Read course descriptions for the 2019 non-language summer courses. Descriptions will be added as more courses are confirmed.
American Foreign Policy Since WW II: John Karaagac, Core
SA.100.720 T/R 6pm-9pm
Covering the history of US foreign relations since 1945, the course emphasizes competing traditions of statecraft, successive administrations and applications from International Relations Theory to American Foreign Policy. After considering the Cold War era, the course will examine future challenges facing American policy-makers and citizens alike.
China as an Emerging Superpower: Michael Chase, China Studies
SA.750.746 M/W 6pm-9pm
Fueled by decades of extraordinary economic growth, China has transformed itself into a major power on the world stage. Along with its growing economic power, China has been expanding its diplomatic influence and strengthening its scientific and technological and military capabilities. Even as China increases its power and influence, however, it faces daunting challenges, both at home and abroad. This course considers China as an emerging superpower, with a focus on various domestic and international aspects of China's rise.
Comparative Politics:
Allison Berland, Core
SA.100.750 M/W 6pm-9pm
Focusing on the major institutions of democratic political systems, such as electoral systems, presidentialism, federalism, and judicial and legal systems, the course aims to familiarize students with a diversity of frameworks to understand contemporary politics within countries. The course will draw upon real world cases to highlight functional issues such as democratic transitions, governance and corruption, and the relationship between development and democracy.
Required for those pursuing a Certificate in International Development. Econometrics:
John Harrington, International Economics
SA.340.710 T/R 6pm-9pm
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to econometrics. Develops tools for estimating functional relationships and critically reading empirical studies that use different econometric techniques; presents assumptions of multivariate regression and discusses the most common econometric problems and the potential consequences and remedies; and discusses omitted variables, sample selection, heteroscedasticity, autocorrelation, multicollinearity and use of discrete variables. Introduces students to instrumental variable technique. Uses statistical software in applied exercises.
Prerequisite: Statistical Methods for Business and Economics. From Poverty to Plenty: Policy Making for Global Progress:
Charles Kenny, International Development
SA.400.783 M/W 6pm-9pm
Students will gain a greater understanding of the changing nature of global economic production and output over the past half century as well as the relative importance of the factors behind those trends. Students will focus coursework in on a particular (set of) policy implication(s) around a foreign policy tool/global policy issue (for example, USAID, EU trade policy). Students will create a set of proposals all targeted at the same specific senior national or international policymaker in development, trade, defense, migration or diplomacy designed to improve strategy, policy or practice in international relations to take account of the age of plenty. Students will focus on short policy memo writing and presentation.
Illicit Finance: Adam Szubin, Strategic Studies
SA.660.710 T/R 6pm-9pm
This course will examine the methodologies used by criminals and terrorists to raise and move money, the tools that governments use to track and stop them, and the latest developments in the field. Students will look at how illicit finance campaigns are being fought in the areas of terrorism, organized crime, human rights violations, and cyber-crime. The course will cover both the systemic/structural (e.g. governments enhancing global anti-money laundering) and targeted/tactical levels of the fight (e.g. law enforcement tracking financial flows to unravel plots). Students will learn not just what is being done but how to critically assess tools and policy efforts in the field.
International Financial Markets: Elie Canetti, International Economics
SA.380.722 M/W 6pm-9pm
Students will gain an understanding of how and why governments, corporations and financial institutions raise funds in financial markets—debt and equity—domestically and internationally. Themes include how financial markets differ from other markets from a public policy and regulatory perspective; innovations in capital-raising techniques; and the changing pattern of risk in financial markets resulting from globalization. The course will address key factors that distinguish financial markets and institutions in OECD nations from those in developing countries.
International Monetary Theory: Andrew Rys, International Economics
SA.300.708 M/W 6pm-9pm
Students will learn the basic theory underlying the international monetary system. Topics include understanding a country’s balance of payments, exchange rate markets, the role of expectations, monetary policy in open economies, the role of interest rates and capital flows, international financial markets, and macroeconomic fiscal policies in an open economy context.
