HLS offers hundreds of courses that strengthen your global knowledge and regional expertise while helping you meet degree requirements.
We've highlighted a few here, but check out our Course complete list of learning opportunities in African Studies, Central Eurasian Studies, East Asian Languages and Cultures, European Studies, International Studies, India Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Russian and East European Studies, Southeast Asian Studies, and Global and International Studies.
This page features courses in the following academic sessions:
Spring Intersession (Jan. 10th-Jan. 28th)
Spring Semester (Jan. 10–May 6)
Spring Intersession (Jan. 10th-Jan. 28th)
INTL-I 212, "Introduction to Refugee Studies"
Class #: 33480
Meeting Time: Tues/Thurs, 11:30am–12:45pm
Location: Hybrid-Distance Video & Online
Instructor: Elisheva Cohen
Through this course, students will gain deeper understanding of the legal, political, and social complexities of forced migration in both global and national contexts. Students will explore the lived experiences of refugees in camps and urban settings and consider humanitarian responses to refugee situations around the world.
INTL-I 300, "The State Department and National Security Council: Decision Making & Memo Writing"
Class #: 33481
Meeting Time: Fri, 12:30pm–3:30pm
Location: Hybrid-Distance Video & Online
Instructor: Sarah Bauerle Danzman
This course will introduce students to the making of U.S. foreign policy, with an emphasis on the structure of decision-making in the State Department and the National Security Council (NSC). Students will also learn how to write effective policy memos and will participate in an NSC policy coordination committee simulation.
SGIS-S 300, "Data Visualization: Basic Tools and Techniques for Analyzing Global Challenges"
Class #: 35200
Location: 100% Online
Instructor: Mindy Hightower King
Students will acquire knowledge and skills needed to analyze data and create visual images to communicate global social, health, economic, and demographic trends from large data sets.
SGIS-S 200, "Diversity, Culture, & Languages in East Asia"
Class #: 12568
Meeting Time: Tues/Thurs, 3:00pm–4:15pm
Location: Distance Synchronous Video
Instructor: Alessia Cherici
This course will guide you through a short trip to East Asia, namely China, Japan, and Korea, in which we'll be exploring the cultural and linguistic diversity of the region. We'll learn about dialects and language varieties spoken in these three countries, we'll discover and analyze several linguistic phenomena pertaining to sounds, words, and structures, and, most importantly, we'll understand that what we typically refer to as "a language."
SGIS-S 200, "Getting to Know Mainland China and Taiwan from Social Media"
Class #: 35819
Meeting Time: Tues/Thurs, 4:45pm–6:00pm
Location: Distance Synchronous Video
Instructor: Yingling Bao
This course will bring you overseas experience in Mainland China and Taiwan through the eyes of second language speakers of Chinese. Using resources from social media platforms such as YouTube, Tiktok, Weibo, WeChat, we will learn more authentic Chinese as well as exploring basic issues relevant to common people’s daily life, i.e., food, transportation, language, school, entertainment, etc.
Students will learn the basics of Arab culture, including popular music, cinema, sports, cuisine, and famous landmarks in the Arab world. They will learn basics of Arabic conversation, including greetings, introducing oneself, talking about families, giving directions, ordering a meal in a restaurant, shopping, reserve a room at a hotel, rent an apartment and getting into a job interview.
This course provides a foundation for understanding how the U.S. and other global powers engage with African nations through military programs, private contractors, and defense development. The course explores African perceptions of such programs and assesses their impact on African people. The course focuses on how the U.S. military has engaged on the African continent with the goal of understanding U.S. involvement on the continent during the Cold War, the unipolar moment that followed the Cold War, the Global War on Terror, and today’s global power rivalries.
The following courses take place during the Spring 2022 semester.
