Spring 2025
International Conflict and Cooperation
Dustin Tingley PhD, Professor of Government, Harvard University
This course is an introduction to the analysis of the causes and character of international conflict and cooperation. Theories of international relations are presented and then applied to contemporary and historical cases. The course begins with a foundational review of the different levels at which states interact and the primary theoretical paradigms in the field. It then addresses how states achieve cooperation in the face of international anarchy, a question that has attracted the attention of scholars since Thucydides. The course next addresses basic bargaining theory, which uses insights from economics to explore how bargaining breakdowns, commitment problems, and incomplete information can lead to war. Thereafter we examine three popular topics in contemporary international relations research: the roles that psychology, leaders, and domestic politics play in explaining international conflict and cooperation. We also explore the sources and effects of international institutions such as the United Nations and World Trade Organization. We spend a week studying terrorism, a problem of particular significance in the modern world. We also look at trade, foreign aid, international development, and climate change. We conclude with international law and an exploration of the future of international relations.
Fall 2024
International Conflict and Cooperation
Dustin Tingley PhD, Professor of Government, Harvard University
This course is an introduction to the analysis of the causes and character of international conflict and cooperation. Theories of international relations are presented and then applied to contemporary and historical cases. The course begins with a foundational review of the different levels at which states interact and the primary theoretical paradigms in the field. It then addresses how states achieve cooperation in the face of international anarchy, a question that has attracted the attention of scholars since Thucydides. The course next addresses basic bargaining theory, which uses insights from economics to explore how bargaining breakdowns, commitment problems, and incomplete information can lead to war. Thereafter we examine three popular topics in contemporary international relations research: the roles that psychology, leaders, and domestic politics play in explaining international conflict and cooperation. We also explore the sources and effects of international institutions such as the United Nations and World Trade Organization. We spend a week studying terrorism, a problem of particular significance in the modern world. We also look at trade, foreign aid, international development, and climate change. We conclude with international law and an exploration of the future of international relations.
Fall 2024
Deliberative Justice: The Theory and Practice of Good Citizenship
Sergio Imparato PhD, Lecturer on Government, Harvard University
The course is an introduction to the theory, methods, and practice of deliberative moral reasoning. Students learn how to effectively identify and analyze ethical dilemmas relevant to their communities, how to constructively engage in civic debates, and how to present persuasive moral arguments in public settings. Class meetings feature presentations that address the students' topics of interest, discussions on methods of moral deliberation, and assignments that bolster written and oral communication. Emphasis is placed on the development of the written and rhetorical skills needed to advance moral arguments of a political nature. Examples include issues of social, political, and economic inequalities, environment, healthcare, and biomedical issues, migration, civic membership, and issues of privacy, technology, and dignity of work.
Fall 2024
Deliberative Justice Precapstone: The Theory and Practice of Good Citizenship
Sergio Imparato PhD, Lecturer on Government, Harvard University
The course is an introduction to the theory, methods, and practice of deliberative moral reasoning. Students learn how to effectively identify and analyze ethical dilemmas relevant to their communities, how to constructively engage in civic debates, and how to present persuasive moral arguments in public settings. Class meetings feature presentations that address the students' topics of interest, discussions on methods of moral deliberation, and assignments that bolster written and oral communication. Emphasis is placed on the development of the written and rhetorical skills needed to advance moral arguments of a political nature. Examples include issues of social, political, and economic inequalities; environment, healthcare and biomedical issues; migration, civic membership, and issues of privacy; technology; and dignity of work.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, GOVT E-599c, in the upcoming spring term as their one and only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Fall 2024
Policy Writing and Analysis Precapstone
Michael David Miner PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
This course prepares students for advanced study, writing, and research in policy analysis. Lectures and in-class activities prioritize diagnosis and communication of problems followed by the development of methodological policy prescriptions. Topical readings encompass the foreign and domestic spectrum including historical case studies to illustrate dynamics in motion. Coursework stresses tangible skills to better evaluate, design, and write policy papers. A policy paper is a scholarly work that analyzes a relevant issue and provides evidence-based, actionable recommendations for decision-makers and organizational leaders. Emphasis is placed on the identification of policy challenges, the use of methodological tools to analyze them, and the design and presentation of potential solutions. This course further explores public policy including a comprehensive review of processes that drive and inform decision making at the local, state, federal, and international levels. Students are provided ample writing and research opportunities to explore issues of personal and professional interest in the production of a high-quality policy paper. Assignments include practical tools and skills most frequently used in policy settings such as memos and briefings, but also longer analytical papers and presentations.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, GOVT E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one and only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Fall 2024
Policy Writing and Analysis Precapstone
Nicholas Coburn-Palo PhD, Preceptor in Public Speaking, Harvard University
The aim of the course is to provide students with the critical and analytical skills to evaluate, design, and write a policy paper. A policy paper is a scholarly work that analyzes a relevant policy issue and provides evidence-based, actionable recommendations. Emphasis is placed on the identification of policy problems, the use of methodological tools to analyze them, and the design and presentation of potential solutions. Class meetings feature presentations of policy papers that address the students' topics of interest, discussions of research strategies employed by policy analysts, and assignments that bolster written and oral communication. Students learn about all aspects of policy paper design, including the identification of relevant data sources, techniques for analysis, and the proper method of presenting policy paper findings. Examples of policy paper topics include migration and refugee policies, social and economic inequality issues, environmental and sustainability issues, gender equality and gender-based violence issues, cyberwarfare strategies, counterterrorism strategies, and issues of international security and nuclear proliferation.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, GOVT E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one and only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Fall 2024
National Security Writing and Analysis Precapstone
Derek Reveron PhD, Lecturer in Extension and Faculty Affiliate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University, and Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval War College
This course prepares students for advanced study, writing, and research in national security. This course explores the national security system and policy processes that drive and inform decision making. Readings span current affairs and historical cases to illustrate dynamics of strategic decision making. Assignments include the development of practical tools and skills most frequently used in national security settings such as memos, briefings, and working group presentations. There is individual and in-class group work that simulates the experience of real-world practitioners working in national security from the front lines of the military, intelligence community, and civilian workforce to top level decision making inside the White House.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, GOVT E-599b, in the upcoming spring term as their one and only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Fall 2024
