Graduate Courses

Date & Time:

May 21 to Jun 15, 2018
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Car Barn 318

Credits:

3

In this short intensive course, taught over one-and-a-half weeks, participants learn the foundational skills and technologies of media production. Topics include storyboarding, audio and video recording, frame composition, media editing, and digital content. The course targets students with no production experience. No previous technical knowledge is required. Working in small groups, participants will shoot, edit, and produce a video short. The projects will be developed alongside class discussions of media aesthetics, digital workflow, and production design.This blend of projects and lectures provide participants with a basic understanding of media production practices while encouraging the development of hands-on technical skills. Throughout the course and in final reflections, participants are encouraged to consider how these skills can be applied as educational, research, and communication strategies.

CCT students should register for Section 01. Non-CCT students should register for Section 02. This 3-credit course meets 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on these days (with 30 minutes for lunch): Tuesday, May 22; Wednesday, May 23; Thursday, May 24; Friday, May 25; Tuesday, May 29; Wednesday, May 30.

Date & Time:

Jun 4 to Jul 6, 2018
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, White-Gravenor 206

Credits:

3

Date & Time:

Jul 9 to Aug 10, 2018
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
3:15 PM - 5:15 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture, Car Barn 170

Credits:

3

This course engages four major themes in “Third World” Politics. For historical perspective on current concerns we begin with the literature on colonialism and the state. The second part of the course addresses democracy and democratization. The third part of the course explores persistent authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa in light of the concepts, theories, and propositions in the democratization literature. Part four turns to socioeconomic development in the Third World. The major focus is on the role of the state in Late Developers. In conclusion, we turn to student research on the Politics of the Third World.

This course has been renumbered, effective Fal 2014. A student who has earned credit in GOVT 404 Third World Politics in a prior term should not enroll and cannot earn credit in this class.

Date & Time:

Jul 9 to Aug 10, 2018
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture, Maguire 103

Credits:

3

Many people have the intuition that distributive justice requires a presumption in favor of equality in the distribution of economic goods. Others disagree, and insist that the link between justice and equality has been much exaggerated. But even those who share the intuition often disagree about the sort of equality that is required. This seminar explores these debates, with particular attention to the work of such theorists as Hayek, Rawls, Frankfurt, Nozick, Dworkin, and G.A. Cohen.

This course has been renumbred, effective Fall 2014. A student who has earned credit in GOVT 448 Negotiating Middle East Peace in a prior term should not enroll and cannot earn credit in this class.

Date & Time:

Jun 4 to Jul 27, 2018
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture, St. Marys 110

Credits:

3

This course provides a survey of nonparametric and rank based methods for data analysis. Frequently, common assumptions about the distributional form of data, required for many hypothesis testing or model building techniques, are violated. Ignoring these violations can lead to misleading or incorrect conclusions. Nonparametric and rank based methods provide statistically valid methods of analysis while requiring minimal assumptions about the data to be analyzed. Some topics covered will include one, two, and K-sample tests of hypotheses including, but not limited to, permutation tests, Wilcoxon Rank-Sum test, Mann-Whitney test, and the Kruskal Wallis test. Further topics including paired comparisons, blocked design, multivariate tests, and nonparametric bootstrap methods, among others, will also be covered. Students should expect a mix of theory and application. Textbook:Introduction to Modern Nonparametric Statistics James J. Higgins ISBN-10: 0534387756 Optional - Not necessary, but may help students: John Kloke and Joseph W. McKean ISBN-10: 1439873437

This course meets in person and does not have an online component.

Date & Time:

Jun 4 to Jul 27, 2018
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture, Intercultural Center 206A

Credits:

3

This course covers concepts and algorithms from compressed sensing and applications to signal processing. Everyday media (MP3s, million-pixel images, and high-definition videos) are high-dimensional signals (i.e. vectors with many entries) which are well-approximated using sparse representations (i.e. linear combinations where many of the coefficients are zero) in an appropriate basis (e.g. columns from a Discrete Fourier Transform matrix). Compressed sensing deals with the recovery of such sparse representations using a reduced number of random samples, but slightly more computational resources. In typical cases, the number of samples required to reconstruct high-fidelity approximations to the original signal can be less than 20% of what the classical theory suggests. Moreover, the reconstruction algorithms can be implemented using standard linear programming or simple iterative thresholding techniques. Throughout the course, examples from image processing will be used to motivate compressed sensing concepts and techniques, but the techniques are applicable to a wide class of media. A typical example involves examining a fraction of the pixel values from a high-resolution digital image, and then producing a high-fidelity reconstruction of the image from only those pixel values, or producing a compressed representation of that image using only those pixel values. Topics covered include basis pursuit, recovery guarantees, linear programming for recovery, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), phase transitions in compressed sensing, and iterative thresholding algorithms. If time allows, optional topics include total variation minimization and image impainting. Principal Textbook: TBA Technology Inventory: Programming for coursework will be carried out in the R programming language and the students are highly encouraged to use the RStudio IDE. R and the RStudio IDE are both freely available for Window, OSX, and Linux. Online o_ce hours and meetings will be carried out using Google Hangouts. Students are advised to visit the course Blackboard page at least once a day to view announcements and assignments. Prerequisites: Linear Algebra (MATH 150 or equivalent), Probability, familiarity with Matlab or R. Instructor: Dr Nate Strawn, GU Math/Stat Dept.

