Wintersession 2025 Courses (January 3 – January 10) Maxwell-in-Washington

PAI 771 | Public Management of Technological Development | Sean O'Keefe

Intro Sessions - November 15, 2024 (2 p.m. - 5 p.m.)

Additional Sessions - January 24, 2025 (2 p.m. - 5 p.m.) and January 31, 2025 (2 p.m. - 5 p.m.)

This course provides a survey of major public policy influences on the formulation and implementation of commercial technology and innovation strategies.

The primary public influence of commercially developed technology and innovation is regulatory in nature, but also pertains to public financed contracts and grants managed by public agencies to support technology developments for application to public programs and services.  Government policy and statutory requirements can create the need for technology solutions or impede the development of others.  Similarly, the public sector can actively affect market opportunities through the promotion of specific policies and government sponsored programs, as well as the elimination of others.

Technology development offers public and private organizations new avenues to explore productivity enhancement and improved service delivery or increased profitability and market expansion which, in turn, leads to the imperative for innovation change. Successful technology strategies are closely linked to business strategies which match the organization’s existing capabilities or offer a road map to a new service or product developments.  To the extent there is an application or impact to public objectives, public policy and public management practices can either facilitate or deter market incentives to achieve the objectives.

The public sector is frequently both the consumer and regulator of technology advances.  For aspiring public managers, this course will examine the active and passive government influences, which can and have been exerted over technology and innovation management.  For aspiring business managers and technical professionals in engineering or information systems, this course will provide a perspective of the applications of public policy and public management practices and will offer constructive avenues on how government actions on behalf of the public may be anticipated.

Spring 2025 Courses (January 13 – April 28) Maxwell-in-Washington

DC COURSES: Following are the courses offered in Washington, DC for spring 2025.  All classes meet one evening a week from 6:00pm-8:40pm

PAI 715 | China’s Rise and Challenges to the Global Order | Robert Daly

Examines contemporary challenges to the global order posed by China’s growing economic and political power.  The course charts China’s reform and opening, its development and integration into the global economy, and the challenges created for Western economic and security institutions and alliances. Specific topic areas covered include China’s non-market status and trade conflict, competition for technological leadership, ICT governance and standard setting, the Belt and Road Initiative, and the implications of China’s South China Sea activity.  The course will combine extensive background readings, lectures, and discussion.  Students will benefit from frequent guest lectures and discussions with experts from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

PAI 700 | Human Rights, National Security, and American Values | Andrew Friedman and Michelle Strucke

This master's seminar focuses on human rights challenges, considerations and realities across the globe as they intersect with American values and United States national security. The course examines human rights as a topic, including key documents, processes and stakeholders, in addition to the way human rights plays a role in foreign policy through both public and private sector decision-making. Specific topic areas covered will include human rights institutions and documents; new trends and considerations in human rights including technology and human rights; human rights in the context of both inter- and intra-state conflict; geopolitical competition and human rights; human rights and identity groups; business and human rights; and human rights as an element of U.S. foreign policy. Students will benefit from frequent guest lectures from across the Washington policymaking community and discussions with experts from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

PAI 895 | Managerial Leadership | LeAnne Howard and Joe Funderburke

This is the Leadership and Strategy in Global Affairs course and a core requirement for the EMIR degree. Objectives are to establish an understanding of the schools of leadership thinking, especially current trends, to practice requisite skills, and to plan for additional learning and development through assessment and action planning.

Course readings focus on leadership theory and practice and their application in the changing organizational environment in a global workplace. Case studies and groups discussion. 

PAI 996 | Master's Capstone | Donatienne Ruy (EMIR students only)

This is the capstone course and a core requirement for the EMIR degree. Students complete substantive research projects while embedded in one of the thematic or regional programs at CSIS. Students work directly with CSIS experts on capstone projects designed to hone and showcase their capacity for both cogent analysis of real-world problems and effective policy communication.

Based on interest, working teams of master's candidates conduct research reports to craft actionable policy analysis and recommendations on a complex issue area. Since valuable policy recommendations may be lost if they are not communicated well, teams also learn to transform their policy analysis into an online project that communicates their results with clarity, creativity, and compelling multimedia storytelling.

Professional development workshops on data collection, analysis, analytic writing, and presentation are covered to support students in the development of their projects and to help prepare them for personal career advancement.

Project teams receive mentorship and guidance from CSIS faculty and media advisors throughout the duration of their projects.  A final oral presentation and a written report to CSIS and the faculty advisor are the major course requirements.

EMIR candidates who successfully complete the capstone project will be able to:

• Understand complex and fast-changing international security and foreign policy issues;
• Analyze complex data sets to discern key patterns and trends;
• Formulate insightful analysis of an issue area and design appropriate policy recommendations or compare likely repercussions of different policies;
• Craft compelling policy narratives combining cogent analysis and creative data visualization;
• Communicate findings effectively both orally and across a range of multimedia platforms;
• Collaborate effectively on diverse teams to produce a high-impact product.