Strategies to Advance Social Change Precapstone
Flavia Perea PhD, Lecturer on Sociology, Harvard University
How can we make change? In this course we explore the ethical foundations, principles, methods, tools, and skill-set essential for designing strategies to advance social change. We explore various perspectives and practices for students to equip themselves with the tools to imagine and design novel, rigorous, and equity-centered strategies to make progress towards justice in society. Together we engage with various ideas and materials drawn from law and policy, community organizing, advocacy, the social sciences, journalism, documentary film, community health, and personal narrative, as well as scholarly literature, both contemporary and historical, with an eye towards the future. The course emphasizes collaborative approaches for advancing social change through partnership, movement and coalition building, collective agency, empowerment, and organizing to cultivate and sustain collaborative efforts that leverage individual and collective agency and capacity for our liberation. Interrogating and dissecting harmful systems of power is central to our work, as students each develop individual projects that leverage inquiry for purposeful transformative action to help dismantle structures of domination and oppression. Students may not take both GOVT E-597a and GOVT E-1072 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, anthropology, government, international relations, or religion, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, GOVT E-599a, in the upcoming spring term as their one and only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Spring 2025
Deliberative Justice Capstone
Sergio Imparato PhD, Lecturer on Government, Harvard University
This course allows students to apply the knowledge acquired in GOVT E-594 to produce a capstone essay. In consultation with the instructor, students work in groups to identify ethical conflicts that affect their communities and work towards the development of an argumentative essay. Throughout the semester, students receive feedback both from their peers and the instructor to aid in the development of their group projects. Class meetings include the development of writing schedules, discussions focused on moral reasoning methodology, and peer-review analysis of student projects. The capstone culminates with a formal presentation of the students' argument to a local town hall meeting.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, GOVT E-594, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Spring 2025
National Security Analysis Capstone
Derek Reveron PhD, Lecturer in Extension and Faculty Affiliate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University, and Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval War College
This course provides candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, an opportunity to complete a national security policy research project. The students frame a problem for analysis, complete an in-depth research project, and present their findings to senior representatives from a government organization.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other degree-fulfilling course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, GOVT E-597, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Spring 2025
Policy Analysis Capstone
Michael David Miner PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
This course offers candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, the opportunity to apply the knowledge acquired in GOVT E-595 to conduct independent policy analysis, write a comprehensive paper, and brief a professional audience. In consultation with the instructor, students select a concrete policy problem, conduct autonomous research to analyze the topic in detail, and provide a set of actionable recommendations for consideration by an outside panel of experts. Throughout the semester students receive feedback from their peers, instructors, and staff to aid project development. Class meetings include the creation of writing schedules, discussions focused on policy analysis methodology, and peer-review analysis of student projects. As time permits special guests are invited to share insights on policy related issues. Students are provided ample writing and research opportunities to explore topics of personal and professional interest in the production of high-quality policy papers worthy of publication outside of the course. Projects are team oriented reflecting a real-world approach seen at the local, state, federal, and international levels on policy matters foreign and domestic. Emphasis is placed on the identification of potential target audiences, such as governmental agencies, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), policymakers, and practitioners. The capstone project culminates with a formal presentation of projects to a panel of policy experts and includes detailed feedback and consideration of the arguments, ideas, and recommendations.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, GOVT E-595, with the same instructor in the prior fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Spring 2025
Policy Analysis Capstone
Nicholas Coburn-Palo PhD, Preceptor in Public Speaking, Harvard University
This course offers candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, the opportunity to apply the knowledge acquired in GOVT E-595 to conduct independent policy analysis and write a professional policy paper. In consultation with the instructor, students select a concrete policy problem, produce autonomous research to analyze it, and provide a set of actionable recommendations to solve it. Throughout the semester, students receive feedback both from their peers and the instructor to aid the development of their projects. Class meetings include the development of writing schedules, discussions focused on policy analysis methodology, and peer-review analysis of student projects. Emphasis is placed on the identification of potential target audiences, such as governmental agencies, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), and policy makers and practitioners. The capstone project culminates with a formal presentation of the students' projects to a panel of experts.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, GOVT E-595, with the same instructor in the prior fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Spring 2025
Social Justice Capstone: Equity and the Struggle for Justice
Flavia Perea PhD, Lecturer on Sociology, Harvard University
In this course, candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government, international relations, or religion further develop and implement the project they began designing in GOVT E-597a, as students move from concepts, theory, and aspirations to their concrete applications in the real world. Projects require a strong conceptual foundation ground in evidence, best practices, as well as the principles and methods integral for the formulation of equitable, impactful, and transformative strategies to advance social change. The course takes a workshop approach where students work in small groups, continually supporting each other to further develop individual projects that engage collaborators, communities, stakeholders, or the broader public to plan and carry out action. Students share their work and progress in their small groups and with the whole class throughout the term.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, anthropology, government, international relations, or religion, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, GOVT E-597a, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Spring 2025
Global Ethnic Politics
Gloria Y.A. Ayee PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University and Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
This course provides a comparative, global analysis of race and ethnicity, and is designed to help students understand the history, dynamics, and salience of ethnic inequality and political cleavage. Issues under consideration include definitions of race and ethnicity, colonization, nationhood, the politics and political history of indigenous peoples, the history and persistence of white supremacy, multiculturalism, legacies of slavery, ethnic political mobilization, panethnicity, diasporas and transnationalism, migration, ethnic cleansing and genocide, contemporary racial stratification, causes of ethnic conflict and violence, and responses to ethnic conflict.