This course meets in person and does not have an online component.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Jun 29, 2018
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture, Intercultural Center 203

Credits:

3

This course is concerned with an empirical understanding of postcommunist economic transformations, especially in the former republics of the Soviet Union, Central and Eastern Europe. A theoretical framework of the transition policy will be reflected in the context of globalization. The objectives of the course are 1) to understand goals, ways and forms of transition from the centrally planned economy to a market economy and 2) to understand main drivers, successes and failures of reforms, challenges and achievements of the transition process. It offers a broad empirical and thematic overview of post-soviet economic transformation. It will discuss why and how communism collapsed, alternative reform programs, the development of output, liberalization, financial stabilization, privatization, corruption and governance, social developments and policy, and the role of the outside world. The course is designed for graduate students in various social sciences with a regional focus on Eurasia. An understanding of economic reasoning is required. Knowledge of Russian language is welcome but not necessary. After this course, a student should understand what post-Soviet economic transformation was about, which were the main issues and disputes, and what the main differences between the transition countries were. This knowledge should facilitate perception and evaluation of the on-going economic and political development across the region.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Aug 10, 2018
Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Car Barn 306

Credits:

3

This course examines the dynamics of insurgency (a political-military challenge to the ruling order using an array of asymmetric means, including guerrilla warfare and subversion) and counterinsurgency (the government response). Continuing US involvement in Afghanistan and ongoing conflicts in Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere demonstrate that insurgent conflict continues to challenge US and broader Western interests, but also offers opportunities to the US. This course is intended to acquaint students with the nature of insurgency—its causes, strategies, and dynamics—and the fundamentals and past and contemporary variants of counterinsurgency, and by doing so to establish a solid foundation upon which to further build expertise and analytical capabilities. The course considers a wide range of questions in order to provide students with a deeper understanding of the dynamics of insurgency and the evolution of counterinsurgency doctrine and methods: What is insurgency and how does it differ from terrorism? Why do individuals join, remain in, and leave insurgencies? What strategies and approaches do insurgent leaders select and how have those approaches evolved over time? Are certain insurgent organizational arrangements better than others? Why does insurgency succeed and fail? What is the role of popular and external support in both insurgency and counterinsurgency? How has counterinsurgency evolved and are there counterinsurgency “best practices”? How do the challenges of “small footprint”/indirect counterinsurgency differ from those of large-scale foreign counterinsurgency interventions? What are the appropriate counterinsurgency responses for contemporary insurgencies?

This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Aug 10, 2018
Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Car Barn 306

Credits:

3

This course examines the dynamics of insurgency (a political-military challenge to the ruling order using an array of asymmetric means, including guerrilla warfare and subversion) and counterinsurgency (the government response). Continuing US involvement in Afghanistan and ongoing conflicts in Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere demonstrate that insurgent conflict continues to challenge US and broader Western interests, but also offers opportunities to the US. This course is intended to acquaint students with the nature of insurgency—its causes, strategies, and dynamics—and the fundamentals and past and contemporary variants of counterinsurgency, and by doing so to establish a solid foundation upon which to further build expertise and analytical capabilities. The course considers a wide range of questions in order to provide students with a deeper understanding of the dynamics of insurgency and the evolution of counterinsurgency doctrine and methods: What is insurgency and how does it differ from terrorism? Why do individuals join, remain in, and leave insurgencies? What strategies and approaches do insurgent leaders select and how have those approaches evolved over time? Are certain insurgent organizational arrangements better than others? Why does insurgency succeed and fail? What is the role of popular and external support in both insurgency and counterinsurgency? How has counterinsurgency evolved and are there counterinsurgency “best practices”? How do the challenges of “small footprint”/indirect counterinsurgency differ from those of large-scale foreign counterinsurgency interventions? What are the appropriate counterinsurgency responses for contemporary insurgencies?

