Offered in a broad range of subjects, our graduate courses cover an entire semester’s worth of material at an accelerated pace. Take an in-depth look at a subject area in small, focused classes while learning from distinguished Georgetown faculty.
We reserve the right to cancel courses at any time. Although we do our best to run every course that is listed, we do occasionally have to cancel classes due to low enrollment, instructor schedule changes, or other circumstances beyond our control.
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The list of summer college credit courses is updated in late December of each year. Click the down arrow to see course details.
Courses subject to change.
| Number | Course Name | Faculty | Time | Session | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GOVT-432-15 | Politics & Film |
Boyd, Richard |
PM | Main First Session | Click to read more about GOVT-432-15 |
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. |
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| GOVT-472-25 | Negotiating MIddle East Peace |
Kacowicz, Arie |
AM | Main Second Session | Click to read more about GOVT-472-25 |
This course focuses upon the topic of negotiations and conflict resolution in the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict since 1977 to the present. This course focuses upon the topic of negotiations and conflict resolution in the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict since 1977 to the present. The course is divided into four parts. First, we will present the general theoretical framework for explaining and understanding negotiations in international relations. Second, we will refer in general terms to the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the main issues and patterns of negotiations. Third, we will address several case-studies of successes and failures of negotiations between Israel and its several Arab neighbors – Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and the Palestinians. In this context, we will attempt to understand the failure of the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians. Finally, in the last part of the course we will play a simulation and students will present their short papers. 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. |
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| MATH-517-30 | Social Network Analysis |
Webb, Alla |
PM | Cross Session | Click to read more about MATH-517-30 |
This course will cover the mathematical concepts used in Social Network Analysis (SNA), in particular those drawn from graph theory and linear algebra. The primary focus of the applications of these methods is the analysis of relational data measured on groups of social agents or graph nodes. Topics to be discussed include graph theory, link analysis, centrality measures, estimation, sampling, large-scale analysis, functional granulation, visualization of network data including issues of validity and representation, and diffusions on networks. After identifying an area of interest, students will prepare a Research Paper and Final Project that uses tools from network theory to quantify the structure of their system and provide a meaningful interpretation of their findings. |
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| SEST-503-40 | Writing:Security Professionals |
Bryant, Susan |
PM | Full Term | Click to read more about SEST-503-40 |
The national security field is filled with brilliant people nobody can understand. Their ideas drown in insider language called “wonk.” Wonk is also used by exceptionally non-brilliant people to disguise that they don’t have anything new to say. This course will help students identify the wonk within and exorcise it. The ability to make a powerful argument clearly is critical to influencing national security debates, which should be the goal of every good practitioner. Students will turn what they’ve learned at Georgetown into simple ideas anyone can understand. The practice of writing will help students discover what they believe about the most critical questions facing our community. Some seats in this class are reserved. |
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| SEST-510-40 | US National Security Policy |
Archuleta, Brandon |
PM | Full Term | Click to read more about SEST-510-40 |
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 in this class are reserved. |
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| SEST-521-40 | Theory & Prac of Intelligence |
Marquis, Kate |
PM | Full Term | Click to read more about SEST-521-40 |
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. |
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| SEST-526-20 | Advanced Military Operations |
Gordon, J |
PM | Summer 6-Week Session II | Click to read more about SEST-526-20 |
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. |
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| SEST-567-20 | Space Technologies & Security |
Johnson, Dana Weeden, Brian |
PM | Summer 6-Week Session II | Click to read more about SEST-567-20 |
This course examines the extent to which spacepower doctrine, concepts, and operations influence national security strategy and international security. It identifies key space policy issues facing the United States and places them in the larger context of technological advances and a changing international strategic environment. The course will briefly examine the historical and policy foundations for U.S. and international space programs and activities. Key documents to be assessed will include U.S. presidential policy directives, Executive Orders, national strategies and policies, and other high-level documents that provide guidance to U.S. space sectors and activities. U.S. space sectors are defined as national security (military and intelligence communities), civil, and commercial. Efforts to expand international space cooperation and to counter other nations’ diplomatic and military space strategies will also be examined. International space programs, including those of Russia, China, Japan, and India, as well as other emerging and established space-faring nations, will be assessed through classroom lectures and in the context of a future space wargame. Students will gain an understanding of: the fundamental characteristics of the space environment that define its national security and commercial utility and context; the interrelationships among U.S. spacepower, national security, and the international security environment; the role of space organizations and sectors in developing