Spring 2025
Res Publica: A History of Representative Government
Daniel Carpenter PhD, Allie S. Freed Professor of Government, Harvard University
"A republic, if you can keep it." So did Benjamin Franklin characterize his hopes for American government. What did Franklin and others mean by republic, and why did he and so many others worry that it might be something hard to hold onto? This course provides the theoretical basis and historical evolution of republics so that students can understand the American system of a democratic republic, now spread widely around the planet even as it is considered under threat. Students read Alexander Hamilton alongside Thomas Jefferson, Niccolo Machiavelli alongside Baron de Montesquieu, and Angelina Grimk alongside Frederick Douglass. We consider systems of governance in Republican Rome, medieval Europe, early modern England and France, Native American nations, and the United States. The thinkers and founders we read thought long and hard about what freedom is, how to balance executive and legislative power, and why republics and democracies can be unstable. As a democratic republic, the United States places great faith in the capacity of voters to choose their rulers, who in turn make most of our policies. Is this faith misplaced? What is the role for virtue in a republic, and what is virtue? How does inequality undermine republican stability, and what might be done about it?
Spring 2025
Money, Markets, and Morals
Michael J. Sandel DPhil, Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government, Harvard University
What should be the role of money and markets in our society? Are there some things that money should not be able to buy? Should people be permitted to buy sex, votes, babies, citizenship, or college admission? What about buying and selling the right to pollute, procreate, immigrate, discriminate, or to hunt endangered species? Should we use markets to govern health care, education, privacy, or criminal law? The course considers what moral limits, if any, the law should impose on market exchanges. Drawing upon classical philosophical works and contemporary moral and political controversies, we attempt to determine what goods and social practices should not be up for sale.
Fall 2024
Justice
Michael J. Sandel DPhil, Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government, Harvard University
This course explores critical analysis of classical and contemporary theories of justice, including discussion of present-day applications. Topics include affirmative action, income distribution, same-sex marriage, the role of markets, debates about rights (human rights and property rights), arguments for and against equality, and dilemmas of loyalty in public and private life. The course invites learners to subject their own views on these controversies to critical examination. The principal readings for the course are texts by Aristotle, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, and John Rawls. Other assigned readings include writings by contemporary philosophers, court cases, and articles about political controversies that raise philosophical questions.
Spring 2025
Human Rights and International Politics
Mathias Risse PhD, Berthold Beitz Professor in Human Rights, Global Affairs and Philosophy, Harvard Kennedy School
This seminar is an introduction to human rights and the role they have come to play in international politics. The goal is to provide basic human rights literacy and to put students in a position to debate questions about human rights and dilemmas that arise about them.
Fall 2024
Transitional Justice and the Politics of Truth Commissions
Gloria Y.A. Ayee PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University and Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Scholars, policymakers, and political leaders have long debated appropriate responses to severe human rights violations that occur during periods of civil conflict, war, and genocide. This course introduces students to interdisciplinary studies in transitional justice and post-conflict reconciliation by focusing on the work of truth and reconciliation commissions. Students examine key concepts and theoretical perspectives that are central to the field of transitional justice. Drawing on cases such as South Africa, Chile, Peru, Kenya, Liberia, Nepal, Panama, and Canada, the course critically examines how truth commissions are used to provide accountability for human rights abuses carried out by the state.
Fall 2024
Political Corruption
Jeeyang Rhee Baum PhD, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
This course provides a comparative analysis of political corruption in rich and poor countries around the world. Why do countries vary in the extent of corruption they experience and with what consequences? This course explores this question using empirical data, as well as related issues. For example, how and why do public officials abuse the public trust and engage in illegal actions while in office? Why is corruption so prevalent in poor countries? Does political corruption decline with economic development? What do politicians gain from political corruption? Under what conditions do countries adopt anti-corruption strategies and how effective have they been? We examine case studies including Afghanistan, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Italy, Nigeria, South Korea, and the US.