Section for non-SEST students only.

Date & Time:

Jul 2 to Aug 10, 2018
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, White-Gravenor 407

Credits:

3

This course will examine conventional military operations from the period of World War I to the present. The course format will consist of a mixture of roughly 50 percent military and 50 percent description of how modern military forces are organized, equipped, and trained for conventional combat operations. Students will develop an understanding of how military forces have evolved during this period as well as how military technology has changed in the past century and how those changes gave influenced the way operations are conducted. While the majority of the course will focus on conventional combat, there will be some reference to so-called “low intensity” operations such as counter insurgency, in so far as those types of operations have had a bearing on how conventional forces prepare for and conduct operations. The course will start with a brief overview of the state of military art and science at the turn of the 20th Century. This will be followed by an overview of 20th Century military campaigns that will continue into the early 21st Century. (posted 10-22-08)

This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

Jul 2 to Aug 10, 2018
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, White-Gravenor 407

Credits:

3

This course will examine conventional military operations from the period of World War I to the present. The course format will consist of a mixture of roughly 50 percent military and 50 percent description of how modern military forces are organized, equipped, and trained for conventional combat operations. Students will develop an understanding of how military forces have evolved during this period as well as how military technology has changed in the past century and how those changes gave influenced the way operations are conducted. While the majority of the course will focus on conventional combat, there will be some reference to so-called “low intensity” operations such as counter insurgency, in so far as those types of operations have had a bearing on how conventional forces prepare for and conduct operations. The course will start with a brief overview of the state of military art and science at the turn of the 20th Century. This will be followed by an overview of 20th Century military campaigns that will continue into the early 21st Century. (posted 10-22-08)

This section is for non-SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Jun 29, 2018
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Car Barn 205A

Credits:

3

The purpose of this course is to provide students with a framework for understanding and analyzing ethnic conflicts. The first part of the course provides a general overview for understanding ethnic and nationalist conflict. The second part of the course analyzes the causes of ethnic conflict and civil war, including psychological, historical, political, ethnic, ideological, religious and economic factors. The third part of the course examines domestic strategies for dealing with ethnic and political differences, including accommodation, domination, co-optation, assimilation, secession and genocide. The fourth and final part of the course examines international responses to ethnic and nationalist conflict, including the use of policy instruments such as economic measures, mediation and military force. A wide selection of cases studies are used illustrate theoretical arguments. The course is run as a seminar.

This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Jun 29, 2018
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Car Barn 205A

Credits:

3

The purpose of this course is to provide students with a framework for understanding and analyzing ethnic conflicts. The first part of the course provides a general overview for understanding ethnic and nationalist conflict. The second part of the course analyzes the causes of ethnic conflict and civil war, including psychological, historical, political, ethnic, ideological, religious and economic factors. The third part of the course examines domestic strategies for dealing with ethnic and political differences, including accommodation, domination, co-optation, assimilation, secession and genocide. The fourth and final part of the course examines international responses to ethnic and nationalist conflict, including the use of policy instruments such as economic measures, mediation and military force. A wide selection of cases studies are used illustrate theoretical arguments. The course is run as a seminar.

This section is for non-SEST students only.

Date & Time:

Jul 2 to Aug 10, 2018
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, White-Gravenor 202

Credits:

3

This course examines the extent to which spacepower influences national security strategy and international security. The course looks at the historical and policy foundation for the role of U.S. and international space programs and activities in international affairs. It then addresses current issues facing U.S. space programs, including efforts to reorganize national security space activities and to forge a new direction for military space programs. The course also addresses strategic choices facing other nations in space activities, including continued dependence on U.S., European, and Russian space capabilities, developing indigenous space programs, and reliance on commercial space activities. Conflicts over dual-use technologies, such as space launch, remote sensing, satellite navigation, and communications, will be examined for their implications for foreign policy.

This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

Jul 2 to Aug 10, 2018
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, White-Gravenor 202

Credits:

3

This course examines the extent to which spacepower influences national security strategy and international security. The course looks at the historical and policy foundation for the role of U.S. and international space programs and activities in international affairs. It then addresses current issues facing U.S. space programs, including efforts to reorganize national security space activities and to forge a new direction for military space programs. The course also addresses strategic choices facing other nations in space activities, including continued dependence on U.S., European, and Russian space capabilities, developing indigenous space programs, and reliance on commercial space activities. Conflicts over dual-use technologies, such as space launch, remote sensing, satellite navigation, and communications, will be examined for their implications for foreign policy.