African Studies
AFRI-L 100, "African Music and Cultural Development in Africa"
Class #: 31757
Meeting Time: Mon/Wed, 3:00pm-4:15pm
Location: In-person
Instructor: Nana Amoah-Ramey
In this course, we will provide a critical approach to studying musical experiences in varied African cultures. Furthermore, we will explore the theoretical underpinnings of how various scholars -- including Anthropologists -- have approached teaching African music and how these multiple theories and paradigms have affected its analysis. As part of the course, we will pursue three interrelated paths, namely 1: The use of music as an entry point for investigating the history and culture of Africa; 2: Students will become very literate in some of the influential African musical cultures to be able to write critically about African music as an aspect of culture and society; 3: The students will study as well as discuss, in a seminar format, broad theoretical issues and illustrated cultural perspectives that portray the critical roles of music as a means of expression grounded in religious, social, political, and cultural identity (e.g., modernization, globalization, and authenticity). The course is structured to cover a wide range of musical traditions from across the continent of Africa. In addition, occasional guest musicians will give lectures/demonstrations in class to help students better understand a particular musical practice. And above all, students will practice and play African musical instruments as part of the courses requirements.
Introduction to selected oral art forms and traditions of some Sub-Saharan African societies. Emphasis is on the esthetics and communicational mores that regulate the people's verbal behavior. Enhances understanding and appreciation of African interactional practices, especially, verbal artistry and expressive culture.
Intensive study of selected topics in African studies. Studies in special topics not ordinarily covered by African Studies program courses. May not duplicate a regularly offered course. Topics vary.
Introduction to Hungary, Estonia, and Finland, three European nations whose peoples speak unique Uralic languages. Covers their culture and history as shaped by their Uralic heritage and by Germanic, Turkish, and Slavic conquerors. Focuses on national awakenings, independence, communism, and their role in Europe today.
CEUS-R 292, "Introduction to the Turkic and Iranian Civilization"
Class #: 7229
Meeting Time: Mon/Wed, 1:15pm-2:30pm
Location: In-person
Instructor: NA
Introduction to the Turkic and Iranian peoples of Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. Introduces languages, literatures, and cultures; covers history, society, and economy with a focus on Islam and socio-political movements today. Includes guest lectures, films, museum visits, and musical and dance performances.
CEUS-R 294, "Introduction to Hungary, Estonia, and Finland"
Class #: 11762
Meeting Time: Tues/Thurs, 1:15pm-2:30pm
Location: In-person
Instructor: Piibi-Kai Kivik
Introduction to Hungary, Estonia, and Finland, three European nations whose peoples speak unique Uralic languages. Covers their culture and history as shaped by their Uralic heritage and by Germanic, Turkish, and Slavic conquerors. Focuses on national awakenings, independence, communism, and their role in Europe today.
Jews of the Muslim East¿ surveys the fascinating history and culture of Jews in the Muslim world east of the boundaries of the Ottoman Empire. The course surveys, primarily, the Jews of Central Asia (both ¿Bukharan Jews¿ and other Jews who ended up in the region), as well as Iran and Afghanistan, from antiquity until the present, including several units dedicated to Muslim, Russian, and Soviet rule. Major themes include exile and displacement, but also preservation; conversion to Islam, real and perceived; religious doctrines and practices; economy and trade; minority status under Muslim rule; literary compositions in unique languages in multiple genres, and communal tensions over representation and commemoration.
Examination of Mongolia's "middle ages" between the Mongol world empire and the modern era, 1350 to 1850. Topics include the nobility, Oirats, Buddhist conversion, Manchu-Chinese rule, and Buriats and Kalmyks in Russia. Readings include modern histories and sources in translation.
An introduction to Contemporary Tibet highlighting the unique physical, historical, and cultural characteristics of the land and its people. Begins with His Holiness The Dalai Lama's flight into India in 1959, then explores modern Tibet and the Tibetan Diaspora, Tibet in the news, human rights, forgotten histories, and memory.
One of the first things you hear when traveling in Japan is that the Japanese have a special love for nature. But are Japanese any more 'connected' to nature than people anywhere else? And are they consequently more environmentally aware today than others elsewhere?
In this course, we will survey the various manifestations of popular culture -- that is, media and leisure activities seeking to reach a broad audience -- in China, Korea, and Japan. Our subjects will include popular literature (including manga, manhua, and manhwa), television (animated, incl. anime, and live-action), theater, sports (baseball, basketball, etc.), food, and more. We will examine the content and style of popular-cultural phenomena, but we will also consider the social and economic background driving their production. Most of our studies will be devoted to modern phenomena, but we will take some time to consider forms of popular culture in the East Asian past, as well as those with a long history that survive in the modern day. No prior knowledge of East Asian languages or history is required.