Fall 2024
Democratic Transitions in Comparative Perspective
Nicholas Coburn-Palo PhD, Preceptor in Public Speaking, Harvard University
This course addresses the question of challenges faced by transitions toward democracy in governing systems. We focus on two interrelated questions, drawing upon both theoretical literature and case studies: what conditions are propitious or deleterious for durable democratic consolidation? And, in the latter instance, are there ways of overcoming less than ideal starting points? Posing these questions requires distinguishing between the process of democratization and the outcome of a stable, well-functioning democratic regime. In doing so, we examine problematic cases, historic and contemporary, where democracy has survived and thrived despite the initial odds. We also look at democratic reversals, where hopes of competitive elections and representative governance have been thwarted. The point of doing so is to have students think critically about democratic theory and the process of regime change to properly assess contemporary events, evaluating what factors are unfavorable to democracy, as well as whether these issues might be overcome through institutional design or other means.
Fall 2024
Democracy: Breakthroughs and Breakdowns
Daniel Ziblatt PhD, Eaton Professor of the Science of Government, Harvard University
What gives rise to democracy? What leads it to die? This course has a broad comparative and global sweep, seeking to answer these questions by analyzing the development of democracy in Europe, the United States, and Latin America. The course introduces students to competing conceptions of democracy, competing theories of when democracy is created and barriers to democratic survival, and analyzes major episodes of democratic breakthrough and breakdown ranging from the fall of the Berlin wall to the rise of Nazism and the collapse of democracy in cold war Latin America.
Fall 2024
Capitalism, Democracy, and War in Central and Eastern Europe in Historical Perspective
Grzegorz Ekiert PhD, Laurence A. Tisch Professor of Government, Harvard University
The last one hundred years of east central European history represents a fascinating case for students of comparative politics interested in political transitions and regime changes, as well as social and economic transformations and their political consequences. During this period new states emerged, disappeared, and re-emerged in the region. Democratic, fascist, and communist regimes were established and dismantled. Economic systems were destroyed and rebuilt. Countries experienced wars, foreign invasions, revolutions and civil wars, state- and nation-building processes, economic and political crises, rapid social and cultural transformations, and modernization. This course examines critical periods in central and east European history and politics: the emergence and experiences of newly restored independent states in the aftermath of the First World War, the devastations of the Second World War and subsequent imposition of communist regimes, their evolution and their rapid and largely unanticipated collapse in 1989, subsequent transitions to democracy and a market economy, the accession to the European Union (EU) and the recent slowdown in economic reforms, democratic backsliding, the largely unexpected authoritarian turn in some of the new EU member states and Russian invasion of Ukraine. The course is designed to provide a general introduction to central and east European politics; survey existing interpretations of social, political and economic developments in the region; and examine these developments within the framework of the contemporary literature in comparative politics.
Spring 2025
Why Do People Choose Autocrats?
Yevgenia M Albats PhD, Walter Shorenstein Media and Democracy Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School
More than thirty years ago, 29 nations of central, southern, and eastern Europe, as nations in northern Caucasus and central Asia, embarked on the road from a one-party rule and state-controlled economy to a Western type of democracy and a market economy. Of those 29 nations, seven never made it, three are still trying, and at least three are falling in with populists and reverting back to authoritarian rule. Dictatorial Russia invaded a democratic neighboring Ukraine in an attempt to recreate the Tzarist/Soviet empire. During this course, we explore why some nations choose a heavy hand over freedom and what institutional, historical, cultural, and economic variables are responsible for variations in outcome by using examples from the broader world of autocrats and autocracies.
Prerequisites: GOVT E-20 or the equivalent.
Spring 2025
Transatlantic Relations after the Ukraine War
Francesca Giovannini DPhil, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
This course examines the impact of the conflict in Ukraine on the security of Europe and North America. The course explores the various security challenges faced by the transatlantic community, including Russian aggression, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, cyber attacks, and energy security. The course also examines the role of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) in addressing these challenges and maintaining stability in the region. The course begins with an overview of the causes and consequences of the Ukraine war, including the annexation of Crimea and the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine. It then explores the various diplomatic and military responses to the conflict, including sanctions, military exercises, and the deployment of NATO troops to eastern Europe. The course also examines the political and economic implications of the conflict, including the impact on NATO and the EU, the rise of nationalist movements in Europe, and the emergence of new alliances and partnerships. The course also covers the challenges posed by Russian aggression, including its military intervention in Ukraine, its support for separatist movements in the region, and its efforts to undermine Western democracies. The course examines the various strategies adopted by the transatlantic community to counter these challenges, including sanctions, military exercises, and diplomatic initiatives. The course also delves into the issue of energy security in the region, exploring the role of natural gas and oil in shaping the transatlantic security landscape. The course examines the implications of Europe's dependence on Russian energy, the impact of the shale gas revolution on the energy market, and the role of alternative energy sources in promoting energy security. The course concludes with a discussion of the future of transatlantic security, including the prospects for conflict resolution in Ukraine, the future of NATO and the EU, and the role of new actors such as China and India in shaping the security landscape. The course emphasizes the importance of transatlantic cooperation in addressing the security challenges faced by the region and the need for a comprehensive approach that combines diplomatic, military, and economic tools.
