Graduate Courses

Date & Time:

Jun 7 to Jul 9, 2021
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

The important and long-standing interplay between politics and film is the focus of this course. Three general questions characterize this examination. First, what ideological, chronological, or cultural differences mark different films focusing on a common political object, such as the American Dream or war? What accounts for these differences? Second, how political is an individual movie? How expansive should the definition of political content be? Third, how effective is the specific genre in conveying the intended political message? Are propaganda films really more effective than the indirect messages found in mainstream blockbusters? We begin with a general overview of the film-politics relationship and a brief discussion of the various perspectives and theories that illuminate the connection. Next, we look at the most obvious political films: the propaganda movies Triumph of the Will and Birth of a Nation. Next we look at the documentary genre through a contemporary production Paragraph 175 and a classic, Wiseman’s Titicut Follies. A discussion of political satire follows, focused on Chaplin’s Great Dictator and South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut. The next section delves into Hollywood’s image of America and American politics. The first two films revolve around the presentation of the American Dream, exemplified by Citizen Kane, and Forrest Gump, movies separated by 50 years. Then we look at the more focused theme of the image of Washington politics through Capra’s classic Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Wag the Dog. On a different note, we discuss one of the most unexpectedly political films, Dangerous Liaisons, a study in political personality, power maximization and unadulterated competition. The last section thematizes war and genocide. In contrast to typical heroic representations of WWII, we look at a Japanese animated feature, Grave of the Fireflies, which reveals a substantially different cultural and political sensibility, as well as the Oscar-winning glimpse of Hitler’s last days, Downfall. For the Cold War we will analyze The Manchurian Candidate and From Russia with Love. Next comes The Deer Hunter, a masterpiece that best captures the pervasive malaise of the Vietnam War period, both at home and at the front. The final films delve into an historical theme with great contemporary political and ethical relevance: the Holocaust as depicted in Spielberg’s Schindler’s List and Holland’s Europa, Europa.

Date & Time:

Jul 12 to Aug 13, 2021
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
3:15 PM - 5:15 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture

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 12 to Aug 13, 2021
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture

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

Date & Time:

Jun 7 to Jul 30, 2021
Monday, Wednesday
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture

Credits:

1

TBA

Open to MA in American Government students only.

Date & Time:

Jun 7 to Jul 30, 2021
Tuesday, Thursday
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

Students write and discuss a major applied research paper on a question of practical significance. The practicum paper is an exercise in applied research 20-40 pages long and is normally written on a topic relating to or arising out of the practicum experience. [American Government]

Open to MA in American Government students only.

Date & Time:

Jul 6 to Aug 13, 2021
Tuesday, Thursday
5:30 PM - 8:15 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

The ability to design sound and methodologically rigorous research is essential to answering questions in the conflict resolution field and to evaluating the research of others. This course will give students a strong foundation in research design skills to be able to apply in a number of different contexts including academic research, policy research, proposal writing and report writing. Students will also learn about the variety of methods available to researchers and how to choose the ones most appropriate for testing their theories and hypotheses. Additionally, students will learn how to evaluate critically the research design and methods used in the research of others.

***This course is only open to students in the Conflict Resolution Program*** The ability to design sound and methodologically rigorous research is essential to answering questions in the conflict resolution field and to evaluating the research of others. This course will give students a strong foundation in research design skills to be able to apply in a number of different contexts including academic research, policy research, proposal writing and report writing. Students will also learn about the variety of methods available to researchers and how to choose the ones most appropriate for testing their theories and hypotheses. Additionally, students will learn how to evaluate critically the research design and methods used in the research of others.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jul 2, 2021

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

The course aims to provide students opportunities to build conflict resolution skills required to manage work in a variety of challenging contexts. Such skills include managing personal stress and care, making ethical decisions in complex environments, and working effectively in a variety of conflict resolution roles.