and implementing various space technologies, strategies, doctrines, and national policies; strategic choices facing other nations with respect to development and utilization of space capabilities, products, technologies, and services; and analyzing the contribution of space-based capabilities and technologies through a classroom exercise (space wargame) focusing on space and terrestrial foreign policy issues in an international security context. Emphasizing applied learning in preparation for students’ potential future careers, the class assignments are intended to expose students to different presentation and writing styles encountered in the national security community. Presidential directives, memoranda generation, and high-level but comprehensive presentations, as well as development and presentation of diplomatic positions are some of the knowledge and skills encountered in this course. Furthermore, similar to other operational environments such as air, land, and sea, students will also gain an understanding of the nature, terminology, and impact of the space environment and orbital mechanics as well as technology on national security policy and national interests. Some seats are reserved. |
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| SEST-568-10 | Human Behavior in War |
Connable, Alfred |
PM | Summer 6-Week Session I | Click to read more about SEST-568-10 |
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. |
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| SEST-575-40 | Security Policy Analysis |
Midgley, Jack |
PM | Full Term | Click to read more about SEST-575-40 |
Case-based seminar focused on building practical professional skills in quantitative and evidence-based analysis of security policies. No previous experience with economic or quantitative analysis is required. We will write well-reasoned, analytically sound policy memoranda on a range of real-world topics including budgets, program performance, threat assessment and force structure. Some seats in this class are reserved. |
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| SEST-581-20 | Challenges of Chem/Bio Weapons |
Melley, Brendan |
PM | Summer 6-Week Session II | Click to read more about SEST-581-20 |
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. Some seats in this course are reserved. |
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| SEST-593-40 | Post 9/11Terror/Intel Analysis |
Arun, Anand |
PM | Full Term | Click to read more about SEST-593-40 |
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. |
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| SEST-601-20 | Social Media Impact on Nat Sec |
Cohen, John |
PM | Summer 6-Week Session II | Click to read more about SEST-601-20 |
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 |
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| SEST-608-20 | DPRK Nuclear/Missile Programs |
Mansourov, Alexandre |
PM | Summer 6-Week Session II | Click to read more about SEST-608-20 |
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. |
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| SEST-610-10 | Civil Military Relations |
Wineman, Bradford |
PM | Summer 6-Week Session I | Click to read more about SEST-610-10 |
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. |
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| SEST-616-40 | Natl Sec & Climate Change |
Svet, Oleg |
PM | Full Term | Click to read more about SEST-616-40 |
This course examines the possible intersections between climate change and US national security, from infrastructure and disaster relief costs at home to the risks of instability, conflict, and refugee movements around the world. We will investigate the arguments for and against linking national security with climate change (and environmental issues more generally). We will explore how changing environmental conditions may become threat multipliers, and examine the US military’s perspectives on climate risks. Drawing on diverse academic and practitioner perspectives, we will investigate the ways in which climate change could be opening new frontiers of strategic competition and driving new patterns of migration, whether from conflict, scarcity, or extreme weather. Students will think critically about possible responses that governments, the national security community, private sector, and other actors could engage in to deal with a challenge that some national security practitioners have called an “existential threat.” |
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| SEST-648-40 | Conflict Termination |
Kronvall, Olof |
PM | Full Term | Click to read more about SEST-648-40 |
Conflict termination can change the global balance of power, determine the fate of nations, and have military, political, societal, and humanitarian effects that last for generations. The course applies theoretical and practical perspectives on when, how, and why conflicts end, and how actors can manage the process of conflict termination. This includes the question of whether we can identify “best practices” of conflict termination. The course looks in depth at American conflict termination, but also analyzes the motivations and conflict termination behavior of America’s allies and enemies. It covers historical case studies, beginning with WWII; contemporary case studies, including Afghanistan, Syria, and Ukraine; and looks at possible future scenarios, such as war between the US and China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran. The course is relevant to students with an interest in US national security, regional security in many parts of the world, interstate and intrastate war, warfare and military operations, insurgency and counterinsurgency, stability operations, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, and/or conflict management and resolution. Some seats are Reserved. |
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| SEST-651-40 | CT Strategy and Policy |
Ali, Mustafa |
AM | Full Term | Click to read more about SEST-651-40 |