Fall 2024
Government and Politics of China
Yuhua Wang PhD, Professor of Government, Harvard University
This course is a broad introduction to the main issues of contemporary Chinese politics and social change. Although there is a strong focus on the reform period (post-1978), we also spend considerable time and energy on understanding the previous century of change and upheaval, including the decline of the last imperial dynasty, the rise of communism, and China under the rule of Mao Zedong (1949-1976). The course is divided into two sections. The first section covers the period from the end of the last imperial dynasty to the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1976. The second section examines the last 40 years of economic reform, looking at both how the reforms began and how they were sustained. We also investigate the many political and social consequences of reform and the changing landscape of Chinese politics. We spend some time discussing China's economic and political relationships with the United States and the rest of the world.
Fall 2024
African Politics in Perspective: Groups, Governance, and Growth
Gloria Y.A. Ayee PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University and Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Africa is a diverse continent, rich in human and natural resources. According to recent projections, Africa will account for more than half of global population growth in the coming decades, doubling its current population of 1.2 billion people by the year 2050. With rapid urbanization across the continent, Africa is primed to become a key player in the global economic order and the center of the world's urban megalopolises. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to wide-ranging issues that shape contemporary politics in Africa. To understand the complexity of cultures and dynamic social structures, the nature and development of political systems on the continent, Africa's place in the geopolitical arena, and the economic prospects for individual nations and the continent as a whole, we critically explore issues related to group identity and social cohesion, examine pre-colonial structures, European colonialism and imperialism, and legacies of colonialism, and evaluate how post-colonial states have grappled with democratization, nation-building, political violence, conflict, and security issues. The following guiding questions frame our study of African politics: how has Africa been shaped by colonialism and its legacies? What factors drive economic growth and development on the continent? What accounts for the relatively high levels of political violence in some African states? What are the socioeconomic and political prospects for shaping Africa's future? To answer these questions, we examine broad patterns across the continent and consider the political, economic, and social contexts in individual countries. Key thematic areas that are the foundation for this course are pre-colonial political structures; European colonialism and imperialism; nationalism and decolonization; race and ethnic identity; gender politics in Africa; neocolonialism and African economy; ethnic conflict and violence; post-conflict reconstruction; democratization; transitional justice in Africa; Africa in the geopolitical arena; diaspora and transnational solidarity; and economic dimensions of African politics. This course draws from different academic disciplines, including political science, economics, anthropology, sociology, and history.
Spring 2025
Race, Film, and American Politics
Gloria Y.A. Ayee PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University and Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
This course examines the multifaceted ways in which racial and ethnic identity has been represented in American film. Drawing on political science, sociology, anthropology, and film and media studies, we assess the ways in which the mainstream media in the United States focusing primarily on the Hollywood film industry has portrayed different population groups and shaped our understanding of what it means to be American. The course addresses issues of social stratification and considers the intersection of identity and politics by analyzing historical shifts in cinematic representation in the United States.
Fall 2024
American Elections and Party Power
Daniel J. Epstein PhD, Lecturer on Government, Harvard University
National elections have enormous consequences. Political parties are the institutional actors that contest and win almost every state and federal election. The present and past development of the US party system and how the parties have contested elections is the focus of this course, especially the parties' changing ideologies, personalities, and geographic variation over time, up through and including the 2024 presidential primaries. Students learn about theoretical views of political parties, the electoral rules that produce party incentives and structures, and key moments in the development of the US political party system. The current events of the 2024 presidential race also are an important focus as the party primaries unfold over the course of the semester.
Prerequisites: GOVT E-30 recommended.
January 2025
The Civil Rights Movement in America
Andrew Joseph Pope PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Tens of thousands of African Americans led a decades-long struggle for liberation and equality during the twentieth century. The Black freedom struggle, or the civil rights movement, encompassed a range of economic, social, and political demands that affected every person living in the United States. This course re-examines parts of the movement that are well known, like Martin Luther King, Jr., or non-violent direct action, as well as lesser-known elements of the movement like sharecroppers in Alabama joining the Communist Party or the role of Black Power advocates in shaping modern America. Together we study the art, literature, music, and history of the movement and how it transformed American society. The course focuses on deepening our knowledge of the civil rights movement through in-depth discussions during class. Each day students have a reading to complete. In class, we read primary sources together and I offer short lectures to help contextualize each class's discussion topics. There is always time for questions. Students do not need any previous study of African American history in order to take this course.