***This course is only open to students in the Conflict Resolution Program*** Intersections is an online, asynchronous course offered in partnership with Georgetown University’s Center for Social Justice. During the university’s School of Continuing Studies’ graduate summer session, students in GOVX 510 will be working in their Summer Field Fellowship placements. The Intersections course wraps around the fellowship work anywhere around the world. Intersections students engage with ethical questions and apply social justice theories to real world issues in diverse work settings. The course provides a virtual, collaborative learning cohort. The course aims to provide students opportunities to build conflict resolution skills required to manage work in a variety of challenging contexts. Such skills include managing personal stress and care, making ethical decisions in complex environments, and working effectively in a variety of conflict resolution roles. Students learn core concepts that they will be applying during their fellowship placements, including organizational theory, cross-cultural communication, and engaging with concepts from the World Values Survey. Through a series of exercises, students evaluate the culture and organization in which they are working and compare across the cohort. Including this type of learning experience allows students to identify in real-time the application of conflict resolution skills and principles. Doing this in partnership with a cohort deepens learning by providing a global comparative experience.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jun 17, 2021
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture

Credits:

3

This course offers a comprehensive theoretical and empirical overview of the politics of regime transitions and democratic consolidation in developing states. The focus will be on the challenge of moving beyond processes of negotiation and “pact making” in transitioning systems to consolidating democratic institutions, laws, rules, processes and norms. The first section of the class will address different arenas through which dynamics of consolidation typically unfold, including the rebuilding of legislatures, electoral systems and political parties, private sector market reforms, the restructuring of security sectors, and the shift from transitional to sustained justice and judicial independence. Topics such as corruption, peace building in divided societies, and the role of international institutions in supporting consolidation will also be explored. In the second section of the class students will consider a range of cases drawn from different regions including Eastern Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Cases of both successful and failed consolidation will be included in order to help identify policy choices, contexts and sequences that advance or undercut democratic consolidation. Section Three of the course will consist of producing a class paper based on the readings and field trip. This will include class presentation of key research questions and findings. To enhance the students’ understanding of the theory and practice of democratic consolidation students will spend one week in Tunisia. In the wake of the 2011 Arab political uprisings, Tunisia was the only country that experienced an actual transition from autocracy to democracy. 2014 marked the end of the transition period and the beginning of democratic consolidation, a process that is still unfolding today. In conjunction with the “Tunis Exchange” (see below) over a period of six days, students will meet with a diverse range of actors: political leaders from government, the parties and the parliament, NGO social activists, scholars, security reform experts, journalists, business leaders, American embassy officials and representatives from international assistance groups based in Tunisia. These meetings will not be limited to the capital Tunis. Students will undertake a two day trip to a rural town, where they will meet with governmental leaders, business people, and social activists who are grappling with a range of developmental challenges.

This section is reserved for students not enrolled in the Democracy & Government MA Program.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jun 17, 2021
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture

Credits:

3

This course offers a comprehensive theoretical and empirical overview of the politics of regime transitions and democratic consolidation in developing states. The focus will be on the challenge of moving beyond processes of negotiation and “pact making” in transitioning systems to consolidating democratic institutions, laws, rules, processes and norms. The first section of the class will address different arenas through which dynamics of consolidation typically unfold, including the rebuilding of legislatures, electoral systems and political parties, private sector market reforms, the restructuring of security sectors, and the shift from transitional to sustained justice and judicial independence. Topics such as corruption, peace building in divided societies, and the role of international institutions in supporting consolidation will also be explored. In the second section of the class students will consider a range of cases drawn from different regions including Eastern Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Cases of both successful and failed consolidation will be included in order to help identify policy choices, contexts and sequences that advance or undercut democratic consolidation. Section Three of the course will consist of producing a class paper based on the readings and field trip. This will include class presentation of key research questions and findings. To enhance the students’ understanding of the theory and practice of democratic consolidation students will spend one week in Tunisia. In the wake of the 2011 Arab political uprisings, Tunisia was the only country that experienced an actual transition from autocracy to democracy. 2014 marked the end of the transition period and the beginning of democratic consolidation, a process that is still unfolding today. In conjunction with the “Tunis Exchange” (see below) over a period of six days, students will meet with a diverse range of actors: political leaders from government, the parties and the parliament, NGO social activists, scholars, security reform experts, journalists, business leaders, American embassy officials and representatives from international assistance groups based in Tunisia. These meetings will not be limited to the capital Tunis. Students will undertake a two day trip to a rural town, where they will meet with governmental leaders, business people, and social activists who are grappling with a range of developmental challenges.

This section is reserved for students not enrolled in the Democracy & Government MA Program.