Section for non SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Jun 29, 2018
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, White-Gravenor 407

Credits:

3

This course focuses on the principal security issues and trends in East Asia. It surveys key countries in region, but it also analyzes the major cross-cutting, security-related challenges and opportunities facing the region, including security arrangements, nuclear and conventional weapon proliferation, missile defenses, energy and environmental security, and sociopolitical changes.

This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Jun 29, 2018
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, White-Gravenor 407

Credits:

3

This course focuses on the principal security issues and trends in East Asia. It surveys key countries in region, but it also analyzes the major cross-cutting, security-related challenges and opportunities facing the region, including security arrangements, nuclear and conventional weapon proliferation, missile defenses, energy and environmental security, and sociopolitical changes.

This section is for non SEST students only.

Date & Time:

Jul 2 to Aug 10, 2018
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Car Barn 301

Credits:

3

SEST 606 – National Security Law - The Law of War in the Age of Terror Course Description This multidisciplinary course examines the relationships between law, policy, and war as they relate to contemporary non-state and unconventional threats. Drawing legal and political science methods, it will equip students with the conceptual and jurisprudential tools necessary to identify the legal basis for U.S. policy and evaluate the legality of various operations. Students will examine international, constitutional, and statutory norms from both a legal and operational perspective. From enhanced interrogations and extraordinary renditions to drone warfare and targeted killings, they will gain a deeper understanding of how war fashions law, and why law seeks to retrain war. Course is classified as U.S. National Security and Terrorism/Substate violence.

This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

Jul 2 to Aug 10, 2018
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Car Barn 301

Credits:

3

SEST 606 – National Security Law - The Law of War in the Age of Terror Course Description This multidisciplinary course examines the relationships between law, policy, and war as they relate to contemporary non-state and unconventional threats. Drawing legal and political science methods, it will equip students with the conceptual and jurisprudential tools necessary to identify the legal basis for U.S. policy and evaluate the legality of various operations. Students will examine international, constitutional, and statutory norms from both a legal and operational perspective. From enhanced interrogations and extraordinary renditions to drone warfare and targeted killings, they will gain a deeper understanding of how war fashions law, and why law seeks to retrain war. Course is classified as U.S. National Security and Terrorism/Substate violence.

This course is for non-SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Aug 10, 2018
Tuesday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, White-Gravenor 409

Credits:

3

Covert action (CA) and counterintelligence (CI) have long been significant instruments of statecraft. However, democracies have often been wary of using them. At times, CA and CI individually or together have made a notable difference, providing competitive advantage to policymakers and saving lives and treasure. When used effectively, these instruments have yielded significant strategic advantage. They also generate controversy particularly owing to issues of their compatibility with democratic values. This seminar will focus on explaining the elements of CA and CI, examining circumstances and conditions that enable both to become more effective tools of strategy and policy, and addressing issues concerning their uses in and by democratic societies, notably the United States. While these statecraft instruments will be examined largely in the U.S. context, the course will also draw on examples of the uses of CA and CI by other countries as well, with the idea that theorists and practitioners can learn from foreign experiences. Key course themes in the examination of CA and CI are four; they address strategy, liberal democracy, the role of analysis, and identifying “best practices” through a lessons-learned approach.

Section for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Aug 10, 2018
Tuesday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, White-Gravenor 409

Credits:

3

Covert action (CA) and counterintelligence (CI) have long been significant instruments of statecraft. However, democracies have often been wary of using them. At times, CA and CI individually or together have made a notable difference, providing competitive advantage to policymakers and saving lives and treasure. When used effectively, these instruments have yielded significant strategic advantage. They also generate controversy particularly owing to issues of their compatibility with democratic values. This seminar will focus on explaining the elements of CA and CI, examining circumstances and conditions that enable both to become more effective tools of strategy and policy, and addressing issues concerning their uses in and by democratic societies, notably the United States. While these statecraft instruments will be examined largely in the U.S. context, the course will also draw on examples of the uses of CA and CI by other countries as well, with the idea that theorists and practitioners can learn from foreign experiences. Key course themes in the examination of CA and CI are four; they address strategy, liberal democracy, the role of analysis, and identifying “best practices” through a lessons-learned approach.