Fall 2024
The Geopolitics of Technology
Francesca Giovannini DPhil, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
In this course, students delve into various geopolitical dynamics influenced by technological advancements. These dynamics encompass a broad range of areas where technology and geopolitics intersect, creating new challenges and opportunities for states and non-state actors alike. We explore technology and power shifts in order to understand how technology contributes to shifts in global power. This includes the rise of new technological superpowers, the impact of technology on economic and military capabilities, and how digital platforms can influence global narratives and public opinion. We discuss cybersecurity and cyber warfare, examining the increasing role of cyberspace in geopolitical strategies, including cyber espionage, cyber warfare, and information warfare. The course explores how nations protect their digital infrastructure and the implications of cyber attacks on national security and international relations. We devote time to examining digital sovereignty and internet governance, investigating how countries are asserting control over their digital spaces, the fragmentation of the internet, and the battle for control over data flows and digital infrastructure. We analyze how technology is at the forefront of trade wars and economic competitions, including issues related to technology transfer, intellectual property rights, and the race for technological supremacy in fields like artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, and 5G internet. The course delves into the geopolitical implications of surveillance technologies and data collection practices, includes state surveillance for national security, the role of technology companies in data collection, and the impact on privacy and human rights. We explore how technological developments lead to the formation of new alliances and rivalries, both among states and between states and non-state actors. This includes technology-sharing agreements, standards-setting bodies, and the geopolitics of technology supply chains. Time is spent assessing how emerging technologies like autonomous weapons systems, drones, and AI are changing the nature of warfare and defense strategies. The course explores the ethical, strategic, and operational implications of these technologies. Finally, we cover the impact of technology on global issues by investigating how technology can both exacerbate and solve global challenges such as climate change, pandemics, and humanitarian crises. This includes the role of clean energy technologies, biotechnology, and digital health solutions.
Fall 2024
The Politics of Climate Change and the Environment
Dustin Tingley PhD, Professor of Government, Harvard University
Climate change, as well as a host of environmental challenges like access to clean water, pose an existential threat to our planet. This course studies how politics can be both an obstacle and a solution to solving these problems. Students may not count both GOVT E-1722 and GOVT S-1511 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Spring 2025
The Politics of Climate Change and the Environment
Dustin Tingley PhD, Professor of Government, Harvard University
Climate change, as well as a host of environmental challenges like access to clean water, pose an existential threat to our planet. This course studies how politics can be both an obstacle and a solution to solving these problems. Students may not count both GOVT E-1722 and GOVT S-1511 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Fall 2024
Intelligence and International Security
Michael David Miner PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
This course explores the opaque world of intelligence and international security. The course begins with a survey of disciplines and methods of analysis before reviewing intelligence requirements as a component in policy processes that drive and inform decision making within the national security system. We consider various intelligence related topics including espionage, covert action, politicization, counterintelligence, public oversight, intelligence failure, and reform. The course strikes a balance between contemporary issues and the storied histories of intelligence systems around the world. Though predominantly focused on the United States, the course also considers intelligence activities in the United Kingdom, Russia, China, and elsewhere. Students grapple with historical and hypothetical problem sets based on real-world scenarios to develop assessment capabilities. Required readings and assignments draw on classic and influential work in addition to declassified documents which illuminate the historical narrative in a tangible way. The course concludes with reflections on how past experience informs current perspectives and might elucidate future intelligence requirements to better anticipate and understand the changing world.
Spring 2025
Intelligence and International Security
Michael David Miner PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
This course explores the opaque world of intelligence and international security. The course begins with a survey of disciplines and methods of analysis before reviewing intelligence requirements as a component in policy processes that drive and inform decision making within the national security system. We consider various intelligence related topics including espionage, covert action, politicization, counterintelligence, public oversight, intelligence failure, and reform. The course strikes a balance between contemporary issues and the storied histories of intelligence systems around the world. Though predominantly focused on the United States, the course also considers intelligence activities in the United Kingdom, Russia, China, and elsewhere. Students grapple with historical and hypothetical problem sets based on real-world scenarios to develop assessment capabilities. Required readings and assignments draw on classic and influential work in addition to declassified documents which illuminate the historical narrative in a tangible way. The course concludes with reflections on how past experience informs current perspectives and might elucidate future intelligence requirements to better anticipate and understand the changing world.
Fall 2024
Cyber Attack Meets Cyber Policy
Derek Reveron PhD, Lecturer in Extension and Faculty Affiliate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University, and Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval War College
In this course, students wrestle with the challenges of different cyber futures. Students are cast as key members of the US national security community to discuss cyber vulnerabilities, current US cyber policy, and the challenges associated with recovering from a major cyber attack.
Spring 2025
Cyberspace and International Security
Derek Reveron PhD, Lecturer in Extension and Faculty Affiliate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University, and Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval War College
In a very short time, individuals and companies have harnessed cyberspace to create new industries, a vibrant social space, and a new economic sphere that are intertwined with our everyday lives. At the same time, individuals, subnational groups, and governments are using cyberspace to advance interests through malicious activity. Terrorists recruit, train, and target through the internet, hackers steal data, and intelligence services conduct espionage. Still, the vast majority of cyberspace is a civilian space used by individuals, businesses, and governments for legitimate purposes. This course examines current and future threats to cyberspace, studies various approaches to advance and defend national interests, and contrasts the US approach with European, Russian, and Chinese approaches in cyberspace.
Fall 2024
Women, Peace, and Security
Joan Johnson-Freese PhD, Senior Fellow, Women in International Security
Women, peace, and security is an evidenced-based framework acknowledging the role of gender equality in security at the individual, community, national, and international levels and seeking to globally support gender equality toward sustainable, positive peace. Based on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 passed in 2000, the Women, Peace Security Act was passed as the law of the land in the US in 2017, with the Departments of Defense, State, Homeland Security and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) charged with implementation.