Date & Time:

Jul 12 to Aug 13, 2021
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture

Credits:

3

LING 401 This course is designed to provide students with a general graduate-level introduction to the scientific study of language. It is also open to advanced undergraduates. Our main goals include familiarizing you with core concepts and terminology in linguistics and with key methods and approaches to language study and how to apply them (to English and to other languages, including languages that you might know, and languages that you don’t know). We also discuss theories and research on how both first and other languages are learned by children and adults, as well as how computers are ‘taught’ to use and respond to human language. In addition, we explore how language shapes and is shaped by social, political, historical contexts, as well as personal and group identity and interpersonal relations. Throughout the course, we consider various applications of the scientific study of language, including in corporate, government, educational and legal arenas. If you are entering (or considering) a graduate program in linguistics or related field, this course will provide you with the foundation you need to succeed. If you are studying a non-native language, this course will provide you with additional tools to facilitate the learning process. Linguistics, the scientific study of language, interfaces with a wide variety of other fields (e.g., anthropology, sociology, psychology, cognitive neuroscience, computer science, philosophy, politics, legal studies, and public policy), so you should be able to make important and exciting connections whatever your background and interests.

Date & Time:

Jun 7 to Jul 30, 2021
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture

Credits:

3

Understanding Neural Networks is an essential skill needed for the cutting edge field of deep learning. This is an introductory course on the building, training and applications of neural networks using the R programming language. The study of Neural Networks uses a wide range of mathematics including linear algebra, optimization, and probability theory. A number of different network topologies and applications will be covered. Examples include classification (binary and multinomial), recommender systems and auto encoders. Students will develop the intuition needed to successfully train neural networks that generalize and can be applied to practical problems such as fraud detection. Prerequisites: Program prerequisites of calculus through multivariable plus linear algebra, and some proficiency in R. Limited to students in the MAST graduate program

Date & Time:

Jun 7 to Jul 30, 2021
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture

Credits:

3

This course covers design and analysis of sample surveys. Sample designs include simple random sampling, systematic, stratified, cluster, double, and multistage sampling. Analytical methods include sample size determination, ratio and regression estimation, imputation for missing data, and nonsampling error adjustment. Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: MN or MC Graduate Must be enrolled in one of the following Majors: Mathematics and Statistics

Date & Time:

Jul 6 to Aug 13, 2021
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

The Principles of Political Research & Analysis course provides the foundations of political analysis to young people looking to enter the field. The course would cover how to begin to develop an expertise, how to avoid logical fallacies and bias, how to conduct interviews of sources, how to assess the credibility of diverse sets of information, how to organize analytic/policy writing, how to write intelligence or policy analysis, and finally, how to brief. In short, the course covers three areas: (1) Knowledge Acquisition, (2) Analytic Skill Sets, (3) Communication and Delivery. The course is highly practical and hands on, meaning that the students are expected to specifically apply the ideas they learn in lecture by starting to develop an expertise and then by writing and briefing on that topic several times throughout the semester. This course is intended to aid new analysts in building sound habits and practices. The course would prepare students for research or think tank fields and/or intelligence, military, or policy analyst fields.

Some seats in this class are reserved.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Aug 13, 2021
Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

Every administration comes to power believing that it controls the destiny of US national security policy. It anticipates it will redefine America's national interests, lay out a multi-year strategy for protecting those interests, and pursue its domestic and international agenda. That illusion usually lasts a month or two. Then reality hits. This course examines that reality. This course does not catalog the potential threats to America or examine US allies and interests in different regions. Threats, allies and interests are ever-changing. Instead, the course examines the policy strategies, structures and the tools that frame US response, regardless of the threat, allies or interests involved. The objective of the course is to equip students with the intellectual foundation and technical competence required to analyze contemporary US national security issues and solutions. The course emphasizes defense and other coercive means of foreign policy, and examines the role of force as an instrument of statecraft. This course is designed for students who may work in the US national security establishment.

Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Aug 13, 2021
Tuesday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