This section for non SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Jun 29, 2018
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, White-Gravenor 202

Credits:

3

This course will look at the relationships, challenges and disconnects between US intelligence professionals and the customers they serve. Using a case-study approach, the course will examine how conflicts, misunderstandings and/or legal requirements have caused problems among producers and consumers of intelligence. It will offer frameworks for analyzing and dealing with them, particularly in the age of terrorism, rapid technological change, and strategies of deception and maneuver. Among subjects that will be discussed are the extent to which intelligence professionals should be involved in policy, embassy and field station relationships, questions of intelligence and law enforcement, and the role of the Director of National Intelligence in questions of coordination and intelligence decision making. The course will also address important relationships with foreign intelligence and security services, with homeland security organizations and first responders. Students will gain an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of intelligence collectors and analysts on the one hand and policy makers, operational decision makers and military commanders on the other. We will also discuss the increasing need to accommodate Congressional interests in addition to those associated with the Executive Branch.

This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Jun 29, 2018
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, White-Gravenor 202

Credits:

3

This course will look at the relationships, challenges and disconnects between US intelligence professionals and the customers they serve. Using a case-study approach, the course will examine how conflicts, misunderstandings and/or legal requirements have caused problems among producers and consumers of intelligence. It will offer frameworks for analyzing and dealing with them, particularly in the age of terrorism, rapid technological change, and strategies of deception and maneuver. Among subjects that will be discussed are the extent to which intelligence professionals should be involved in policy, embassy and field station relationships, questions of intelligence and law enforcement, and the role of the Director of National Intelligence in questions of coordination and intelligence decision making. The course will also address important relationships with foreign intelligence and security services, with homeland security organizations and first responders. Students will gain an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of intelligence collectors and analysts on the one hand and policy makers, operational decision makers and military commanders on the other. We will also discuss the increasing need to accommodate Congressional interests in addition to those associated with the Executive Branch.

This section is for non-SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Aug 10, 2018
Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Intercultural Center 203

Credits:

3

This course will introduce students to the basic components of intelligence and the role of intelligence in national security policy. Students will learn about intelligence collection, analysis, counterintelligence, and covert action, with a focus on how decision-makers use these intelligence tools. The course will assess the place of intelligence in a democratic society, including the issues of intelligence oversight and public debate over intelligence issues.

Course discussions will draw from specific case studies on the use of intelligence by the United States and other actors from WWII through the raid on Abbotabad, Pakistan. The course also will include a critical examination of intelligence in the run-up to the September 2001 terrorist attacks and Operation Iraqi Freedom, matters which afford excellent case studies on every facet of intelligence in a policy context. The course will address relevant current events as appropriate.

By the end of the semester, students will have an informed appreciation of the capabilities and limitations of national intelligence and will be equipped to weigh the virtues of intelligence policy in the United States. Although the course is not a practicum, concepts covered in the course will be useful professionally to students who will produce or use intelligence in their careers.

Class formats will include lectures and seminar discussions and will draw on guest speakers. Course requirements include reading responses, an intelligence report, an oral briefing, and a final paper. Both writing assignments will include graded peer editing elements. Students will also be graded on class participation.

This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Aug 10, 2018
Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Intercultural Center 203

Credits:

3

This course will introduce students to the basic components of intelligence and the role of intelligence in national security policy. Students will learn about intelligence collection, analysis, counterintelligence, and covert action, with a focus on how decision-makers use these intelligence tools. The course will assess the place of intelligence in a democratic society, including the issues of intelligence oversight and public debate over intelligence issues.

Course discussions will draw from specific case studies on the use of intelligence by the United States and other actors from WWII through the raid on Abbotabad, Pakistan. The course also will include a critical examination of intelligence in the run-up to the September 2001 terrorist attacks and Operation Iraqi Freedom, matters which afford excellent case studies on every facet of intelligence in a policy context. The course will address relevant current events as appropriate.

By the end of the semester, students will have an informed appreciation of the capabilities and limitations of national intelligence and will be equipped to weigh the virtues of intelligence policy in the United States. Although the course is not a practicum, concepts covered in the course will be useful professionally to students who will produce or use intelligence in their careers.

Class formats will include lectures and seminar discussions and will draw on guest speakers. Course requirements include reading responses, an intelligence report, an oral briefing, and a final paper. Both writing assignments will include graded peer editing elements. Students will also be graded on class participation.

This section is for non-SEST students only.