EALC-E 204, "Textual Rebirths: Myths and Legends in Contemporary East Asia"
Class #: 12570
Meeting Time: Tues/Thurs, 11:30am-12:45pm
Location: In-person
Instructor: Hilary Holbrow
In the United States and Western Europe, the past decade has been characterized by growing opposition to immigration, and increased efforts to restrict it. However, in this restrictive international climate, East Asian countries, including Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, have gone against the grain, introducing new programs and policies designed to attract and retain international migrants. What are the fruits of these efforts? Have East Asian countries successfully attracted the migrants they seek? And have im/migrants in East Asian countries found avenues for belonging and upward mobility? Or do they face exclusion and marginalization? In this course we will learn about the experiences of international migrants in East Asia, and how these are patterned both by the characteristics of the migrants, and the social and political institutions of their host countries.
This course introduces students to the history, politics, and contemporary policy challenges of U.S.-Japan relations in a regional and global context. During the first half of the semester we will focus on understanding the historical origins, disputes, early 20th-century conflict, and Cold War-era cooperation between the United States and Japan. These periods effectively "locked in" major features of contemporary U.S.-Japan relations. The second half of the course will focus on contemporary foreign policy challenges for the U.S. and Japan, including North Korea, territorial disputes, the rise of China, free trade, base issues, and climate change. Course readings will be drawn primarily from history, political science, and international relations. Though the course has no concrete prerequisites, it is recommended for upper-level undergraduates with interest in Japan, East Asia, international affairs, foreign policy, and modern history.
EALC-E 352, "Nature, Culture, and the Environment in Japan"
Class #: 34774
Meeting Time: Mon/Wed, 4:45pm-6:00pm
Location: In-person
Instructor: Scott O'Bryan
(No prior knowledge of Japan is required to take this class.) One of the first things you hear when traveling in Japan is that Japanese have a special love for nature. But are Japanese any more 'connected' to nature than people anywhere else? And are they consequently more environmentally aware today than others elsewhere? It is certainly true that a great deal of Japanese cultural expression in paintings, poetry, fiction, and even architectural design emphasizes elements of the verdant natural surroundings of the Japanese islands and romantic connections between people and natural settings, down even to a charming fascination with portraying the insect life surrounding them. But the true picture is, as one might imagine, more complicated. We will learn about how Japanese represent themselves as environmentally sensitive and also dig deeper to see where these claims may make sense and where they do not. Our topics will range widely, drawing from visual culture and art history, literature, and the history of what we call the 'culture of every-day life.' The class will examine fascinating Japanese attempts to catalog all the plants, animals and insects in Japan, even before so-called European science came to dominate botany and biology. We will discover the connections between the rise of Buddhism in Japan and the fact that Japanese denuded much of their land of forests surprisingly early in history. But we will also learn how Japanese then developed systems of forest management that re-created a Japan dominated once again (and largely today) by woods and forest. We will discover how Japanese have wrestled with living in a land prone to disasters, from earthquakes, to fires, tsunamis, and typhoons. And we will read an usual but fascinating article titled 'Toward a History of Shit' that uncovers the secret history of the trade in human 'night soil' and urine as evidence of the resource-conscious culture of samurai times. My assignments ask you to reflect yourself about what it means to be 'connected' to nature. You will do journaling on readings and your experience of nature. And using a photography assignment we will together practice what I call 'slow seeing,' the slowing down to really take heed of the environment around us and our human shaping of it. This course should be interesting to any Japan-studies student or to others with interests in environmental history from other disciplines or contexts.
This class aims to move beyond the stereotyped images of North Korea presented in the US media landscape by situating the country in both Korean and world history. Major themes include the history of northern Korea prior to division and statehood, North Korea's experience in the Korean War and as a member of the socialist world, the history of the North Korean nuclear program, and epistemological challenges to researching and learning about the country today.
