DIPL - Diplomacy and Intl Rel (DIPL)

Acquaints students with the key theoretical debates in international relations scholarship and introduces students to the practice of diplomacy. Taken during the first semester of the program to strengthen writing and analytical skills.

Surveys cultural diversity manifested in the concepts of ethnicity, national identity and nationalism. Includes study of political and sociological theory and case studies.

Provides a historical and contemporary perspective on the role of intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations in drafting public policy at the regional and global levels.

Examines theories and research concerning the nature and causes of conflict at both the domestic and international levels, as well as methods for avoiding, managing or resolving such conflicts. This course may be offered in traditional or online formats.

Explores the nature and content of international law governing relations between states and relations between states and nonstate actors. The first part of the course examines the building blocks of international law; the second part applies this framework to particular topics, such as the use of force, human rights and international environmental law.

Bridges the gap between students and practitioners by complementing an academic understanding of the United Nations with an appreciation of the day-to-day concerns and realities of the organization. Structured around a series of guest lectures offered by U.N. officials and representatives of governments, civil society and the private sector on a broad range of substantive issues of current concern to the United Nations.

This course will use the medium of film and popular culture to explain and discuss important topics in international relations/politics. Film provides a window to the world and this course will explore how various aspects of international politics have been covered and dramatized in popular culture, particularly film but games and television will also be covered. Emphasis will be placed on all aspects of international relations and diplomacy, but topics such as conflict, civil-military relations, nationalism, international interventions, clash of civilizations, and deterrence will be covered. Film will be used to explain events and major theories in the field.

Provides a comprehensive review of human resources management policies and practices in international organizations. It is designed to develop both analytical and practical skills for dealing with complex personnel management issues in a multicultural and political environment.

Applies an interdisciplinary set of analytical tools to understand international environmental problems, especially those affecting the global commons, including climate change, ozone depletion and biodiversity. Surveys and analyzes the actual and potential institutions the international community employs to address these issues.

International negotiations take place in the shadow of conflicts, crises and wars. Selected theories of international cooperation, as well as insights from other disciplines have contributed to our understanding of the dynamics of international negotiation. The course provides opportunities for simple and complex negotiation exercises as well as conceptual knowledge needed for analyzing real world cases.

Fundamental concepts of international economics and global financial institutions as a basis for understanding the global political economy.

Analyzes dynamics of international trade and finance through the structure and work of the international financial institutions. Covers the basics of the international financial system and explores the potential for international cooperation in the field of development.

The ability to negotiate and manage conflicts across cultures is no longer an optional skill set in the worlds of international business, diplomacy and advocacy. This course, built on cases, interactive exercises and theoretical frameworks, develops skills and knowledge for managing the most challenging political, organizational and interpersonal relationships.

Introduces the interdisciplinary field of conflict analysis and resolution. Investigates the dynamics of conflict transformation, post-conflict peace-building and reconciliation. Connects theory to practice through class discussions, research and case study, and simulation role play.

International security is a critical component of statecraft and global politics with domestic and international constraints and characteristics. This course is built upon an interdisciplinary approach that combines history, theory and policy regarding the origins of conflict, the uses of force in politics, classic approaches to security, strategies and modes of security, and the emerging security environment.

What causes war? What do we need to know to prevent war if possible, and prepare for it when necessary? This course first systematically examines major schools of thoughts on the origins and prevention of war, including power and systemlevel theories of war and peace, domestic and societal sources of conflict, misperception and miscalculation, and psychological and emotional causes of war. The second part of this course applies these theoretical approaches to a series of important historical and contemporary cases of war and conflict in world politics. It is strongly encouraged that students registering for DIPL 6131 have previously completed DIPL 6130.

Grand strategy is the collection of political and military means and ends with which a state attempts to achieve security. This course examines the formulation, implementation, and outcomes of American grand strategy. It particularly explores the structure, operation, and capacity of American military establishment. It also covers the evolution of American grand strategy beginning with the containment strategy during the Cold War, to nuclear deterrence and arms control policy, followed by post-Cold War debates on American strategies of engagement, humanitarian intervention and democracy promotion to cope with the new security environment.

This course introduces the basic philosophy and principles of human rights and examines the historical development and expansion of human rights norms. The course then focuses on the instruments, institutions, and enforcement of human rights from a multidisciplinary perspective, exploring the major international human rights regimes and treaties.

This course provides and examines concepts and frameworks regarding comparative economic development of nations. The course introduces basic theories of macro-economic growth and examines how institutions structure political, social, and economic incentives. The course also investigates how different rules and conventions in societies can result in differences in incentives, and how those differences shape human interactions.

his course will familiarize students with the essential concepts required to understand the economic issues associated with globalization. In particular, we will address a set of topics including why and how nations trade, how governments regulate international trade, regionalism and multilateralism, and the international financial architecture.