Date & Time:

Jul 2 to Aug 10, 2018
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Car Barn 205

Credits:

3

Human rights and national security issues have consistently intersected – and at some times clashed - throughout U.S. history. Questions about how, when, why - and even if - human rights should feature in U.S. national security policy continue to challenge policymakers who face a full range of competing interests. Success for modern professionals at the Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security, and in the intelligence community increasingly requires familiarity with the terminology, history, and a well-informed understanding of comparative approaches to human rights and foreign policy. This course will provide the SSP student a basic, but thorough, survey of the theories, international legal regimes, domestic political forces, key mechanisms, and global debates related to the international human rights movement in the context of U.S. national security policy. Unlike surveys of the human rights movement or courses in international human rights law, the course is uniquely designed with the student who specializes in a national security-related field in mind. The course will blend theory, history, case study, and practical exercise over the course of three sections designed to meet the needs of students with varying interests and backgrounds: • The first section will explore the origins and competing theories of human rights. Students will analyze the tensions between and within different theories of rights, including between universalism and cultural relativism, and between socialist and liberal concepts of rights. Students will then consider how human rights fit within different theories of international relations, with a particular emphasis on the relevance of human rights to security cooperation and conflict within theories of realism and institutionalism. The section will conclude with a survey of the international legal frameworks that govern and define human rights, international humanitarian law (law of armed conflict), and international criminal accountability. • The second section will focus on the sources of influence and means of implementation of human rights policy. First, the class will examine how congress, civil society, and the advocacy community serve to influence human rights policies, followed by consideration of ways that the human rights agenda can be incorporated into – or constrained by – a variety of mechanisms, to include security assistance programs and multilateral organizations, particularly the United Nations. • The third section will focus on a selection of key contemporary issues in human rights and national security, and the course will culminate in three practical exercises designed to provoke debate and consideration of competing viewpoints on rights in practice. Students will debate, discuss, and analyze how the protection of human rights impacts short-term and long-term national security interests in the context of modern developments, such as the

This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

Jul 2 to Aug 10, 2018
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Car Barn 205

Credits:

3

Human rights and national security issues have consistently intersected – and at some times clashed - throughout U.S. history. Questions about how, when, why - and even if - human rights should feature in U.S. national security policy continue to challenge policymakers who face a full range of competing interests. Success for modern professionals at the Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security, and in the intelligence community increasingly requires familiarity with the terminology, history, and a well-informed understanding of comparative approaches to human rights and foreign policy. This course will provide the SSP student a basic, but thorough, survey of the theories, international legal regimes, domestic political forces, key mechanisms, and global debates related to the international human rights movement in the context of U.S. national security policy. Unlike surveys of the human rights movement or courses in international human rights law, the course is uniquely designed with the student who specializes in a national security-related field in mind. The course will blend theory, history, case study, and practical exercise over the course of three sections designed to meet the needs of students with varying interests and backgrounds: • The first section will explore the origins and competing theories of human rights. Students will analyze the tensions between and within different theories of rights, including between universalism and cultural relativism, and between socialist and liberal concepts of rights. Students will then consider how human rights fit within different theories of international relations, with a particular emphasis on the relevance of human rights to security cooperation and conflict within theories of realism and institutionalism. The section will conclude with a survey of the international legal frameworks that govern and define human rights, international humanitarian law (law of armed conflict), and international criminal accountability. • The second section will focus on the sources of influence and means of implementation of human rights policy. First, the class will examine how congress, civil society, and the advocacy community serve to influence human rights policies, followed by consideration of ways that the human rights agenda can be incorporated into – or constrained by – a variety of mechanisms, to include security assistance programs and multilateral organizations, particularly the United Nations. • The third section will focus on a selection of key contemporary issues in human rights and national security, and the course will culminate in three practical exercises designed to provoke debate and consideration of competing viewpoints on rights in practice. Students will debate, discuss, and analyze how the protection of human rights impacts short-term and long-term national security interests in the context of modern developments, such as the

This course is for non-SEST students only

Date & Time:

May 21 to Aug 10, 2018
Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Intercultural Center 202

Credits:

3

Conflict termination has become an increasingly important issue in U.S. national security policy, as the country is adjusting to the post-Cold War and post-9/11 strategic environment. Crucial issues in this context are how to successfully exploit military victories for political purposes and how to minimize the military and political losses associated with disengagement from a failed intervention. The course examines these and other aspects of conflict termination from a theoretical and a practical perspective.

The course is divided into four parts. The first part examines theoretical approaches to conflict termination and related concepts. The second and third parts apply the theoretical frameworks and concepts to historical cases of conflict termination, with an emphasis on conflicts in which the U.S. has participated. The second part focuses on interstate war, and the third part focuses on intrastate wars in which the U.S. has intervened. The fourth part is focused on recent and ongoing conflicts and also addresses the future of conflict termination.

