligence organizations within a given state and the reform of intelligence systems to facilitate an appropriate role within a democratic or democratizing society.


In addition to acquiring a strong factual grounding in the status and role of intelligence systems in a wide range of countries, students will become acquainted with salient questions in the field of intelligence studies through the application of comparative methodologies. Future practitioners will gain a grounding in the structure of intelligence organizations and steps of the intelligence cycle as applied across countries with different political systems. This foundation will facilitate an informed understanding of the roles and impact of these intelligence systems in the national security process/decision-making of these countries. This foundation

• R 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• Instructor: David Gutschmit
  Info
• 3 points

The Chinese Economy

When asking a Chinese citizen about a particularly puzzling aspect of China’s economy, the response will sometimes be
“
这是中国特色的“ or this is the Chinese way of doing things. In this course, we will think deeply about what exactly that means in terms of how China’s macro-economy and financial system operates and what are the policy implications for those differences. This course has three distinguishing characteristics: i. It uses modern tools from macroeconomics and finance to analyze the Chinese economy; ii. It compares and contrasts the Chinese economy with the United States as a way of highlighting what makes the Chinese economy (and incidentally the US economy) special; and iii. It treats a country like a company using methods from finance, accounting and management to shed new light on macroeconomic questions. While the focus of the course is, of course China, what students will also learn is how to think more broadly about all emerging economies. Many scholars have written about the significant steps in China’s development process since 1978. Wu Jinglian (2005) or Barry Naughton (2007 – see below), for example, provides excellent step-by-step descriptions of China’s remarkable path of economic progress from both before and after that critical year. This course takes a different approach from that very worthwhile historical/institutional approach in that it asks which tools from the modern economics and finance toolbox can and cannot be used to understand the Chinese economy and financial system. There will be both quantitative and qualitative aspects involved in our pursuit of that understanding. Every lecture will have a theory component, policy discussion component and data analytic component. By the completion of this course, students will know how to work with data related to the Chinese economy and how to go about thinking analytically about China’s economy and financial system. This will allow the student to intelligently answer challenging questions related to China’s current and future economic/financial circumstance.

• R 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
• Instructor: Ronald M Schramm
  Info
• 3 points

Threat Financing & Anti-Money Laundering

Threat Finc & Antimoney Launde

This class provides a comprehensive look at the efforts to prevent and detect money laundering and terrorist financing in a post 9/11 world. Developments in the United States, as well as internationally, are discussed. The evolution of the area is examined, including a review of the relevant statutes and regulations such as the Patriot Act, the Bank Secrecy Act and the Material Support statute. Analysis is done of the Suspicious Activity Reporting that is required to be done by all financial institutions, including banks, securities firms and money services businesses. Cases and actions brought relating to money laundering issues are discussed, including detailed review of the requirements for an Anti-Money Laundering compliance program. There is also analysis of threat financing, from the viewpoint of the requirements placed upon financial institutions, charities and companies, along with a review of cases involving terror financing. In addition, the course addresses the role of lawmakers, lawyers, companies, financial institutions and law enforcement in the process of trying to stop money laundering and terrorist financing.

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Annemarie McAvoy
  Info
• 1.5 points