This course is an in depth analysis of current aspects of development. We consider recent development dilemmas such as delivery of services for poor people, building institutions for markets, the role of knowledge in advancing economic and social well being, the role and effectiveness of the state in the changing world, and infrastructure and development. We analyze experiences of different countries in Latin America, Africa, East Asia, Eastern Europe, the Former Soviet Union, and the Middle East.

Comparison among the attributes of various actors in international politics helps us understand the sources and outcomes of foreign policy-making. This course introduces students to the principal theories on the sources of foreign policy-making, ranging from the psychology and decision making of the individual policy maker, to the domestic and international constraints involved. Historical and current case studies are utilized by students to apply and test theories of policymaking. This course may be offered in traditional or online formats.

Examines the tools of statecraft available to foreign policymakers as they attempt to protect national values and attain desired objectives vis-a-vis other international actors. The course first reviews key analytical concepts that underpin the study of foreign policy-making, such as influence attempts, threats, promises, policy-contingency frameworks and costbenefit analysis. It then explores the conditions under which various policy instruments such as military power (ground combat, surgical air strikes, naval power, peacekeeping operations), economic statecraft (sanctions, trade, foreign aid) and public diplomacy are likely to achieve national goals.

This course examines new developments in U.S. policy for dealing with failing or fragile states. While lessons learned in conflict situations will be considered, primary emphasis will be on states now hovering on the brink of collapse. Attention will be paid to innovative uses of tools such as anthropology, as well as to rule of law, sustainable development, and democracy building. A central issue throughout the semester will be the inherent contradiction between stability and changes which come about as a result of reconstruction and development.

This course will examine the evolution of human rights as a policy priority and consider the effectiveness of both international and U.S. policy to date. Through this analysis, students will be encouraged not only to identify factors which aid or impede human rights protection but also to develop recommendations for the improvement of human rights policy.

An in-depth study of the bureaucratic and political factors that shape the policy and process of this key UN institution. Lectures and class sessions will focus on specific topical issues of relevance to the Security Council.

This course will examine how the United Nations seeks to address the growing range of transnational problems that appear on its agenda. This increased demand for action comes at a time when the organization is being subjected to varying interpretations about its structure, role and potential in the international system. The course will explore what the UN does, how it works, and the challenges it faces while also considering the potential for United Nations reform in the name of greater effectiveness and legitimacy.

Students attend, at UN Headquarters, weekly briefings and conferences involving UN DPI-accredited NGOs and committees. Students supplement their academic appreciation of UN NGOs, explore the issues before these organizations, discover how issues are identified, and learn how issues are dealt with in a multicultural, multi-sectoral environment.

Course contains the following UNITAR taught modules: Leadership in International Organizations, Public and Cultural Diplomacy, Diplomatic Communication

Course contains the following UNITAR taught modules: Program Analysis, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Assessment, Public-Private Partnerships and Business Diplomacy, Mediation and Negotiation Training

This course aims to present and discuss the major theoretical and empirical approaches to intra-state conflict and conflict resolution. It examines theories that attempt to explain causes and courses of violent ethnic conflicts and civil wars. It discusses the roles played by ethnicity, religion, culture and development in the generation, conduct, and resolution of social conflicts. It also investigates the dynamics of postconflict peace-building and reconstruction in plural societies. It would ground students the basic concepts of conflict resolution and skills of diagnosing social conflict. This course may be offered in traditional or online formats.

This course focuses on the ongoing debate between truth and justice in post-conflict societies, and how to maintain balance of the two in order to pave the way for post-conflict state sustainability. The course interrogates rule of law, justice, and truth as they relate to both the victims and perpetrators of serious human rights violations, and examines the question of reconciliation in the aftermath of violence. Also, included in the course are the nature, scope of mandate, and procedures of truth and reconciliation commissions.

This course seeks to answer two basic questions: 1) why have states failed and 2) what can be done to prevent failure and rebuild weak/failed states in the 21st century? To answer these questions, this course focuses on the integral role that institutions play in ensuring the day-to-day stability of nation states. The course will explore the theory and practice of rebuilding institutions to strengthen states that have undergone failure, and assess strengths and shortcomings of varied interventions at the institutional level.

One of the central challenges in post-conflict reconstruction is rebuilding a viable economy. This course examines the economic after-effects of civil wars and how states and international organizations have responded to the challenge of rebuilding post-conflict economies. Students will appraise the possible tradeoffs that exist in forming a government that can protect property rights, reconstituting a viable economy, and promoting peace. In evaluating the role of international actors (through foreign aid and the role of the IMF and World Bank), our aim is to develop and propose more optimal policies that mitigate these tradeoffs. This course may be offered in traditional or online formats.