While part I establishes a theoretical base, parts II—IV apply a comparative, theoretically informed perspective, focusing on similarities and differences (a) between cases of interstate and intrastate war and (b) between cases from different time periods and geographic areas. An overarching theme is to what extent we can identify recurring patterns and to what extent “lessons” from one or more cases can be applied to others. Other central issues are how the termination of one conflict can set the conditions for the termination of another, and short-term vs. long-term effects of conflict termination.

This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Aug 10, 2018
Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Intercultural Center 202

Credits:

3

Conflict termination has become an increasingly important issue in U.S. national security policy, as the country is adjusting to the post-Cold War and post-9/11 strategic environment. Crucial issues in this context are how to successfully exploit military victories for political purposes and how to minimize the military and political losses associated with disengagement from a failed intervention. The course examines these and other aspects of conflict termination from a theoretical and a practical perspective.

The course is divided into four parts. The first part examines theoretical approaches to conflict termination and related concepts. The second and third parts apply the theoretical frameworks and concepts to historical cases of conflict termination, with an emphasis on conflicts in which the U.S. has participated. The second part focuses on interstate war, and the third part focuses on intrastate wars in which the U.S. has intervened. The fourth part is focused on recent and ongoing conflicts and also addresses the future of conflict termination.

While part I establishes a theoretical base, parts II—IV apply a comparative, theoretically informed perspective, focusing on similarities and differences (a) between cases of interstate and intrastate war and (b) between cases from different time periods and geographic areas. An overarching theme is to what extent we can identify recurring patterns and to what extent “lessons” from one or more cases can be applied to others. Other central issues are how the termination of one conflict can set the conditions for the termination of another, and short-term vs. long-term effects of conflict termination.

This section is for non-SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Aug 10, 2018
Monday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Intercultural Center 108

Credits:

3

This course will introduce you to the theory and current practice of managing crisis in the National Security arena. After a brief orientation on the primary structures, actors and theories influencing National Security now, the course will examine in detail how a National leadership team operates and strives to respond and manage a significant crisis event. A theoretical construct will then be proposed and tested during the rest of the course. Using case studies of recent representative crises, students will assess how the primary National Security actors responded, whether the theoretical construct is applicable, and what, if any, lessons were learned. Along the way, students will also survey the record of predicting crises, and conclude with an adapted theoretical framework that can be used when observing or potentially participating in managing a crisis.

This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Aug 10, 2018
Monday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Intercultural Center 202

Credits:

3

This course will introduce you to the theory and current practice of managing crisis in the National Security arena. After a brief orientation on the primary structures, actors and theories influencing National Security now, the course will examine in detail how a National leadership team operates and strives to respond and manage a significant crisis event. A theoretical construct will then be proposed and tested during the rest of the course. Using case studies of recent representative crises, students will assess how the primary National Security actors responded, whether the theoretical construct is applicable, and what, if any, lessons were learned. Along the way, students will also survey the record of predicting crises, and conclude with an adapted theoretical framework that can be used when observing or potentially participating in managing a crisis.

This section is for non-SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Aug 10, 2018
Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Intercultural Center 202

Credits:

3

This course provides an introduction to the economies of both North and South Korea, economic security problems that pertain to the divided peninsula, and prospects for economic development and ultimate unification. The course takes advantage of the two remarkably different economic paths taken by the north and the south since 1945 to analyze economic development from both socialist and capitalist perspectives including substantial discussion of the economic transition processes. Economic growth issues, financial reform and panic, international trade and investment, economic accounting and current indicators, are discussed in some depth. Economic security issues, including sanction problems, military industry and manpower issues, and prioritizing military budgets are addressed. Students can expect to learn a great deal about Korea and about economic development, including key economic indicators and models that are useful in understanding conditions in any economy. Intelligence analysis and US national security are also touched upon. Most classes will include a "tools" segment that teaches students how to apply apply various database and statistical tools to support economic analysis and a short segment devoted to current news topics on Korea.

This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Aug 10, 2018
Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, Intercultural Center 202

Credits:

3

This course provides an introduction to the economies of both North and South Korea, economic security problems that pertain to the divided peninsula, and prospects for economic development and ultimate unification. The course takes advantage of the two remarkably different economic paths taken by the north and the south since 1945 to analyze economic development from both socialist and capitalist perspectives including substantial discussion of the economic transition processes. Economic growth issues, financial reform and panic, international trade and investment, economic accounting and current indicators, are discussed in some depth. Economic security issues, including sanction problems, military industry and manpower issues, and prioritizing military budgets are addressed. Students can expect to learn a great deal about Korea and about economic development, including key economic indicators and models that are useful in understanding conditions in any economy. Intelligence analysis and US national security are also touched upon. Most classes will include a "tools" segment that teaches students how to apply apply various database and statistical tools to support economic analysis and a short segment devoted to current news topics on Korea.