Spring 2025
Agents of Change: Mastering Policy for Impact
Michael David Miner PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University - Donald Parker ALM
This course offers students an opportunity to deepen their understanding of public policy while simultaneously empowering them to engage and shape domestic and foreign policy issues of interest to them. It provides a foundational grounding in policy approaches in addition to professional training in core instruments of the policy process. We consider topics from the local to state and federal level in addition to national security challenges and strategy development. Participants learn and apply specific tools that are successfully used in government and policy. Class meetings include discussion of society's most pressing issues, analytical methodologies, the policy toolbox, and critical communication, feedback, and evaluation strategies. We examine case studies that reflect lessons for how to successfully innovate or orchestrate new ways to solve old problems. The course integrates critical perspectives including public-private sector cooperation, federal versus state approaches, and effective tools for shaping change at the local level. Students are permitted choose and focus on a specific policy topic for their assignments and final paper in addition to a short briefing provided to the class on the last day. Individuals engaged with the policy process at any level, or those considering public service, will find this course beneficial.
Fall 2024
Globalization and the Nation-State
Nicolas Prevelakis PhD, Associate Senior Lecturer on Social Studies, Harvard University
Despite globalization, the nation is still a major actor in today's world. This course tries to understand why this is so by examining the role that nationalism plays in peoples' identities and the effects of globalization on nations and nation-states. It overviews the origins and nature of economic globalization, as it appeared in the 1990s, including a critical examination of the hopes expressed at the time about an end of history, and of the relationship between economic globalization and such issues as democracy, peace, and poverty. It includes theoretical texts, as well as case studies from the recent rise of populism and authoritarianism, the role of supranational entities such as the European Union, and the urgency of global issues such as climate change, inequality, and migration. Examples are from the United States, Europe, Latin America, China, and the Middle East.
Spring 2025
Future Foreign Policy and Defense Strategy
Derek Reveron PhD, Lecturer in Extension and Faculty Affiliate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University, and Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval War College
Students use their experience wrestling with the most pressing national security challenges to inform how the US government should be positioned to advance and defend national interests. Students are cast as key participants in the interagency process to debate the salience of national security challenges, discuss the ways those challenges have an impact on US national security, and outline future directions for US foreign policy.
Fall 2024
The Situation Room: A National Security Council Exercise
Michael David Miner PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
This active learning weekend simulates the working experience of the United States National Security Council (NSC). Students role play as an individual member of the NSC: as either a statutory participant of the Principals Committee (PC), Deputies Committee (DC), or an ad hoc policy member from across government. These roles are assigned prior to the weekend for advanced familiarly on their responsibilities on the NSC. Students are required to work in teams and subunits grappling with real-world problems under the impetus of time as a hypothetical yet realistic crisis scenario unfolds. Breakout sessions require the production of key documents, memorandum, briefing content, and the development of policy options. PC meetings require briefing the President of the United States (POTUS) on potential courses of action along with updates concerning policy developments. DC meetings foster tough discussion and appreciation for the various departments, agencies, and outcomes of large bureaucracies zeroed in on complex problems. Policy discussion examines precedent, produces realistic assessments, and sparks creativity in solving challenges many deem unsolvable. Consideration for decision making, policy implementation, and communication highlight known and under-appreciated organizational dynamics. Required readings in advance of the weekend, dedicated lecture time, and special guests illuminate national security history in a tangible way that explores the challenges of planning and managing a crisis unfolding in near real time.
Spring 2025
Grand Strategy in International Relations and US Foreign Policy
Sergio Imparato PhD, Lecturer on Government, Harvard University
This course explores the concept of grand strategy in international relations and US foreign policy. The main purpose is to analyze the ways in which nations formulate, implement, and assess strategic options to advance their perceived interests in the international arena. How do states allocate their resources to achieve their goals? Special attention is placed on the study of political, military, and diplomatic resources in the context of American foreign policy. The course has three components. The first addresses the main theoretical approaches to grand strategy in international relations literature. The second traces the historical development of US grand strategy. The third evaluates the policy relevance of grand strategy options available to the US today. Some of the questions that guide our discussions are: what is grand strategy and what is it for? What are the sources of grand strategy and how are grand strategies formulated? What are the main tools to implement a grand strategy? Should the US engage in an active internationalist strategy or retreat from its international commitments?
Fall 2024
The Role of Nuclear Weapons in the Twenty-First Century
Francesca Giovannini DPhil, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Nuclear weapons have played a significant role in shaping the international security landscape since their development in the mid-twentieth century. The deployment of nuclear weapons by superpowers during the cold war created a system of deterrence and their potential for mass destruction remains a major concern for international security to this day. In this course, we explore the history and evolution of nuclear weapons, the strategic and political implications of nuclear deterrence, and current efforts to reduce and eliminate nuclear weapons. The course begina with a brief history of the development of nuclear weapons, including the Manhattan Project and the events leading up to their deployment during World War II. We also examine the cold war arms race, including the strategy of mutual assured destruction (MAD), and the impact of nuclear weapons on international relations. Next, we focus on the political and strategic implications of nuclear deterrence. We explore the ways in which nuclear weapons have influenced state behavior, including their role in preventing major wars between nuclear-armed states. We also examine the impact of nuclear weapons on regional and global security, including the potential for nuclear escalation and the spread of nuclear weapons to other states. The course examines in particular the evolving relation between the United States and the Russian Federation, the expanding nuclear arsenal of China, the North Korea threat, and the proliferation risks of Iran. We also discuss possible escalation risks between India and Pakistan and explore how Taiwan and Ukraine might both lead to dangerous confrontations among major nuclear players. In addition to discussing the historical and political aspects of nuclear weapons, the course also examines current efforts to reduce and eliminate them. This includes a discussion of arms control and disarmament negotiations, such as the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), as well as non-proliferation efforts aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons to new states. Throughout the course, we also consider the ethical and moral dimensions of nuclear weapons, including the debate over just war theory and the humanitarian consequences of their use. This includes an examination of the arguments for and against nuclear deterrence and the role of civil society in shaping public opinion on nuclear weapons.