EURO-W 406, "Fairy Tale into Film: Variations on Beauty and the Beast"
Class #: 12518
Meeting Time: Mon/Wed, 1:15pm-2:30pm
Location: In-person
Instructor: Margaret Gray
This course will offer insights into French history, culture and society through a range of works that, whether implicitly or explicitly, rework and renew Madame LePrince de Beaumont's 18th-century fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast. After beginning with Jean Cocteau's fanciful 1946 film interpretation of the tale, we will turn to Rostand's swashbuckling play Cyrano de Bergerac (set in the courtly 17th-century), studying period film adaptations by Jean-Pierre Rappeneau (1990) and Augusto Genina (1922, a silent version). The 1942 novella Silence of the Sea by Vercors (a pen name inspired by the French region sequestering Resistance fighters during WW II), along with its 1949 film adaptation by Jean-Pierre Melville, recounts the ordeal of a French family obliged to host a German officer during Germany's occupation of France. A twist on the beauty and the beast theme comes with François Truffaut's iconic New Wave film, Jules and Jim - based on Henri-Pierre Roché's 1953 novel where Beauty is the Beast. We will conclude with a contemporary interpretation of the theme in David Foenkinos's novel, Delicacy (2009), along with its film adaptation by the author and his brother (2011). Assignments will include a variety of written (including film reviews) and oral exercises. Films will be available to view through the streaming service Kanopy, accessible with an IU login.
COVID has interrupted all of our lives, but it is also transforming the international order. It has revealed hitherto unnoticed aspects of international governance and cooperation; it has accelerated trends already in motion; and it has disrupted norms and practices once thought to be well established.
This course focuses on communication as a process governed by culture-specific and institution-specific rules. Among the subjects to be discussed are: the circulation of ideas, images and artistic expressions across national borders; interpersonal and cultural forms of communication; the role and relevance of digital media in the world; the importance of communicative practices in different cultures; and what is at stake for individual and group identities in the process of communicating on a global level. We will also discuss topics such as cultural globalization, public culture and artistic presentation, freedom of artistic expression, the relations between culture, art and religion and the political economy of culture. Finally, we will also examine the role of the arts in the formation and transformation of identity. By the end of the semester students will be able to evaluate the complexity of global communication and the intricacy of different cultural and linguistic identities around the world.
This course is an introduction to the range of concepts, theories, and reflections on the nature and causes of conflict, the possibilities for conflict resolution, and the foundations of peace. Our approach will be interdisciplinary, drawing on readings from anthropology, cultural studies, history, international relations, and political theory. Students will acquire some familiarity with critical concepts such as old and new wars, (counter)proliferation, colonialism and post-colonialism, the nation and the state, race and ethnicity, and globalization and neoliberalism. A major focus of the course will be on the interaction between identity (e.g. ethnicity, religion, nationality, and gender) and (in)formal institutions of power (e.g. states, political movements, corporations, and social networks) in facilitating the conditions for conflict and peace within, between, and across human societies.
This course considers the relationship between human rights and freedom. We look at the nature and practice of human rights in relationships among individuals, groups, and institutions while also exploring the nature of freedom and how people seek it through human rights. In this course we treat human rights and freedom as ongoing arguments, productive processes, and arenas of contestation, as means of constructing aspirations, seeking and challenging power, developing ways of life, and finding fulfillment. The course considers positive and negative consequences of framing relationships and power in terms of human rights and critically examines uses of human rights to manage problems.
INTL-I 300 and CEUS-R359/559, "The Contemporary Persian Gulf"
Class #: 34341
Meeting Time: Thurs, 1:15pm-2:30pm
Location: In-person
Instructor: Feisal Istrabadi
At the time of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran found itself a pariah state largely shunned within the regional order of the Persian Gulf and sanctioned by the global system. Forty years later, Iran has established a network of alliances with both state and non-state actors to support its policy of becoming the regional hegemon. In response, and with significant backing from the United States, other Gulf nations have created their own alliances. As a consequence, the United States finds itself increasingly involved in a variety of conflicts across the Persian Gulf region and may end up in direct military conflict with Iran. This course examines the rise of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the regional and superpower responses, and the implications for current and near-term U.S. policy.
INTL-I 300, "Russian Foreign Relations and Eastern Europe"
Class #: 10866
Meeting Time: Tues/Thurs, 4:45pm-6:00pm
Location: In-person
Instructor: Michael De Groot
Why did Russia annex Crimea in March 2014? Why does Moscow continue to support pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine? What can the Ukrainian crisis tell us about Russia’s relationship with Eastern Europe more broadly? This course will examine Russian foreign relations in Eastern Europe since the Second World War, exploring topics such as the rise and fall of the Soviet bloc, economic interdependence, and the security challenges of the post-Cold War order. Lectures, readings, and discussions will also consider how Russian relations with other parts of the world, particularly the West, affected Moscow’s behavior in the region during the Cold War and after.
