International Affairs
The International Affairs summer program is offered by the School of Professional Studies and Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs. These courses provided an understanding of the basic analytical issues, theoretical approaches, history, and contemporary policy debates in international relations. Students can apply to take individual courses listed below as a Visiting Student or apply for the Certification of Professional Achievement (CPA) in Critical Issues in International Relations or United Nations Studies.
Note: Columbia College and General Studies students can take a limited amount of graduate level and courses from professional schools and count them towards their degrees (4 credits and 6 credits, respectively). Please discuss these courses with your advisor before moving forward with scheduling to ensure credit will be counted. Permission may be required for CC/GS (Columbia College/General Studies) matriculated students.
For questions about specific courses, contact the department.
Courses
The purpose of this six-week course is to provide a greater understanding of the complex role the United Nations plays in world politics and the maintenance of peace and security through multilateral decision making. In this uncertain political climate, it is even more important to understand global institutions, their strengths and weaknesses and how they function. The United Nations with its 193 member states provides a mirror onto the world and if that world is fractured, the UN body will reflect those fissures.
Course Number
INTL6540S001Format
In-PersonSession
Session APoints
3 ptsSummer 2024
Times/Location
Tu 14:00-17:10Th 14:00-17:10Section/Call Number
001/10029Enrollment
3 of 25Instructor
Jean KrasnoWhat is the UN track record in promoting and protecting human rights? This intense six-week course will examine the UN human rights standards, mechanisms, institutions and procedures established over the past sixty years and question their effectiveness. With a particular focus on the actions (or lack thereof) of the UN Security Council, the UN Human Rights Council and diverse international judicial institutions like the International Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court, the course will illustrate, through practical case studies, the inherent challenges associated with the protection of human dignity, the enforcement of human rights and the fight against impunity.
Course Number
INTL6552S001Format
In-PersonSession
Session BPoints
3 ptsSummer 2024
Times/Location
Tu 17:30-20:40Th 17:30-20:40Section/Call Number
001/10030Enrollment
8 of 25Instructor
David MarshallThe United Nations recently passed its seventieth anniversary and a new Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, was selected by the Security Council to succeed Ban Ki-moon. At this critical juncture, the international system is being challenged to provide adequate responses to the rise of violent extremist groups, waves of refugees arriving in Europe, and to --†fewer but deadlier --armed conflicts. As prevention continues to be elusive and recent - mostly intrastate --armed conflicts have proven to be particularly resistant to peaceful settlement whether through mediation, the deployment of peace operations or peacebuilding projects, the question of the relevance of the UN is posed yet again. Has the Security Council been successful in using the tools at its disposal, from prevention to peace operations and enforcement measures? What has become of the Responsibility to Protect? Is a divided Security Council facing a crisis of relevance? What does it mean for peace operations sent where there is no peace to keep? What are the persisting obstacles to effective prevention? What are the lessons from the evolving partnership with regional organizations? How can peace be sustained over the long term? What will have been Ban Ki Moon's legacy? What are the prospects for UN reform and what could it look like? To address these questions and more, the course will examine the evolving role of the world organization in global security, shaped by its member states with different strategic interests and by the broader geopolitical context in which it operates.
Course Number
INTL6559S001Format
In-PersonSession
Session APoints
3 ptsSummer 2024
Times/Location
Tu 09:00-12:10Th 09:00-12:10Section/Call Number
001/10031Enrollment
4 of 25Instructor
Arthur BoutellisThis six week course provides an overview of the contribution the United Nations development system has made in the sphere of development. The course traces the historical evolution of the UN's contribution in the areas of development cooperation, poverty reduction, environment and climate, human rights, gender and humanitarian action. It explores the emerging role of non-state actors, in particular the private sector and civil society. The last sessions will examine in detail the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030 and the recognition that to be relevant in today's rapidly changing world, the UN must commit itself to major reform. The course will draw extensively from the practical experience of the instructor.
Course Number
INTL6569S001Format
In-PersonSession
Session BPoints
3 ptsSummer 2024
Times/Location
Mo 17:30-20:40We 17:30-20:40Section/Call Number
001/10032Enrollment
3 of 25Instructor
Kimberly Gamble-PayneThis course explores the unique and distinct foreign policy behavior of different states in the international system. Explanations of state behavior will be drawn from many overarching international relations frameworks including but not necessarily limited to realism, liberalism, and constructivism. The effects of power, culture, institutions and history will be examined.
