This class examines how citizens, leaders, interest groups and activists work to reshape our understanding of problems over time and investigates why some problems gain policy attention while others languish. The class emphasizes the complexity of understanding, designing, and implementing large scale policies that attempt to address problems that are ultimately experienced by people in specific contexts and communities.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the major policy-making institutions, and how does the current system of American governance compare with that of other advanced societies? This class will examine the key institutional and political actors in policymaking; focusing on the increasing fole of non-governmental institutions in problem solving.

How do developing countries in the global South navigate the emergence of renewed great power competition? This class will explore the impact of European & non-Euro imperialism on large parts of the developing World. We will seek to answer this question by looking at the engagement of countries & actors in the global South with established and emerging powers in an increasingly multi-polar World.

Investigates a selected issue in public policy or leadership.

Investigates a selected issue in public policy or leadership.

Investigates a selected issue in public policy or leadership.

Applied Policy Clinics Topics Course

This experiential learning course applies basic principles of social entrepreneurship to real-world problems that social entrepreneurs are facing. Students will work in teams on challenges proposed by a set of local and international social entrepreneurs. This is a design-thinking-centric course for students interested in investigating how our world is adapting to solve the greatest social and environmental challenges of this century.

Through global case studies in regions including Africa, the Middle East, the US, & Australia, course explores relationship betwn education & conflict: how education systems exacerbate conflict through curricula, inequalities such as access & knowledge gaps; how educ systems can alleviate poverty & other factors leading to armed conflict; how external factors (resource scarcity, global climate change,political instability) impact educ & conflict.

Leading teams in an outdoor space require a strong team foundation, good risk-management skills, learn to live outdoors, and develop a wide range of outdoor technical skills. An emphasis will be placed on reflection of field time and how content learned in class can apply to a variety of contexts. Learning to lead in outdoor spaces gives leaders tangible leadership practice and a flexible mindset to solve front-country problems.