COVID has interrupted all of our lives, but it is also transforming the international order. It has revealed hitherto unnoticed aspects of international governance and cooperation; it has accelerated trends already in motion; and it has disrupted norms and practices once thought to be well established. In this course we will pursue three themes: 1) the global response to previous epi- and pandemics to examine what history can tell us about our current predicament; 2) the institutionalization of global health in the form of multilateral organizations, patterns of cooperation, and technologies of measurement and control; and 3) the repercussions of the current pandemic and economic crisis for other issues of global importance, such as climate change, trade, and security. COVID is our subject, but we will also survey the global health field to examine some of the relevant problems, theories, and histories.
INTL-I 304, "Women, Gender, and Human Rights Movements"
Class #: 7301
Meeting Time: Mon/Wed, 9:45am-11:00am
Location: In-person
Instructor: Kate Hunt
How do social movements fighting for human rights for women and LGBTQI individuals accomplish their goals? This course considers the way groups organizing around gender issues strategize and utilize the various tools available to them in their attempts to effect political and social change. In particular, the ways in which these attempts intersect with the media - both traditional media and new media - is given attention. These topics will be examined on a global scale as we consider the specific challenges faced by movements given differences in political, social, and cultural circumstances.
[optional 1-credit companion course taught in Spanish: INTL-I325 Women, Gender, and Human Rights Movements in Spanish. Students will discuss - in Spanish - the way groups organizing around gender issues strategize and utilize the various tools available to them in their attempts to effect political and social change.]
INTL-I 310/REEI-R 300, "Global Internet Governance: Sovereignty in the Digital Age"
Class #: 12461, 12462
Meeting Time: Mon/Wed, 4:55pm-7:25pm
Location: In-person
Instructor: Stanislav Budnitsky
Who oversees the “.com” and other top-level domains? Why does Russia want the United Nations to regulate the internet? Is the internet in danger of fragmenting into disconnected national segments? These questions fall under the ambit of global internet governance, the administration of the global internet’s technology and policy. The course traces how internet governance evolved from a niche technical domain into one of the most contentious arenas of global politics. It explores the web of institutions and infrastructures that make possible our everyday use of the internet yet remain unknown to most users. The tension between the internet’s global reach and national sovereignty is at the center of this examination. By the end of the course, students will learn to recognize the internet as an always-evolving product of historical circumstance and political struggle.
INTL-I 424/500, "Postcolonial Imaginations: Drones, Law & Global Order"
Class #: 34409
Meeting Time: Wed, 3:00pm-5:30pm
Location: Distance Synchronous Video
Instructor: Hamid Ekbia
A certain idea of “others” seems to have persisted in the western imagination throughout modern times, leading to particular policies and technologies to carry them out. Using drones as an example, this course examines the development of these ideas, policies, and technologies, and the way international law and institutions respond to such developments.
INTL-I 433/510, "Violence Against Civilians in War"
Class #: 31273
Meeting Time: Tues/Thurs, 1:15pm-2:30pm
Location: In-person
Instructor: Andrew Bell
Why do armed groups engage in violence against civilians? What are the consequences for such conduct? Can such violence be limited in future conflicts? This course seeks to provide a framework for thinking about violence against civilians in war. We will approach these issues from theoretical, ethical, legal, empirical, and policy perspectives, examining the main moral and legal arguments prohibiting the targeting of civilians as well as theories used to understand variation in such armed group conduct. By the end of this course, students will be able to apply this knowledge in order to assess global policies to promote human security. Students pursuing careers in human rights, security, diplomacy, law, or international policy will find this course useful.
Basic cultural literacy in India Studies through critical reading/lectures from India Studies faculty/film/discussion to discover what makes India the world power it is today, and why we need to know more about it, from its bloody birth in Partition to her ancient history and back to contemporary India.
Development of higher-level linguistic functions in Bengali in the four skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening. Cultural literacy is enhanced through interaction with native speakers and the use of authentic media and literature. Culminates with a research paper in Bengali. Conducted entirely in Bengali.
Introduces Arab culture through exploration of the diverse economies, political landscapes, cultural and social practices of the 22 states in the Arab world. Explores the ways in which people in the modern Arab world are culturally united by a common language while remaining extraordinarily diverse in other ways.