Prerequisite: SAIS Macroeconomics, or intermediate macroeconomics from another institution and passing the SAIS Macroeconomics online waiver exam. Required for those pursuing a Certificate in International Economics. International Political Economy of Emerging Markets: David Steinberg, International Political Economy
SA.610.700 M/W 6pm-9pm
Students will study the relationship between politics and international economics in developing countries, with a focus on the emerging market economies. The course will critically evaluate different political science theories of foreign economic policymaking in emerging markets and focus on developing countries’ embrace of economic globalization over the past thirty years. The course will explore the different political reasons for why emerging market and developing countries have liberalized foreign trade, removed barriers to foreign investment, and reduced the state’s role in the domestic economy since the 1980s.
International Trade Theory: TBA, International Economics
SA.300.707 T/R 6pm-9pm
This course covers the theory and practice of international trade and investment. The first part of the course examines the cause of trade, the sources of the gains from trade and the domestic and international distribution of those gains. The second part examines the instruments and consequences of trade policy measures, especially tariffs and quantitative restrictions. Addresses preferential trade agreements and the practice of trade policy.
Prerequisite: SAIS Microeconomics, or intermediate microeconomics from another institution and passing the SAIS Microeconomics online waiver exam. Required for those pursuing a Certificate in International Economics. Introduction to Economic Development: David G. Landry, International Economics
SA.320.724 T/R 6pm-9pm
The course focuses on the key concepts and ideas surrounding economic development. Students will learn about the global patterns of economic development from the mid-19th century to today. They will also learn about key economic development concepts and measurements, and the waves of theoretical thinking in the development economics discipline since the mid-20th century. Finally, the course will explore the development experience of several countries, with an emphasis on the role of economic policy.
The course is appropriate for students without prior course work in development. Prior course work in principles of economics is desirable, or additional self-study may be needed.
Required for those pursuing a Certificate in International Development. Macroeconomics:
Marta Giagheddu, International Economics
SA.300.701 M/W 6pm-9pm
Macroeconomics is an intermediate-level course that studies the theoretical and institutional framework of modern national economies. Develops analytic tools used to understand how the economy functions in the aggregate. Focuses on the primary purpose of those tools to explain national levels of income, employment, prices and interest rates, as well as changes in these variables over time. Devotes equal attention to short-run economic fluctuations and long-run economic phenomena, especially economic growth and development. Assesses the role of fiscal and monetary policy in determining economic outcomes in both closed and open economies as well as the important relationship between financial markets and macroeconomics.
Prerequisite: Principles of Macroeconomics or equivalent. Required for those pursuing a Certificate in International Economics. Microeconomics:
Stephen Tokarick, International Economics
SA.300.700 T/R 6pm-9pm
Microeconomics is an intermediate-level course that focuses on the theory of decision-making under conditions of scarcity. Analyzes consumer theory, choice and demand, production, cost, the firm, market structures and market failure. Emphasizes economic efficiency and the application of economic theory to government and firm decisions and public policy problems. Introduces game theory and some differential calculus. Prior knowledge of differential calculus is helpful or additional self-study may be needed.
Prerequisites: Principles of microeconomics or equivalent, high school algebra and facility with graphs. Required for those pursuing a Certificate in International Economics. Politics & Risk: Countries, Policies, and Institutions:
Seth Kaplan, Global Theory & History
SA.600.740 M/W 6pm-9pm
Politics affects risk on many levels (e.g., international, national, regional, and local) and is the result of the interaction of many different elements. Students will examine basic issues with regard to risk analysis as well as why forecasts often fall short before examining three broad issues: country structural fragility, problems with collective action policymaking, and operational breakdowns. The class focuses more on the risks that face countries than on how particular risks might impact corporations or NGOs, though the latter is also examined. The course will also examine how to prioritize and mitigate risk. Each class aims to provide students with a set of frameworks to think about and assess these issues and to work on case studies to develop their skills.
