Updated on 3/4/2016
Comparative & Regional Studies
Thematic Concentrations
The following are lists of suggested courses for the CRS concentrations. Please consult with
your academic advisor to discuss the composition of your concentration and to obtain any
required approvals.
Political Economy and Development
This thematic concentration focuses on the interaction of economic forces with political and
social outcomes. Whether examining local or global market forces, economic development
strategies and their application in various sectors or areas, or the political economy of states
and regions, students gain a greater understanding of the linkages between the economic and
political spheres. This concentration informs students regarding issues of finance and monetary
policy, trade, development, among others.
Key Themes: Economic Development, Trade and Monetary Policy, Financial Regulations,
Transnational Crime, Energy Markets.
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-620
SIS-620
SIS-635
SIS-627
SIS-630
SIS-632
SIS-635
SIS-635
SIS-636
SIS-637
SIS-644
SIS-647
SIS-649
SIS-649
SIS-650
SIS-658
SIS-660
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
Business Diplomacy
Conflict and Development
Corporate Social Responsibility in Global Context
Economics of Transnational Crime
Economics of Violence and Peace
Energy and Security in Eurasia
Leadership in Global Organizations
Political Economy of Oil & Energy
Political Economy of the MENA
Intro to Environmental Economics
Political Economy of Food and Agriculture
Children & Youth in International Development
International Finance/Emerging Markets
Economic Policies in the European Union
Microfinance: Concepts and Tools
Project Design, Monitoring & Evaluations
Urban Development
Micropolitics of Development
International Development
Communication and Social Economic Development
Governance, Democracy and Development
Environment and Development
Women and Development
Global Economy and Sustainable Development
Financial Issues in Latin America
Environment and Politics
Political Economy of Africa
Political Economy of Latin America
Political Economy of MENA
SIS-751
SIS-752
ECON-658
PUAD-685
International Political Economy
Global Economic Governance
The Arab Economies
Global Health Policy
Governance and Democracy
The thematic concentration in Governance and Democracy examines forms of governance at
the transnational, national and sub-national level. It allows for the comparative study of
political regime types, including contemporary challenges in governance. This concentration
provides students with an understanding of political institutions and how such institutions may
be subverted.
Key Themes: Corruption, Political Instability and Weak States, Democratization, International
Organizations and Global Governance, The European Union.
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-620
SIS-625
SIS-635
SIS-635
SIS-647
SIS-653
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
GOVT-633
GOVT-634
Accountability/Corruption & Democracy
Corruption, Development and Democracy
Democracy and Political Change in Middle East
EU and Global Governance
Foundations of Global Governance
NGOs in International Affairs
Governance, Development, and Corruption
International Law and Global Order
Managing International Organizations: Governance, Diplomacy, and Security
Peacebuilding in Divided Societies
Islam and Democracy
Politics of International Criminal Law
State-Building
United Nations
Water Governance
International Organizations
Organizations, Governance, and Global Health
Social Accountability
Governance, Democracy and Development
US Policy Toward Weak States
African Political Institutions
Contemporary Southeast Asia: Governance, Development, and Security
Democracy, Globalization, and Civil Society: MENA
East Asia: Development, Democracy, and Globalization
Governance and Development in Latin America
Integration and Disintegration in Europe
Oil, Islam, and Politics in the Gulf
Politics and Elections in Contemporary Russia
Regional Government: ASEAN & South East Asia
Political Institutions in Comparative Perspective
Democratization and Democratic Institutions
2
Foreign Policy and Security
The Foreign Policy and Security concentration covers a number of related themes including
traditional interstate security, transnational crime and terrorism, human security challenges
and US foreign policy. This concentration allows students to carve out a specialization in one of
these issues or to explore US foreign policy concerns more broadly by sampling from a variety
of pressing contemporary issues.
Key Themes: Diplomacy, Foreign Policy, Intelligence, National Security, Transnational Security
Issues, Terrorism, Civil War
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-653
SIS-653
SIS-653
SIS-653
SIS-653
SIS-653
SIS-653
SIS-653
SIS-653
SIS-653
SIS-653
SIS-653
SIS-653
SIS-653
SIS-653
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-681
SIS-682
SIS-689
Cyber Warfare, Terrorism, Espionage, and Crime
Complex Intervention and Peacekeeping
Conflict in Africa
Human Security
Insurgency and Counterinsurgency
International Security
Law of War
Migration and Security
Political Risk Analysis
Refugees, Migration, and Trafficking
Security and Insecurity
Standards in Asymmetric Movements
US-Iran Conflict & Reconciliation
Weak States & War
Continuity & Change in USFP
Countering Terrorism
Diplomatic Practice
National Security & Proliferation
Public Diplomacy
US National Security Strategy
Transatlantic Security
Transnational Security Challenges
US Foreign Policy toward Cuba
US Foreign Policy toward the Middle East
US Foreign Policy toward Illicit Networks
US National Security and Civil Wars
US Policy Toward South Asia
US Policy toward Weak States
US-Russia Post-Cold War Relations
Japan: Society, Politics, and Foreign Policy
Korean Politics and Foreign Policy
Narcotrafficking in Mexico
Southeast Asia, US and Major Powers
North Korea and International Security
Intelligence and Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy: Institutions & Processes
Foreign Policy: Theoretical Decision Making
3
Nationalism, Identity, and Ideology
The study of Nationalism, Identity and Ideology gives students insight into the social and
psychological motivations of political conflict and conflict resolution. National, ethnic, religious,
gender and other identities are highly salient in international affairs and serve both to bind
individuals into groups and to differentiate groups from one another. Whether we examine
religious sectarianism in the Middle East or ethno-linguistic fault lines in Europe, claims based
on identity are central to contemporary international politics.