Course Number
INTL6572S001Format
In-PersonSession
Session BPoints
3 ptsSummer 2024
Times/Location
Tu 09:00-12:10Th 09:00-12:10Section/Call Number
001/10033Enrollment
5 of 25Instructor
Zachary ShirkeyThis course examines the foundations, decision-making processes, and substance of American foreign policy, particularly as it has developed over the past fifty years. We explore the role of American political culture, the presidency, Congress, and the foreign policy bureaucracy in helping to determine America's relationship with other states and international organizations. We pay particular attention to the recurring tensions that run through American foreign policy: isolationism v. internationalism, security v. prosperity, diplomacy v. military power, unilateralism v. multilateralism, and realism v. idealism. Each week we will explore a broad theoretical/conceptual theme and then focus on a specific topic that exemplifies a practical application of the theme.
Course Number
INTL6795S001Format
In-PersonSession
Session BPoints
3 ptsSummer 2024
Times/Location
Mo 09:00-12:10We 09:00-12:10Section/Call Number
001/10034Enrollment
4 of 25Instructor
Bruce CroninSpecial Operations are typically defined as national security actions in hostile, denied, or sensitive environments, and often require covert, clandestine, or low-visibility approaches. From hostage-rescue operations to tactical reconnaissance, special operations forces are typically deployed for national security objectives in which traditional military units are not suitable or applicable. This course examines the nexus of special operations and national security, with the United States serving as its primary example. It has four core objectives: 1) develop an understanding of the concepts and ideas of special operations in national security; 2) explore the priorities and challenges of the utility of special operations, from intelligence to policies to investments; 3) exchange insights, paradigms, and perspectives in class discussions and assignments; and 4) sharpen analytical thinking, research methods, writing skills, and verbal communication. Major themes of study will be: national security fundamentals; concepts of war, conflict, and special operations; and the use of special operations forces over time.
Course Number
INTL6797S001Format
In-PersonSession
Session APoints
3 ptsSummer 2024
Times/Location
Mo 09:00-12:10We 09:00-12:10Section/Call Number
001/10035Enrollment
4 of 25Instructor
Nancy CollinsThrough a review of major academic literature, lectures, and class discussion, this course examines many of the central concepts, theories, and analytical tools used in contemporary social science to understand international affairs. The theoretical literature is drawn from fields including comparative politics, international relations, political sociology, and economics. The course is designed to enhance students' abilities to think critically and analytically about current problems and challenges in international politics.
Course Number
INTL6800S001Format
In-PersonSession
Session APoints
3 ptsSummer 2024
Times/Location
Mo 14:00-17:10We 14:00-17:10Section/Call Number
001/10036Enrollment
3 of 25Instructor
Arnaud KurzeThis course empowers students to develop a deep understanding of the major issues of East Asian security. We will examine the various challenges to stability in East Asia in the context of power, institutions, and ideas (the three primary factors that impact international relations), including: China’s increasing assertiveness; the North Korean nuclear crisis; historical stigma amongst Japan, South Korea, and China; lingering Cold War confrontations on the Korean Peninsula and across the Taiwan Strait; and an unstable relationship between the US and China. Through a comparison with the West, students will inquire whether a unique approach is required when considering appropriate responses to security issues in East Asia.
Course Number
INTL6801S001Format
In-PersonSession
Session BPoints
3 ptsSummer 2024
Times/Location
Mo 14:00-17:10We 14:00-17:10Section/Call Number
001/10037Enrollment
3 of 25Instructor
Fumiko SasakiThis course serves as an introduction to the study of international political and economic relations. We look at the connections between politics and economics as well as markets and governments and relate them to key substantive issue areas such as finance, trade, investment, marketing, income inequality and poverty, and globalization. In examining the issue areas, we shall look both at how scholars think about them and how private and public decision makers analyze and impact them. The teaching is informed by the sharing with students knowledge deriving from multiple disciplines, cultures, and languages to help them gain useful real-world insights.
Course Number
INTL6820S001Format
In-PersonSession
Session APoints
3 ptsSummer 2024
Times/Location
Tu 09:00-12:10Th 09:00-12:10Section/Call Number
001/10038Enrollment
6 of 25Instructor
David SpiroThe course consists of three parts: historical background, thematic and political issues, and conclusions. It provides historical perspectives on the development of today's Ukraine, analyzes the evolution of its politics since independence, and delves into its quest for Euro-Atlantic integration. While providing an assessment of political, social, and economic transformations, the course examines major causes of Euromaidan and the Revolution of Dignity. The current political situation in the country and the current war with Russia will be thoroughly investigated. The top priority of Ukraine's foreign policy is to ensure international support for its efforts to rebuff Russia’s full-fledged aggression and to restore its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Can diplomacy still play a role? What is to be done to solve existing internal problems? What is to be done to restore the country? Can Ukraine’s president, its government, and parliament solve all these problems? Is there a future for UN peacekeeping operations in Ukraine? These and other issues, including international assistance to Ukraine, behind-the-scenes activities, power struggles, and diplomatic endeavors are analyzed in the course. The course delivers first-hand insight by a career diplomat who has been actively involved in the implementation of Ukraine's foreign policy and closely connected with the upper echelons of the country's political establishment.