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.

The 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.

Special 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.

Through 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.

This 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.

Equivalent to ITAL V1101. Students will develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in Italian and an understanding of Italian culture. Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to provide basic information in Italian about themselves, their families, interests, likes and dislikes, and daily activities; participate in a simple conversation on everyday topics; to read edited texts on familiar topics; and produce Italian with basic grammatical accuracy and accurate pronunciation.

Prerequisites: ITAL V1102 or W1102, or the equivalent. If you did not take Elementary Italian at Columbia in the semester preceding the current one, you must take the placement test, offered by the Italian Department at the beginning of each semester. Same course as ITAL V1201-V1202.

The Introduction to Video Storytelling course teaches students the basics of conceiving, researching, and reporting a story through video. Students will learn to think critically about what makes for a good video story--what makes it newsworthy, what makes video the proper medium for conveying that story--and how to execute using the latest technology. Students will learn how to use and handle a camera, how to best record sound, how to properly frame and light a subject or scene, as well as learn how to use Adobe Premiere editing software. Students will have one complete video story at the end of the 6-week course.