Analytical Paper Optional: All enrolled students have the option of completing a research paper of at least 20-25 pages, with faculty and peer review of a substantially complete draft. This paper can be used to satisfy the analytical paper requirement for J.D. students.

Prerequisite: By permission of instructor

Exam Type: Final or Semester-End Paper
Students will have the option of completing a 20-25 pp. final paper or taking an exam at the end of the term. If HLS students would like their final paper to meet the JD Analytical Paper requirement, Ambassador Power will provide feedback on a draft paper and help facilitate peer feedback.

This seminar course uses the war in Ukraine as a lens to explore geopolitics, international law, and development challenges . Through an in-depth examination of the war and the range of responses to it, students will study the causes and consequences of contemporary conflict, the strengths and weaknesses of international institutions, and the challenges in securing enforcement of international law. While centered on Ukraine, the course uses the conflict as a means of examining how international institutions, states, and non-state actors respond to crises worldwide, illuminating broader questions of global governance, international development, and accountability. The course explores, for example, the UN system’s and various countries’ responses to Russia’s invasion; Ukraine’s refugee flows and their impact on other countries’ political dynamics; and on-the-ground innovations in Ukraine’s technology, energy, and agriculture sectors. Students will develop skills in international legal analysis and policy memo writing through drafting response papers that sharpen their ability to assess policy and legal dilemmas and communicate practical solutions succinctly. By analyzing the challenges faced by Ukrainian and global actors, students will gain critical insight into the structures and tools shaping peace, justice, and stability in the modern international system.

This seminar is cross-listed with HKS as IGA-298 and will meet at HKS, adhering to the HKS academic calendar. Schedule will be posted this summer.