In the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, counterterrorism quickly became the most important national priority for the United States and dominated the security landscape for the rest of the decade. Even after the death of al-Qa’ida leader Usama bin Laden in 2011—which some experts thought might have signaled the potential demise of that group and the threat it posed to the United States, al-Qa’ida and other groups remained resilient even when faced with significant counterterrorism pressure. By the middle part of the 2010s, events such as the Arab Spring, the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), competition from China and Russia, and security threats from regimes like North Korea and Iran combined to force hard choices regarding the prioritization of counterterrorism and the U.S. focus on it. Over the last twenty years, key decisions in the National Security Council (NSC) drove U.S. policy on counterterrorism, with different approaches adopted by different administrations. This class will explore U.S. policy on counterterrorism before and after the September 11, 2001 attacks through the lens of NSC decision-making and some of the key personalities involved. It will first look at the NSC from a historical context and identify its key roles and functions, before transitioning into an examination of terrorist threats, and then the more specific aspects of NSC decisions and policy choices on counterterrorism. The course will also involve guest speakers, writing assignments geared toward NSC style and format, and simulated NSC meetings where students assume different interagency roles and examine potential courses of action on various counterterrorism issues. This class will meet on 5 Saturdays from 9a-5pm on the following dates: June 4, June 18, July 9th, July 23rd and August 6th. Some seats in this class are reserved. |
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| SEST-659-10 | African Armed Movements |
Zenn, Jacob |
PM | Summer 6-Week Session I | Click to read more about SEST-659-10 |
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. |
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| SEST-668-10 | Nat Sec Crisis Decision Making |
Jones, Gregg |
PM | Summer 6-Week Session I | Click to read more about SEST-668-10 |
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. Some seats are reserved. |
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| SEST-674-20 | Weapons of War |
Brown, Duncan |
PM | Summer 6-Week Session II | Click to read more about SEST-674-20 |
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. |
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| SEST-682-20 | Russia Security Eurasia/Beyond |
Stronski, Paul |
PM | Summer 6-Week Session II | Click to read more about SEST-682-20 |
This course explores Russian security from domestic, regional and international perspectives, including an examination of Russia’s security interests in the Caucasus, Central Asia and Ukraine. For the first decade after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russians and Americans viewed the country through a prism of relative decline. However, Russia’s undeclared war against Ukraine and its meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election has shown Russia is to reinsert itself into global affairs and seek to dismantle a world order that has been dominated since 1991 by the United States and its allies. In the eyes of both the West and its immediate neighbors, Russia’s security policy has shifted from a defensive position of holding off encroachments by the West (or China) to a more assertive direction, as indicated by the war with Georgia in August 2008, the annexation of Crimea and war in Ukraine since 2014, Russia’s intervention in Syria and Russian attempts to sway public opinion and political processes in Europe, North American, and elsewhere. Is Russia’s quest for “great power status” an end in itself, or a reflection of growing domestic pressures that strain Russian economic and political security? How firm a hold does the Kremlin have on the reins of power, particularly as the Russian economy stumbles under the dual weight of low oil prices and sanctions? How much do Russian internal domestic concerns impact its security strategy and posture in Eurasia, and with the West? How is Russia reacting to emerging threats, such as cyber, organized crime and terrorism/extremism (both at home and abroad). |
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| SEST-706-10 | Global Publics & Natl Security |
Brown, Katherine |
PM | Summer 6-Week Session I | Click to read more about SEST-706-10 |
This course will examine the role of global non-state actors – activists, journalists, terrorists, non-governmental organizations, etc -- in international relations and how states try to influence them to meet their national security objectives. Traditionally, the U.S. government has used foreign public engagement and information activities to build global networks to advance U.S. foreign policy goals. Today, it finds itself working to influence foreign citizens within a complex and unprecedented intersection of technological expediency, weaponized information, and simultaneous ideological and ground wars. Students will examine a diverse range of scholarship on the intersection of international politics, communication, technology, and culture. The course will bring together international relations theory with communications theory, looking specifically at social constructivism, nationalism and identity, international news production, disinformation, protest and social movements, and public diplomacy. Each class will connect theory with current events relating to national security issues. Depending on the topic and class time, a guest speaker working on the frontlines of the issues covered in class will be able to also share their experiences, illustrating for students the relevancy of various literatures and theories. Finally, through papers and active class participation, the course will challenge students to think deeply about the role global publics play in international relations, and strategically about how to effectively use communication tools to support U.S. national security objectives. Some seats in this class are reserved. |
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| SEST-717-20 | Ethics/Intel Support Natl Sec |
Bennett, Gina |
PM | Summer 6-Week Session II | Click to read more about SEST-717-20 |
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. Some seats in this class are reserved. |
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| SEST-728-10 | Russian Strategy in the MidEas |
Mansourov, Alexandre |
PM | Summer 6-Week Session I | Click to read more about SEST-728-10 |
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. |
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| SEST-736-20 | Econ of Competitrs/Adversaries |
Troutman, Mark |
PM | Summer 6-Week Session II | Click to read more about SEST-736-20 |
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. |
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