This section is for non-SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Jun 29, 2018
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, White-Gravenor 411

Credits:

3

Modern warfare utilizes advanced weapons systems. This course will examine various weapon systems ranging from artillery, cruise missiles, aircraft, aircraft launched weapons, ships, submarines and unmanned systems. We will also examine strategic and tactical nuclear weapons. In the examination we will look at capabilities, concepts of operation, and issues surrounding their procurement and use. The course will also involve students working through a crisis scenario utilizing various weapon systems. No pre-existing technical knowledge is assumed nor is any required.

This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Jun 29, 2018
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar, White-Gravenor 411

Credits:

3

Modern warfare utilizes advanced weapons systems. This course will examine various weapon systems ranging from artillery, cruise missiles, aircraft, aircraft launched weapons, ships, submarines and unmanned systems. We will also examine strategic and tactical nuclear weapons. In the examination we will look at capabilities, concepts of operation, and issues surrounding their procurement and use. The course will also involve students working through a crisis scenario utilizing various weapon systems. No pre-existing technical knowledge is assumed nor is any required.

This section is for non-SEST students only.

Date & Time:

Jul 2 to Aug 10, 2018
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture, Car Barn 170

Credits:

3

The art of war is often invoked yet rarely understood. This course will teach you the timeless fundaments of strategy. Too often policy makers, members of congress, academics, think tankers, journalists, pundits and even members of the military discuss strategy but remain ignorant of the topic. Consequently, strategy is frequently confused with tactics to ruinous effect, as evidenced in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. This course will teach students how to think strategically, and equip you with the core concepts and lexicon of strategy. It builds on what senior U.S. military officers learn at War Colleges, taught by a professor at such an institution, and will probe ideas more broadly and deeply than standard War College curriculums. Students will learn universal strategies for the strong, the weak and most things in between. We will examine the ideas of Sun Tzu, Kautilya, Jomini, Clausewitz, Mao, T.E. Lawrence, Galula and other scholar-practitioners. Case studies include the Peloponnesian War, American Revolution, 2006 Lebanon War and warlords in Africa. The course will conclude by contemplating the future of warfare.

This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

Jul 2 to Aug 10, 2018
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture, Car Barn 170

Credits:

3

The art of war is often invoked yet rarely understood. This course will teach you the timeless fundaments of strategy. Too often policy makers, members of congress, academics, think tankers, journalists, pundits and even members of the military discuss strategy but remain ignorant of the topic. Consequently, strategy is frequently confused with tactics to ruinous effect, as evidenced in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. This course will teach students how to think strategically, and equip you with the core concepts and lexicon of strategy. It builds on what senior U.S. military officers learn at War Colleges, taught by a professor at such an institution, and will probe ideas more broadly and deeply than standard War College curriculums. Students will learn universal strategies for the strong, the weak and most things in between. We will examine the ideas of Sun Tzu, Kautilya, Jomini, Clausewitz, Mao, T.E. Lawrence, Galula and other scholar-practitioners. Case studies include the Peloponnesian War, American Revolution, 2006 Lebanon War and warlords in Africa. The course will conclude by contemplating the future of warfare.

This section is for non-SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Aug 10, 2018
Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture, Intercultural Center 207A

Credits:

3

This course provides students with insights into the changing dynamics of politics and security in Eurasia. The course will begin with examination of Russian security and foreign policy, including examination of the domestic, economic and social drivers of Russian security policy. It will then continue with an examination of security issues in Eurasia broadly conceived. The course will explore the underlying causes of the regional conflicts that are proliferating in or near the region, including Ukraine, the South Caucasus, Syria and Afghanistan. The course will also examine the impact of outside actors—China, the European Union, Russia, Turkey and Iran—on Russian and Eurasian security.

This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 21 to Aug 10, 2018
Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture, Intercultural Center 207A

Credits:

3

This course provides students with insights into the changing dynamics of politics and security in Eurasia. The course will begin with examination of Russian security and foreign policy, including examination of the domestic, economic and social drivers of Russian security policy. It will then continue with an examination of security issues in Eurasia broadly conceived. The course will explore the underlying causes of the regional conflicts that are proliferating in or near the region, including Ukraine, the South Caucasus, Syria and Afghanistan. The course will also examine the impact of outside actors—China, the European Union, Russia, Turkey and Iran—on Russian and Eurasian security.

This section is for non-SEST students only.