Key Themes: Migration, Race, Sectarianism, Political Loyalty, Peacebuilding, Civil War, CounterInsurgency, Human Terrain
SIS-606
SIS-610
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-622
SIS-631
SIS-635
SIS-638
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SOCY-551
SOCY-570
SOCY-669
ANTH-640
Culture and Peace and Conflict Resolution: Alternatives to Violence
Theories of Violence and War
Gender and Conflict
Human Rights & Conflict
Human Security
Insurgency and Counter-Insurgency
Islam and Human Rights
Mediation in a Turbulent World
Migration and Security
Nationalism and Identity
Peacebuilding in Divided Societies
Refugees, Migration, and Trafficking
State-Building
Understanding Conflict in Syria and Iraq
US-Iran Conflict and Reconciliation
Weak States and War
Women, Gender, Political Change in MENA
Conflict and Peacebuilding in Africa
Human Rights
Bridging the Great Divide
Children and Youth in International Development
Gender Analysis and Development
Comparative Social Movements
Oil, Islam, and Politics in the Gulf
Race and Ethnicity in Europe
Race and Ethnicity in the Americas
Integration and Disintegration in Europe
Sociology of Latino Studies
Sociology of Gender & Family
Gender, Sexuality and Migration
War and Memory
4
Social Movements, Conflict, and Revolution
The study of Social Movements, Conflict and Revolution examines historical and contemporary
cases of social and political upheaval. Examining movements ranging from peasant and
indigenous groups to transnational human rights activists, these courses highlight the
importance of activism, organization and issue-linkage in bringing about political change. A
major focus of this issue area is state responses to organized activism and protest including the
human rights abuses and repression that often precede the outbreak of intrastate conflicts.
Key Themes: Conflict Resolution, Human Rights, Indigenous Movements, Protest, Post-Conflict
Societies, State-Society Relations
SIS-606
SIS-607
SIS-609
SIS-610
SIS-611
SIS-613
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-622
SIS-639
SIS-639
SIS-653
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
Culture, Peace, and Conflict Resolution: Alternatives to Violence
Peace Paradigms
Conflict Analysis & Resolution: Theory & Practice
Theories of Violence & War
International Negotiation
Reconciliation and Justice
Civil War, Intervention, & Peacekeeping
Comparative Peace Processes
Conflict and Development
Conflict in Africa
Conflict Prevention and Analysis
Dialogue: Approaches and Applications
Economics of Violence & Peace
Human Rights & Conflict
Insurgency and Counterinsurgency
Mediation in a Turbulent World
Nationalism & Identity
Negotiation Analysis & Skills
Peace Education
Peacebuilding in Divided Societies
Peacemaking and Intractable Conflict
Post-War Peacebuilding
Refugees, Migration, and Trafficking
Understanding Conflict in Syria and Iraq
US-Iran Conflict & Reconciliation
Weak States and War
Democratization and Political Change in the Middle East
Human Rights
Gender Focused Peacebuilding
Intro to Restorative Justice
Evolution of US Human Rights Policy1=
Afghanistan: Conflict and Society
Chinese Politics and Society
Comparative Social Movements
State and Society in Africa
Contemporary Latin American Politics and Society
Integration and Disintegration in Europe
5
Globalization, Regionalism, and Local Communities
This concentration examines the connections linking individuals, communities and regions in an
increasingly globalized world. Students may choose to focus on a single transnational issue such
as migration or global public health, or explore a variety of contemporary issues related to
globalization across various levels of analysis.
Key Themes: Public Health, Environment, Education, Migration, Urban Politics, Globalization,
Regional Government
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-619
SIS-620
SIS-620
SIS-620
SIS-620
SIS-620
SIS-620
SIS-628
SIS-628
SIS-628
SIS-628
SIS-635
SIS-635
SIS-635
SIS-635
SIS-635
SIS-636
SIS-638
SIS-653
SIS-660
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
SIS-676
PUAD-685
Refugees, Migration, and Trafficking
Transnational Crime/Terrorism
Democratization and Political Change in the Middle East
Transnational Organized Crime
Global Climate Change
Political Ecology of Food and Agriculture
Post Carbon World
The Future of Environmentalism
Urban Political Ecology
Water Governance
Emergence of Transnational Education
Global Health, Culture and Communication
Global Perspective on Public Diplomacy
The Politics of Global Media
Community Development
Organizations, Governance, & Global Health
Population, Migration and Development
Urban Development
Social Accountability
Micropolitics of Development
Gender Analysis and Development
US Foreign Policy toward Illicit Networks
Environment and Politics
East Asia: Development, Democracy, and Globalization
Narcotrafficking in the Americas
Regional Government: ASEAN & SE Asia
Comparative Social Movements
North Korea and International Security
Global Health Policy
Note: The concentrations described above are not meant to serve as an exhaustive list of all
possible concentrations but rather as a guide to demonstrate how courses from across SIS can
be put together to form an academically sound and coherent area of study. For a selfdesigned related field (thematic concentration), students must complete and submit the SelfDesigned Related Field form to their academic advisor for Program Director approval. Skills
institutes may be counted toward a related field with Program Director approval.
6