Fall: This course explores two primary questions: what is intelligence good for, and how can we know? Intelligence is generally viewed as an applied subject, studied primarily by practitioners. This course bridges the gap between theory and practice, encouraging students to examine the role of intelligence organizations in government and how the secrecy surrounding intelligence contributes to, and challenges, national security and transparency in governance. While the primary focus will be on the American intelligence system, the course addresses comparative issues in the study of intelligence, including themes and examples that transcend particular national and political contexts. This course will introduce students to fundamental issues in intelligence studies, including the role of intelligence in national security decision-making, elements of intelligence success and failure, and oversight. Class participants will gain a working understanding of the different types of intelligence, the range of responsibilities that elements of an intelligence community hold, and the relationship between intelligence and the policy-making process. Beyond technical aspects of intelligence functions, students will explore the political context that frames intelligence operations, evaluating how intelligence information relates to high-level government decision-making and to the conduct of foreign policy. Finally, students will consider some of the major normative questions regarding intelligence, such as: what the appropriate role for intelligence should be in a democracy, how transparent intelligence should be to the public, and how its vast array of activities should be supervised. Course Format This course is a seminar; the course is formatted to facilitate student-driven learning. Participants will be expected to come to class prepared and to demonstrate active, critical exploration of course material throughout the semester. Class meetings will focus on group discussion of course material, led each week by student presentations on class readings. Spring: This course will explore the organization and functions of the U.S. intelligence community, its interaction with national security policymakers, and the challenges it faces in defining its future role. Students will evaluate issues of intelligence collection, analysis, counterintelligence, and covert action, including how decision-makers use intelligence. The course will highlight some of the major debates about the role, practices, and problems of national intelligence. The course seeks to improve students’ writing skills and to cultivate the ability to engage in critical thinking, analysis, and independent learning. To that end, reading, discussing, and writing about the assigned material will be the central activities of the course. The goal is for students to leave the class possessing not only a better understanding of specific co

Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

Jul 6 to Aug 13, 2021
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

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)

Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jul 2, 2021
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

This course examines the links between political context of Latin America and key issues of security in the region, with a focus on the post-Cold War era. In politics, the course will explore how democratization, the development of state institutions, the political economy, and social issues have shaped the region. In the area of security, the course will examine how this political context interacts with security at regional, state, and sub-state levels, considering both hard security topics at both the state and non-state levels as well as topics in human and environmental security.

Some seats are reserved. This course will meet entirely online.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Aug 13, 2021
Monday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

This is a required course for students in the Security Studies Program who have a concentration in International Security. It is also suitable for non-specialists who are interested in a survey of international security issues. The course examines a wide array of military and non-military factors that influence international security. The first section of the course provides students with a theoretical and conceptual overview of the traditional security agenda. The second section of the course looks at how the security agenda has been broadened to include sub-national and transnational challenges, such nuclear proliferation, cyber and biosecurity threats, environmental and demographic stress, democratization, political violence (civil and ethnic conflict, insurgency, and terrorism), and protracted conflicts. The third section of the course examines responses to this contemporary security agenda, concluding with a discussion about U.S. grand strategy in the face of these security challenges.

Prof. Chanda Brown will teach. Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jul 2, 2021
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

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.

Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Aug 13, 2021
Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture

Credits:

3

This course examines the nexus of terrorist threat and governmental response. It has been crafted with the events of September 11th 2001 and since in mind and therefore is intended to acquaint students with the dynamics of both terrorism and counterterrorism and by doing so to establish a solid foundation upon which further expertise can be built. The course considers a wide range of questions in order to provide students with a deeper understanding of the threat of terrorism today. Among the questions it examines are: What is terrorism? How has the threat of terrorism changed over time? What motivates different types of terrorist groups? When does terrorism succeed and fail? How can terrorism best be fought? Specifically, the course will analyze both terrorism's effectiveness as a means to achieve political change and the challenges faced by the liberal democratic state in responding to domestic and/or international terrorist campaigns. The first part of the course seeks to provide the student with a firm historical foundation and clear understanding of the aims, motivations and justifications of terrorists. The second part of the course then focuses on terrorist tactics, targeting, and motivation. The final part addresses some of the key policy issues facing liberal democratic states in responding to domestic and/or international terrorism, thereby enabling students to better understand the power and limitations of the liberal democratic state in countering terrorism.

Prof. Chris Costa will teach. Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jul 2, 2021
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

This course will examine how spacepower contributes to U.S. national and international security, the key space policy issues facing the United States, and the factors that influence national security space decision-making. We will begin with an overview of the space environment and how the use of space has evolved. We will review and contrast U.S. national security space policies – past and present – in the context of technology advancements and a changing international security landscape. We will examine decision-making entities and processes in U.S. national security space, including the role of Congress, and conduct a deep-dive on the establishment of the U.S. Space Force. Our course then expands to international space issues and foreign space programs, followed by a study of the weaponization of space and its implications across policy, operations, and technology. Finally, our course culminates with a multi-session “space wargame” that puts students in a simulated Principals- level meeting at the National Security Council as an international security crisis unfolds involving space assets. No technical or space background is required for this course, but a strong interest in the nexus between space technology and policy is preferred. This is a practitioners’ course, and is designed to prepare students for interaction with, or development of, national security policy through the lens of space issues. Through assignments and in-class discussions/activities, students will be exposed to a range of policymaking vehicles and “tools of the trade” frequently used in the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and the Congress – from information and action memos, to congressional hearings and debates, to meeting preparation and briefings.

Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Aug 13, 2021

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

War is fundamentally a clash of opposing human wills. This is true of conventional war, insurgency, nuclear war, and all other types of armed conflict. Understanding human behavior is central to understanding war. Many explanations of war focus on materiel: Who has the most tanks, the better planes, the most efficient logistics? Accepting the important role of materiel in war, this course explores human motivation, decisionmaking, and culture and their central roles in the nature and outcomes of armed conflict. Why do people choose to fight, to keep fighting, or to quit? Why do civilians pick up weapons to join insurgent movements? We begin the course by establishing a common understanding of human behavior, with readings and discussions focused on agentic choice and cultural influences on decisionmaking. The second part of the course focuses on historic examples from different types of conventional and irregular conflicts. Why did people choose to fight in World War I? In Vietnam? In Afghanistan and Iraq? If they wavered or quit, how did they reach that decision? Lastly, we will explore various ways of assessing human behavior in war through practical exercises and tabletop wargaming.

Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jul 2, 2021
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Class

Credits:

3

This course will provide an understanding of chemical and biological warfare (CBW) issues from primarily a policy perspective, including U.S. and international efforts to prevent and respond to the CBW threat. The course will address three main objectives: 1. Understand basic technical aspects of chemical and biological weapons and technology. 2. Understand the application of CBW in a historical context, including international agreements. Discuss when and why these weapons have been used; how U.S. CBW policy has evolved; and, how key events helped shape current policies and practices in mitigating the threat of CBW employment and proliferation. 3. Understand the challenges of responding to CBW threats, including: the contemporary issues with state and non-state actor employment of CBW; the impact of dual-use technology associated with advances in life sciences and bioengineering; and, the complexities of identifying and detecting biological and chemical weapons deployment and delivery.

Prof. Brendan Melley This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jul 2, 2021
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

The course is designed to provide students with substantive and analytical knowledge on the evolution of global terrorism and the global terrorist threat in Western Europe, as well as on the diverse national counterterrorism policies and the common European Union counterterrorism approach. Students will learn about the penetration and terrorism-related activities of Al Qaeda and associated jihadist organizations in Western Europe prior to 9/11, and their subsequent development until Osama bin Laden’s death, examining in detail the significance of major attacks and plots. All this before exploring the recent, unprecedented cycle of jihadist mobilization, prompted mainly by Islamic State insurgency in Syria and Iraq, which has affected, though in varying degrees, Western European countries, and is expected to have lasting and differential effects. Special attention is given, in this respect, both to the phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters from Western Europe and to the spate of terrorist attacks perpetrated in Western Europe by a variety of individual and collective actors. The course addresses how Western European nations have adapted their security strategies, policies and programs facing the multiple and increasingly complex challenges posed by the evolving global terrorism threat.

Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

Jul 6 to Aug 13, 2021
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

After the devastating terrorist attacks on September 11th, the United States and its allies went to war against al-Qa’ida. The world watched as the most powerful military on the planet initiated operations to destroy al-Qa’ida and the terrorist organization’s Afghan hosts, the Taliban. Few at the time envisioned that—20 years later—the United States and its allies would not only still be fighting al-Qa’ida and off-shoots like ISIS, but would be doing so in dozens of countries and nearly every continent worldwide. Beyond the public’s view of this war, the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) was drastically ramping up its efforts to develop actionable intelligence after the 9/11 attacks that would enable the U.S.-led Coalition to achieve their goals, namely preventing any additional terrorist attacks against the United States. “Never again” became more than just a motto for the IC. Analysts from across the IC have continued to work tirelessly around the clock to identify leads to key terrorist leaders and operatives, uncover plots, and discern broader trends to prevent the United States from strategic surprise. This course will shed light on the shadowy world of the IC since September 11th and answer questions such as, what does a terrorism intelligence analyst really do? How do analysts inform and enable decisions by policymakers and warfighters, including policies to prevent terrorist against the United States and operations to kill or capture some of the most elusive terrorists around the world? In this course, students will learn to analyze key terrorism issues during the last 20 years from the lens of an intelligence analyst—rather than as a policymaker, soldier, or scholar. This means students will think about and discuss issues consistent with IC standards and norms—including by being objective, non-partisan, and policy-outcome agnostic. As a result, although at times discussions might touch on whether a particular counterterrorism policy has been effective, that will not be the focus on the class. By the end of this course, students will gain a solid understanding of the tools and the “tradecraft” required to develop insightful and compelling terrorism intelligence analysis.