This online course deals with the practical aspects of postconflict state reconstruction and sustainability and interrogates possible gaps in the academic–policy divide. Included in the course are examination of the roles played by various actors, including governmental and non-governmental international organizations, target state governmental and nongovernmental agencies, and others involved in capacity building and resilience in post-conflict societies.

Through a study abroad trip in different post-conflict contexts, such as the Basque country and the Balkans, this course examines how different actors and institutions address processes of dealing with the contentious past and how the politics of collective remembering impacts the dynamics of relationships among people on the ground. We will also examine various social practices and initiatives of counteracting the negative effects of divisive histories through education, justice, policy-making, art and commemoration.

This course will examine the governance challenges of global health. It will address the following questions: What is the current institutional architecture of actors engaged in global health? How suitable are existing institutions for responding to the 21st century global health challenges? Which tools and mechanisms have succeeded or failed to “govern” transborder health threats, and why? To what extent are the international relations theories relevant in accounting for the dynamics in global health governance? Where are the major governance gaps? By taking this course, students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to identify major global health challenges, diagnose major governance gaps in the current system, evaluate a wide range of tools and mechanisms for shaping global governance processes, and examine, assess and design interventions for improved governance.

This interdisciplinary course covers the issues of global health, biological weapons and international security. It has four main objectives: 1) to introduce students to the concept of health security; 2) to elucidate the linkages between health and security, with special attention paid to bioterrorism; 3) to examine the global health challenges and their conflict and security implications; and 4) to explore the policy options addressing such challenges.

This course examines the role of epidemics as causative agents of historic change, focusing on the global impact of infectious disease. In addition to the demographic and social effects of infectious disease, it examines the impact on political stability, economic development, and international relations. The implications of human response to infectious disease, including the impact on human rights, are also discussed.

This course provides in-depth and multifaceted analyses of issues, problems, and policies in international health and development in the major regions of the world. Issues that are considered include environmental and ecological change, demographic and epidemiological transitions, new and reemerging diseases, family and reproductive health, and health systems change. Implications for development and policy responses are explored in detail for each issue.

Facilitates development of the ability to design, execute and critique of research pertinent to policy development and management, at global, regional or national levels, including governmental, inter-governmental or non-governmental organizations.

Students develop, execute and present a research project as a culminating component of the master’s program, in consultation with a faculty mentor.

Provides an opportunity for certain students to extend the research and writing performed in DIPL 6311 by completion of a formal master’s thesis. Registration requires approval from the graduate thesis adviser. The thesis and its defense must conform to standards established by the School of Diplomacy.

This course offers an overview of the role of religion and race in international relations. Students explore the causes, nature, and consequences of key issues related to the interplay of religion and race in history at the practical and theoretical levels. By understanding what scholars have learned and connecting these lessons to current events, students will acquire tools to approach contemporary and future issues.

This course delves into historical and contemporary debates and discussions about the ways in which ideas about race have contributed to international law and politics. It surveys the historical construction of the international order through practices of legalized dispossession such as slavery, colonialism, and settler-colonialism; arguments over the significance of those practices for human rights and international law today; and disciplinary debates over the occlusion of race in the study of international law and international relations. In the process, the course looks at how human rights and international justice grapple with racial discrimination, reparations, and apartheid. The final section of the course reflects on recent developments in both scholarship and advocacy.

Readings and seminar discussion on the emerging role of the European Union as it relates to neighbors and the world.

Detailed analysis of the global role of states within the former Soviet sphere, both among themselves and in relation to the European Union, China and the United States.

Comprehensive introduction to the politics of the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and post-Soviet Russia, including development of the Soviet Union as a multinational, planned economy empire and the causes of collapse. It also explores the challenges faced by the new states that emerged from the collapse, with special attention to the economic and political problems of these states’ transformations as affected by the different legacies of the Soviet period in each of the countries involved.

This course examines U.S. involvement in the Middle East in the 20th Century, exploring how the U.S. has emerged as the principal foreign actor in the Middle East.

This course explores energy options, analyzing the economic, political, environmental and technical constraints upon them, in light of major current imperatives climate change and the deregulation of nuclear power.

This course will assess the economic, political and social impact of EU membership on Cyprus. Students will gain insights based on the perceptions of different actors, namely public sector, private sector, and civil society. After serious preparation, students will visit Cyprus and interact with the main players. Based on this visit, the class will prepare a report, for which every member will contribute.

Examines the communities and economics of the region, historical background and causes of conflict both at the domestic and international levels, as well as U.S. policies to manage or resolve such conflicts. After addressing the present problems of the region and its importance in international relations, the course examines case studies and issues which present significant challenges to global peace and security in the 21st Century.

This course takes an in-depth look at terrorism in its contemporary political incarnation. Areas covered include the connections between fundamentalism, religion and terrorism; the abilities of security services and intelligence organizations to effectively monitor and combat terrorism; use of the internet by extremist groups; cooperation between and among terrorist networks; and the drug trade, arms trafficking, and terrorism.