Maymester 2025 Courses (May 12 - May 23) Maxwell-in-Washington

PSC 719 | Fundamentals of Post-Conflict Reconstruction | Renee de Nevers

The goal of this class is to familiarize students with the main concepts of post conflict stabilization and reconstruction, the various dimensions and goals of post-conflict work, the actors involved, the trade-offs and dilemmas they face, and the lessons learned from recent cases. The course address many of the key issues that frame debates in post-conflict reconstruction work: the tension between externally and internally generated recovery efforts; the challenges of civilian-military cooperation in post-conflict zones; the trade-offs between stability and liberty; the possibilities and weaknesses of peace and reconciliation efforts; and the quest for viable exit strategies for international actors. It will also examine the applied side of post-conflict reconstruction; the techniques and tools used by international intermediaries (states, IOs and NGOs) as well as local stakeholders to help societies in transition from violence to sustainable peace.

Fall 2025 Courses (August 28 - December 16) Maxwell in Washington

PAI 715 | The Emerging Challenge of Disruptive Technologies | Andrew Whiskeyman

This course will examine how disruptive technology may impact a nation’s approach toward its use of diplomacy, information, military, and economic power to advance national objectives. Students will investigate key concepts and impediments to the adoption of technology by organizations and individuals, make educated predictions regarding the role technology could play in competition in the international arena, and assess ethical factors involved in the use of technology, both old and new.

PAI 715: Congress and the Making of U.S. Foreign Policy | Elizabeth Hoffman

This course will examine the role that the United States Congress plays in the making of U.S. foreign policy whether as partners or adversaries with the White House and other Executive Branch agencies. Using historical and current case studies, this course will examine the sources and conduct as well as the actual process of making foreign policy to include addressing the political and bureaucratic dynamics shaping those decisions. Students will examine direct and indirect ways by which Congress impacts U.S. foreign policy action including the appointments clause, the approval of treaties, the authorization, and appropriations processes as well as through oversight and investigations. Students will examine current tensions and frictions between the branches and how that impacts the way the U.S. addresses contemporary challenges. The course will include short lectures, extensive seminar discussion, and will involve significant interaction with guest speakers who have experience addressing the issues raised during the course.

PAI 715 | China's Challenge to the Global Order | Kun-Chin Lin

This master’s seminar focuses on contemporary challenges to the global order posed by China’s growing economic and political power. The course charts China’s reform and opening, its development and integration into the global economy, and the challenges created for Western economic and security institutions and alliances. Specific topic areas covered include China’s non-market status and trade conflict, competition for technological leadership, ICT governance and standard setting, the Belt and Road Initiative, and the implications of China’s South China Sea activity. The course will combine extensive background readings, lectures, and discussion. Students will benefit from frequent guest lectures and discussions with experts from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

PSC 783 (EMIR only) | Comparative Foreign Policy | Tammy Schultz

A survey and critique of approaches to understanding foreign policy and national security decision-making from the perspective of the practitioner who must deal with problems of individual choice, small groups, bureaucratic politics, and organizational constraints in the conduct of foreign policy. Case studies and simulations will help to provide first-hand experience in policy decision-making.

PAI 715 | Issues in Public Diplomacy | Nayyera Haq

This course will provide a deep dive into the origins of information statecraft and explore case studies to provide a detailed understanding of the scope, sophistication, and significance of the geopolitics of information. Building on key theoretical models, including markets for loyalties, networks, and game theory, this course will provide an analytic framework for understanding the range of information statecraft activities, as well as the key variables likely to influence the success or failure of a public diplomacy campaign or program. Monitoring and evaluation techniques and best practices will also be covered, as well as the foundations of digital analytics and metrics. Classes will feature occasional guest speakers from the State Department, the Department of Defense, and the NGO community. At the end of the course, students will be subject matter experts on public diplomacy and global media strategy, the information statecraft toolkit, and the significance of these tools and tactics in international affairs.

PAI 700 | Economic Statecraft | Danica Starks

As the crisis in Ukraine makes clear, some national security challenges require the adept use of the tools of economic statecraft. This course examines the mechanisms, operations, and outcomes of these economic tools. The course focuses on tools designed to coerce change and those offered as incentives and positive inducements. Case studies may also address trade barriers and preferences, financial sanctions, export controls and investment restrictions, foreign lending, and development aid.

PAI 715 | Strategic Foresight for International Relations | James-Christian Blockwood

This course will provide graduate students with a structured approach to thinking about the future of the international environment. It is a foundation in qualitative foresight methodologies with direct application to national or organizational strategic planning. It also provides a tour du horizon of the global trends shaping the world 10-20 years into the future and beyond. Through real-world case studies and classroom exercises, the course exposes students to the practical application of foresight methodologies to policymaking and resource decision-making. These methodologies are routinely used by strategic planners in leading global intelligence organizations, national security ministries, multinational corporations, and non-governmental organizations. Strategic foresight is an under-appreciated “hard” international relations skillset, particularly useful in navigating the profound global transitions underway that affect risk and competitiveness for countries, companies, and individuals.

PAI 715 | From Fragility to Resilience: New Approaches to Global Development | David Alpher

While some countries move up the development ladder on the way to greater economic growth and stability, others struggle with cyclical fragility and the negative repercussions that come with it. The path from fragility to resilience is rarely linear, requiring a mix of security, stabilization, humanitarian aid, and development assistance. This course will look at causes of fragility and examine the non-kinetic tools deployed in fragile states, especially their utility and effectiveness in specific country and regional cases. Primarily discussion-based, the course will also include regular guest speakers who are regional experts and/or practitioners.

PAI 715 |Space, Policy and National Security | Kun-Chin Lin

Description to be added

PAI 715 | Tech Diplomacy | Shawn Powers

Description to be added