Prerequisites: None

Exam Type: Midterm and final, administered through HKS

This course will examine the interplay of geopolitics and human rights, with a focus on how the changing dynamics of the international system are influencing the strategy and statecraft for confronting issues with major security and human consequences. We will probe how such factors as the rise of China, divisions within the U.N., and the challenges facing democracies have shaped international responses to past and present global challenges like climate change, Ebola, and the Syrian civil war. We will also look ahead to potential responses to emerging issues like cyber-interference. The course will use concrete cases to understand the factors behind successful crisis management or mitigation, asking what these lessons portend for the future, and for the actions of governments, NGOs, and activists.

Note: This course is jointly-listed with HKS as IGA-140 and will meet at HKS.

Cross-registration petitions will be processed through HKS; please submit all cross-registration petitions to HKS.