Politics of North American Economic Integration:
Christopher Sands, International Political Economy
SA.610.705 T/R 6pm-9pm
As the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) after 25 years demonstrated, economic linkages in North America continue to be contested politically at the national and subnational level. The proposed update, the United States Mexico Canada Agreement, would recommit to deepening continental economic integration while retaining the NAFTA model’s governance structure: sovereign governments negotiate regulatory and border security cooperation on an ongoing basis and conduct investment, intellectual property, and monetary policy independently. Students in this course will explore the governance of economic flows among the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The course will evaluate how important sectors have adapted supply chains and market strategies in response to regional economic integration and how economic partners outside North America—like China, the European Union, and Japan—operate in the North American market.
Russia Behind the Headlines:
Marsha Olive, European and Eurasian Studies
SA.710.726 T/R 6pm-9pm
Far from expectations of partnership after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Russia looms large in today’s international security debates as a nuclear-armed opponent of the US-led world order. The course looks behind the headlines to examine why Russia became a revisionist power that poses a greater challenge to the West than at any time since the mid-1980s. It equips students to understand the domestic dynamics behind Russia’s strategic posture and to formulate approaches for dealing with Russia in the Putin and post-Putin era.
States, Revolutionaries & Terrorism:
Camille Pecastaing & Colin Powers, Middle East Studies
SA.860.781 M/W 6pm-9pm
Students will study the evolution of terrorism as a tool of political expression and conquest of power. Surveys doctrines and actions of anarchists, Russian Nihilists, Social Revolutionaries, as well as nationalists and fascist movements. Reviews Leninist and Maoist models of political subversion and their avatars in the national liberation movements and urban guerillas of the 1960s and 1970s. Draws on cases from the Middle East and North Africa, including Irgun, Lehi, EOKA, FLN, Fatah, PFLP, ANO and ASALA.
Statistical Methods for Business and Economics:
John Harrington, International Economics
SA.340.709 M/W 6pm-9pm
Students will study basic statistical tools for data analysis. Emphasizes facility in problem-solving in statistical inference and two-variable regression and correlation analysis. Presents descriptive statistics, probability and probability distributions and their use in hypothesis testing. Uses computer to solve problems and to reinforce statistical concepts.
The Politics of Nuclear Proliferation in East Asia:
James Person, Asian Studies
SA.755.736 T/R 6pm-9pm
The course is structured around the background, theory, and application of nuclear politics and history in East Asia. Students will learn about the development of nuclear weapons programs during the Second World War and the Cold War and the differences in proliferation and non-proliferation strategies among early proliferators (e.g. the United States and the Soviet Union). In the second portion of the course, students will learn about brinkmanship diplomacy, deterrence theory, and alliance security dilemma, and apply them to the study of cases of proliferation, attempted proliferation, and nuclear latency in China, South Korea, North Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia to understand the variance in nuclear exploration, pursuit, and acquisition. Incorporating recent policy analysis and declassified archival documents, the course will foster a breadth of knowledge on different nuclear weapons cases.
The Private Sector and Cybersecurity: Toni Gidwani, Strategic Studies
SA.660.717 T/R 6pm-9pm
How should the U.S. government respond when companies get hacked? What responsibility do Twitter and Facebook have in preventing fake news? While some facets of cybersecurity follow the broader principles of international relations, the predominance of the private sector makes it substantially different from most issues we study as national security practitioners. This course will take a “David and Goliath” approach to this subject. First, we’ll examine the attack surface of how private companies—the “Davids”—are attacked, their responsibility to defend themselves, and how that complicates foreign policy responses. Next we’ll look at the “Goliaths”: tech as an industry and the competitive pressures that drive towards scale. We’ll examine how this concentration affects the government’s ability to achieve its objectives and how it must use tech companies as intermediaries. Although not designed for a technical audience, students will develop a sufficient understanding of the technical components of the internet to understand how attacks are mounted.
Theories of International Relations:
John Karaagac, Core
SA.100.761 M/W 6pm-9pm
This course presents a set of tools for understanding, predicting and formulating policy on international conflict and cooperation. Examining leading schools of international relations theory, including Realism, Liberalism and Constructivism, the course will also survey topics such as alliance formation, nuclear deterrence, imperialism and international institutions. Students will explore the domestic sources of foreign policy, trade, global environmentalism, international law, the integration and disintegration of states, globalization and the future of international relations.
Required for the Certificate in International Studies.