Based on historical events and the latest developments of the bilateral relationship between the United States and China, this course will explore how the relationship between Washington and Beijing evolved in the past three centuries with the interactions between the U.S. and “new China” - the People’s Republic of China as the focus. Moreover, in probing the current affairs in the Sino-U.S. relationship, specific areas such as the Taiwan issue, security and economic cooperation, and human rights will be discussed.

This course explores the opportunities and challenges posed by the rise of China. It culminates in a 10-day field trip to China.

Examines the Southeast Asian states as autonomous actors, the regionalization of Southeast Asian foreign policies, and the states’ and regions’ relations in the environment external to Southeast Asia.

This course analyzes the structures, processes, policies and politics of China’s interactions with the world.

The course identifies and examines factors that shape interstate relations in Africa, and the relations between African states and other influential actors, including the European Union and the United States. It also explores how globalization has affected the dynamics of the contemporary relationships between African states and international non-governmental organizations.

An analysis of the problems associated with economic development in Africa. It investigates trade patterns, trade regimes, and alternate development strategies.

This course examines conflicts in Africa and the AU’s role in conflict resolution. Included in the study seminar are the nature and sources of conflicts in Africa; the structure and organization of the AU and its predecessor, the Organization of African Unity (OAU); agenda-setting at the AU; and the role the AU plays in conflict resolution, especially its relationship with the UN regarding peace operations in Africa. Through a study trip to the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), students will explore and interrogate the theories and practice of conflict resolution by international organizations, with particular reference to the AU.

This seminar examines the major foreign policy doctrines applied by the United States in Latin America from the Monroe Doctrine through the Good Neighbor Policy and the Alliance for Progress until the present agendas combining the “War on Terror” and “Free Trade.” We will ask questions such as how US policy is shaped, why it has changed over time, which policies are most effective in securing mutually beneficial relationships, and what the options are with regard to key issues such as trade, immigration, drugs, and democracy promotion.

This seminar examines the major foreign policy doctrines applied by the United States in Latin America from the Monroe Doctrine through the Good Neighbor Policy and the Alliance for Progress until the present agendas combining the “War on Terror” and “Free Trade.” We will ask questions such as how US policy is shaped, why it has changed over time, which policies are most effective in securing mutually beneficial relationships, and what the options are with regard to key issues such as trade, immigration, drugs, and democracy promotion.

This seminar provides an overview of major approaches to the study of Latin American politics and society. It emphasizes both a historical perspective and an analysis of current trends and issues. Using various analytical lenses, including cultural, structural, institutional, and rational-choice perspectives, the course focuses on the different kinds of political regimes and the patterns of political change that have characterized Latin America.

This seminar provides an overview of major approaches to the study of political economy in Latin America, past and present development trends, and recent economic policy debates. The course examines the switch from import-substituting industrialization to export-led growth models, the effects of and reactions to the rise of neoliberal policies, and new reform efforts. Course readings balance theory and empirics, range across methodologies and academic disciplines, and provide contrasting normative perspectives.

Provides the opportunity for selected students to pursue a research project under the direct supervision of a member of the faculty. Details of course content are arranged individually. Departmental permission required.

Students pursue a course of specialized reading and discussion supervised by a member of the faculty. Departmental permission required

Students pursue a course of specialized reading and discussion supervised by a member of the faculty. Departmental Permission Required.

Provides students with educationally-related work and learning experiences that integrate knowledge and theory with practical application and skill development in a professional setting. Departmental permission required. These courses are offered on a (S)atisfactory/(U)nsatisfactory basis.

Provides students with educationally-related work and learning experiences that integrate knowledge and theory with practical application and skill development in a professional setting. Departmental permission required. These courses are offered on a (S)atisfactory/(U)nsatisfactory basis.

This course introduces students to prominent Washingtonbased actors and institutions that influence international policy. Washington, D.C. is not only the capital city of the United States, but also the headquarters of many major global institutions such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Through meetings with representatives of governments, international organizations, think-tanks, advocacy organizations and the press, students gain a firsthand understanding of the policy-process and apply that knowledge to current, economic, diplomatic, humanitarian, and security challenges.

This Washington, D.C. based seminar examines the causes, consequences and possible solutions to many of the global policy challenges of the 21st Century. Adopting a multidisciplinary approach, this course examines the economic, political, and social aspects of issues such as climate change, global health, post-conflict resolution, and economic development. Access to policy-makers provides students an opportunity to analyze these issues with leading experts.

Students serve on the editorial board of the Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations with the option to earn credit for this work

Students serve on the editorial board of the Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations with the option to earn credit for this work

Students serve on the editorial board of the Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations with the option to earn credit for this work