Some Seats are Reserved. Prof. Anand Arun will teach

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jul 2, 2021
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

This course examines how the proliferation of social media and other Internet-based communication platforms have transformed the behaviors and methods used by those involved in criminal activity, terrorism and domestic violent extremism, and the efforts of foreign intelligence agencies to target the United States. Specifically, students will explore how social media and other online communications platforms are used by: transnational criminal organizations engaged in drug trafficking and other illicit activity; foreign terrorist groups and domestic extremist organizations to recruit and coordinate violent activity; disaffected individuals as they gravitate toward ideologically motivated targeted acts of violence; and foreign intelligence services as the seek to collect intelligence from the United States and engage in disinformation campaigns and influence operations intended to sow discord, inspire acts of violence, influence elections or otherwise harm the United States. Students will also explore what steps law enforcement, homeland security, and national security entities can take to incorporate online activity by those involved in illicit or threat-related behavior into efforts intended to prevent crime and protect the Nation from security threats. This will include an examination of how advanced computing technologies and other operational techniques can aid law enforcement and security professionals as well as how best to address issues/concerns relating to privacy and civil liberties protections. The course seeks to improve students’ writing skills and to cultivate the ability to engage in critical thinking, analysis, and independent learning. To that end, reading, discussing, and writing about the assigned material will be the central activities of the course. The goal is for students to leave the class possessing not only a better understanding of specific concepts and events, but also an increased ability to express that knowledge in prose and speech.

Some seats are Reserved

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jul 2, 2021
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture

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.

Prof. Joseph Folio will teach. Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

Jul 6 to Aug 13, 2021
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

This course examines critical policy issues concerning North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and has three purposes. The first is to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of the origins, evolution, and current status of the DPRK’s nuclear and missile programs. The goal is to enable students to make accurate and reliable assessments of the DPRK WMD capabilities and intentions, the main drivers and constraints, key issues and challenges shaping the development of North Korean nuclear and missile programs. An additional goal is to enable students to better understand what role the WMDs play in Pyongyang’s overall national security strategy, military strategy, and foreign policy and to determine what policy instruments North Korean decision-makers use to advance Pyongyang’s WMD programs in the context of international isolation and sanctions. The second purpose is for students to develop critical thinking and analytical tradecraft skills so that they can produce high quality analytical products for various types of consumers, using open source data and structured analytical techniques. The third purpose is to introduce main DPRK and North Korea-related open sources available online in the public domain for policy relevant research and analysis

Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jul 2, 2021
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

The study of civil-military relations addresses a simple puzzle: can we have a military strong enough to protect civilians yet not so strong as to ignore or subvert civilian direction? After all, a military that is strong enough to defend the state from its external enemies is also strong enough to seize power so as to rule for itself. How do you have a strong military capability without being swallowed by it? In this course, we will examine the variety of ways that the civil-military relationship can vary -- how political leaders, society and military organizations interact, and how their cultures overlap and diverge. This course will examine a broad range of topics regarding civil military relations to extend beyond just the relationship of the government and the army to include such issues as media, war crimes, and race/gender in modern warfare. It will help inform the statesman, professional military officer and citizen in creating a better understanding of his/her role in relation to their government and society.

Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jul 2, 2021
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture

Credits:

3

Intelligence and Psychology – Why Spies Spy As intelligence officers run existing sources and develop new ones, incorporating standards of tradecraft, operational security, and asset validation, they must remain closely attuned to the motivations, vulnerabilities, and often rocky mindsets of the individuals they target. They are responsible for the managing concealment, deception, and stress that all spies experience as they attempt to lead double lives. For some, the task is exciting and fulfilling; but for most, it is an exhausting rollercoaster of emotional highs and lows that often ends in difficult and even tragic ways. In this course, students will familiarize themselves with the asset recruitment cycle, operational testing, the psychological profiles of most spies, and the techniques that all intelligence officers rely on to keep spies motivated, productive, and alive. The course will focus on one of the toughest challenges to US foreign policy – Iran. Given the current spike in US-Iran tensions, nationwide protests that threaten the Iranian regime, and ever-present speculation about Israeli airstrikes or covert action inside Iran, students will have the chance to peer into the minds of the hardline officials that run Iran’s security establishment, learning about the traditional drivers of the Iranian psyche that make the job of handling and recruiting Iranian spies so complex.

Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

Jul 6 to Aug 13, 2021
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

The overarching goal of the course is to improve the students’ understanding of conflict termination, particularly in the context of US national security policy, from a theoretical and a practical perspective. The US has not successfully terminated its protracted involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq, and conflict termination is an increasingly important aspect of US national security policy. Crucial issues in this context include 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. An overarching theme is to what extent we can identify recurring patterns, whether we can identify “lessons” from different cases, and to what extent “lessons” from one case are applicable to others. While the course has a US focus, it utilizes general theories and concepts that are relevant to conflicts beyond those in which America is/has been involved. Since conflict termination is often not a one-sided affair, the course also examines the conflict termination behavior of other countries and non-state actors. The US is often not in a position to impose its will on the enemy and dictate the terms of peace, and the outcome of wars in which the US is involved is not determined by the US alone. Instead, the outcome is shaped by interaction with other parties, allies as well as enemies. Consequently, their objectives and motivations, capabilities, strategies, and resilience are of crucial importance, and the course examines “the other side” in many cases of conflict termination. Given the prominence that the course gives to general mechanisms of conflict termination, and to the behavior and impact of non-US actors, it is relevant not only to students who focus on US national security policy, but also to those who primarily have other regional and/or functional interests. The course is divided into four parts. The first part examines theoretical approaches to conflict termination and related concepts, as well as their empirical and practical application. The following three parts further apply the theoretical frameworks and concepts to cases of conflict termination, with an emphasis on conflicts in which the US has participated or is participating. The second part covers the time period 1918—1991, the third part covers 1991—2001, and the fourth part covers the period since 2001 and also addresses the future of conflict termination. The course combines methods and approaches from social science and history, which are overlapping and mutually reinforcing. Social science (IR) informs a comparative analysis of cases of conflict termination, focused on whether and to what extent we can make valid generalizations about the dynamics of conflict termination. For example, can we identify the conditions under which a belligerent decides to sue for peace? The historical perspective enhances this comparison by placing the cases in their specific historic

Some seats are Reserved.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jul 2, 2021
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

This course provides graduate students an overview of how economic intelligence, both quantitative and qualitative economic information, is used in US foreign and national security policymaking. The class will explore the many facets of economic intelligence and how its application in the policymaking process differs from the use of competitive business and market intelligence by commercial entities and nongovernmental institutions. The course will equip students with structured approaches to critically interpreting economic trends and their implications for policymakers, integrating economic insights into strategic assessments, and communicating findings in a concise and actionable way to decision makers. Presentations and readings will introduce students to various sources of economic information--US agencies, commercial entities, multilateral organizations, and foreign governments--and explore how to best evaluate sources' usefulness, gaps, and biases in addressing specific policy questions. Finally, the course will look at how the use of economic intelligence in policymaking is evolving both in the type of data and information available to policymakers and in the need to address new and evolving risks such as climate change. Students will be expected to participate in class discussions, deliver two policy papers, a briefing, and a final paper.

Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

Jul 6 to Aug 13, 2021
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

In January 2020, France and the G5 Sahel (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger) declared that Islamic State in Greater Sahara (ISGS) was the most significant security threat in West Africa. ISGS, however, has never been the actual name of any group and the group known as ISGS merged with Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) in March 2019, which is commonly known as “Boko Haram.” Five years before the Pau meeting, the Islamic State was still new to Africa, but in a short time it has eclipsed the threat from al-Qaeda, whose roots on the continent date to Usama bin Laden’s 1991 arrival in Sudan. Nevertheless, al-Qaeda has its own affiliates in Africa, including in Somalia and Mali (near where so-called ISGS operates), as well as one in Nigeria that cooperates and conflicts with ISWAP. Besides the constellation of jihadist groups that also extend to Congo, Mozambique, and the fringes of littoral West Africa, there are also dozens of other armed movements in Africa that sometimes fight with or against national armies and often defend their land and livelihoods, their ethnic groups, and their political and economic rights. Sometimes their interests overlap with jihadist groups. Furthermore, there are mercenaries and proxies that receive wages for fighting and non-jihadist secessionist movements on the continent. Given these complexities, this course will examine how African armed movements, especially clandestine ones like so-called ISGS, can best be researched and analyzed and the extent to which there is anything distinctly “African” about them compared to armed movements on other continents. Further, the course will assess the advantages and limitations of militaristic, developmental, and other approaches to dealing with African armed movements, as well as structure and agency, geopolitical, historical, illicit commercial, and ideological factors behind armed militancy on the continent. Students in the course are expected to have a strong interest in Africa, willingness to participate extensively in class and conduct independent and original research, and familiarity with military, political, religious, economic, or human rights affairs in Africa either obtained through reading-up on these issues before the course begins or through previous professional and academic exposure.

Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jul 2, 2021
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Online

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 course is online only. Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jul 2, 2021
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

Modern warfare utilizes advanced weapons systems. This course will examine various weapon systems ranging from electronic warfare, artillery, cruise missiles, aircraft, aircraft launched weapons, ships, submarines, unmanned systems, and 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.

Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jul 2, 2021
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:25 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

This course will introduce students to the common ethical dilemmas associated with the business of Intelligence. To contribute to the decision-making of whether the US Government should lie, steal, deny, cheat, coerce, or kill on behalf of national security goals, Intelligence officers must understand the context for the ethical challenges they face and be confident in their understanding of the laws governing Intelligence work. Students will be exposed to four common frameworks for evaluating ethical dilemmas and review the ethical guidelines enshrined in the US Constitution that ground the business of Intelligence. They will evaluate, individually and collectively, dozens of real-life scenarios that required Intelligence officers to make hard choices in ambiguous situations. Finally, students will create fictional scenarios and present their final decision-making in class. The course seeks to enhance students' confidence and competence in contributing to ethically challenging decisions on a range of national security issues.

This section is for SEST students only.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Jul 2, 2021
Tuesday, Thursday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Seminar

Credits:

3

This course examines Russia’s relations with major powers in the Middle East and has three purposes. The first purpose is for students to learn about the principal actors, main interests and drivers, and key issues shaping Russian foreign and national security policy in the Middle East. The second purpose is to provide students with a better understanding of the main instruments and mechanisms in the toolbox of Russian decision-makers and learn how they use them to defend Russian national interests and advance the Kremlin’s policy priorities in the Middle East. The third purpose is for students to develop critical thinking and writing skills so that they can produce high quality analytical products for various types of consumers, using open source information.

Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

May 24 to Aug 13, 2021
Monday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture

Credits:

3

In this course, we will examine one of the topics most central for the future of national security policy: artificial intelligence, or AI. We will begin first by examining what AI is and isn’t, and discuss how the underlying technology works. We will then proceed to survey the national security landscape and consider how AI will impact key policy and strategy decisions in the near future. Topics discussed include autonomous weapons, intelligence collection and analysis, massive cyber attacks, propaganda, and technology competition. We will also focus on the AI strategies of two major nations, the United States and China. No technical background is required for this class, though we will introduce some important ideas that are relevant to how AI works. Students will be assessed through a mid-term exam that assesses understanding of key concepts, as well as through one research paper in which they examine how AI is changing an area of national security policy. In addition, class participation is a vital component of this class, as a substantial portion of each week will be oriented towards discussion.

Some seats are reserved.

Date & Time:

Jul 6 to Aug 13, 2021
Monday, Wednesday
6:00 PM - 9:10 PM

Format & Location:

Lecture

Credits:

3

In December 2017, the Administration published a National Security Strategy that outlined a different approach for the United States. The document outlined a security view that identified China and Russia as challengers to US power in a world of growing political, economic and military competition. The document characterized Iran and North Korea as active adversaries, seeking to challenge US and allied interests within their region. This course examines each of these actors from an economic viewpoint, proceeding from the premise that a national economic base provides the resources from which these nations provide for domestic living standards while at the same time resourcing their national security objectives. The course provides an overview of each nation in context to its reginal and the world economy, and in comparison to the US. The course will examine contemporary and projected trends for each nation and relate these to security and strategy. This is designed as an economics course for security professionals who are NOT economists. The instructor will familiarize students with basic macroeconomic concepts and provide a framework for inquiry which the seminar will apply to each of the actors. The seminar will then draw conclusions for strategy and decision makers. Assignments will consist of short presentations, a short decision paper for each nation and a medium length (8 – 12 page) paper on a national topic chosen by the student.

Some seats are reserved.