Fall 2024
Evolution of Deterrence Theory
Nikolas Gvosdev DPhil, Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval War College
Deterrence is the use of threats to convince an adversary from taking an action and is part of a larger concept of coercion. Throughout history, deterrence has been used by people and states to manage conflict. The formal development of deterrence theory came about after World War II specifically to find ways to think about and utilize nuclear weapons. This course examines the foundational concepts of deterrence theory and how that theory has evolved since 1945, with a particular emphasis on how theory has informed practitioners both military and civilian who manage the nuclear enterprise. In addition, we consider the application of deterrence to international security in the cold war and post-cold war years. Finally, we assess current nuclear arsenals and strategy along with the role deterrence continues to play in the future of nuclear weapons, as well as application of deterrence theory to non-nuclear strategic weapons. This course is designed especially for national security professionals, although it is open to anyone.
Prerequisites: HIST E-1960 is helpful but not required.
Fall 2024
The Politics and Ideology of Post-Revolutionary Iran
Payam Mohseni PhD, Director of the Project on Shi'ism and Global Affairs, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University
The significance of Iran in Middle Eastern and global affairs is now more important than ever. From its internal domestic politics to its role across the region in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the political trajectory of Iran is critical for the future of peace and conflict in the Middle East. To contextualize and understand these processes, this course examines the intricacies of Iranian politics since the 1979 revolution. It explores a broad range of topics including the causes of the Iranian revolution; the institutional architecture of the Iranian political system; competitive factional dynamics within the ruling elite; Iranian foreign policy, Iran-US relations, and the implications of the violated nuclear agreement; and contemporary Shi'a political ideology.
Spring 2025
Shi'a Islam and Politics in the Middle East
Mohammad Sagha PhD, Lecturer in the Modern Middle East, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University - Payam Mohseni PhD, Director of the Project on Shi'ism and Global Affairs, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University
From the conflict in Yemen pitting the Shi'a Houthis against a Saudi-led coalition, to the civil war in Syria and the Shi'a majority militia-led fight against the remnants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) in Iraq, dominant media narratives portray conflict in today's Middle East as part of a proxy battle between Iran and Saudi Arabia rooted in an ancient dispute within the Muslim world between the Shi'a and Sunni sects of Islam. In this rendering, primordial hatreds are driving religious wars and civil conflict with Iran, at the heart of the so-called Shi'a crescent, and Saudi Arabia, the stalwart of true Sunni identity. However, such approaches mask over a more complex understanding of the changes occurring in today's Middle East and prevents accurately differentiating between distinct yet overlapping factors such as actual substantive theological and intellectual differences between Shi'a and Sunni Islam, state competition (that is, between Iran and Saudi Arabia), and historical legacies of empire and state building in the Middle East. This course addresses such dominant narratives and challenges conventional understandings of the interplay between religion and politics in the Middle East and how sectarianism, Shi'a Islam, and geopolitical conflict can be more properly understood from a rigorous analytical perspective and focuses on the foundations and varieties of modern Shi'a political thought; religious clerical institutions; Shi'a political parties and militias in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen; and Iran's Islamic revolution, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), and the Basij paramilitary organization.
Fall 2024
Policy Communication: Writing, Engaging, and Shaping Decisions
Andrew Joseph Pope PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Scholarly research has the potential to transform public policy only if the research is used by policymakers. The course takes up crucial questions about how research moves from academia into policymaking, including: how do American policymakers use research evidence in their day-to-day work? How can academic researchers increase the likelihood that their work is used by policymakers? What types of writing and engagement are most persuasive to policy audiences? The course endeavors to better understand how policymakers and practitioners use research evidence and how researchers can increase the likelihood that their own work can reach audiences outside of the academy. Throughout the course, students learn how to write, engage, and communicate scholarly research with diverse audiences outside of academia. Students gain subject-matter expertise in the study of how research evidence is used in policymaking. Each week, we examine debates from the use of research evidence field to hone our own knowledge and expertise. Guest lectures from scholars and policymakers give us a first-hand opportunity to learn and ask questions. Then, students write one work of scholarly translation for a policy audience: either a policy brief or a research-based op-ed. Although students pick just one to write for the final assignment, every student learns how to write both a policy brief and an op-ed. The in-person weekend provides an opportunity to workshop their ideas and drafts with their peers and the teaching team. The weekend culminates with an oral presentation of their policy contribution.