This course covers important key aspects of Haitian culture, as the first Black nation in the Western Hemisphere and in the Caribbean. It takes students into central aspects of Haitian history, politics, environment, humanitarian relief and development. This course includes discussions of gender relations, religion, medicine, education, work, migration, race, and class. No knowledge of Haitian Creole is required. This course incorporates learning materials from academic publications, as well as news media, films, documentaries, etc.
LTAM-L 211, "Contemporary Latin America and the Caribbean"
Class #: 5717
Meeting Time: Tues/Thurs, 3:00pm-4:15pm
Location: In-person
Instructor: Jason McGraw
Explores social issues, cultural identities, political movements, and lived experience of the diverse communities of contemporary Latin America and the Caribbean in a historical perspective, including sexualities, multiculturalism, the rise of capitalism, US imperialism, tourism, heritage, religious beliefs and practices, legacies of slavery, struggles for democracy, and structures of domination.
Explores Maya cultures, peoples, prophecies, histories, cosmologies, rituals, literatures, hieroglyphs, politics, poetry, spiritualities, time, calendars, rap music videos, and revitalization in México, Guatemala and Belize. The focus on contemporary Maya includes an historical overview of Maya civilization from origins to nation states. Students learn an inter-disciplinary cultural approach relying on film, fiction, and popular media.
Explores the meanings and practices of altering consciousness, also known as "shamanism," in relation to spirituality and spiritualism and to health and healing of individuals and communities. Considers ethnographic and historical contexts throughout the Americas, with a focus on Latin American cultures, especially Maya, Huichol, Andean, Mestizo, and Mapuche.
Introduces Arab culture through exploration of the diverse economies, political landscapes, cultural and social practices of the 22 states in the Arab world. Explores the ways in which people in the modern Arab world are culturally united by a common language while remaining extraordinarily diverse in other ways.
Examines the engines of inequality - defined as the unequal distribution of scarce resources - in Israeli society and compares them to those in other stratified societies worldwide using a sociological, social stratification approach.
Survey of conflict in the Middle East including the rise of Islam, the Crusades, World War I, the Arab-Israeli Conflict, the Persian Gulf Wars, and terrorism.
This course introduces you to the role of Muslim minorities in Western politics. Individuals who practice the religion or who belong to ethnic groups that are traditionally Muslim are now estimated to make some 2% of the North American population and 5% of the European Union's population, and their numbers are expected to continue to grow. The attacks of September 11, 2001 and the wars that followed highlighted and amplified the role and perception of Muslim minorities in the West as political actors and electoral constituencies, subjects of cultural hostility, scapegoats for poor economic performance, suspects in the face of insecurity whose rights could be exceptionally curtailed, and agents for the projection of geopolitical power. Western states and their rapidly growing Muslim populations are adjusting to each other under the constant pressure of exogenous shocks. The way they manage the process will deeply affect Western polities and their relations with the Muslim world. Substantive topics we will explore include: How/why do different states strike a balance between security and civil rights/liberties? Is there really a tradeoff between the two? How do they deal with immigration, both permitted and unregulated? What factors affect the degree of political participation by Western Muslims? Why are culture clashes more salient in some countries than in others? Why do Muslim immigrants prosper more economically in North America than in Europe? How do international conflicts affect the relationship between Western states and their Muslim citizens and the dynamics among citizens of different backgrounds? Is there a connection between Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in the West? Are we witnessing the birth of a Western Muslim macro-ethnicity or many disjointed ethnic communities? How are Muslims perceived in their Western societies and how do they perceive their fellow citizens? What will the future hold?
Global Internet Governance: Sovereignty in the Digital Age
Who oversees the “.com” and other top-level domains? Why does Russia want the United Nations to regulate the internet? Is the internet in danger of fragmenting into disconnected national segments? These questions fall under the ambit of global internet governance, the administration of the global internet’s technology and policy.
After decades of Cold War, for a while it seemed possible that the bitter enmity between Russia and the West might give way to an amicable partnership that could address many pressing world problems. Instead, Cold War tensions are resuming, and years of rivalry have left a legacy of mistrust and suspicion that seems increasingly unlikely to dissipate. This course will attempt to understand the reasons for this disappointing outcome. We will examine the evolution of Soviet foreign policy in the period since World War II and the foreign policy of Russia since the collapse of the Soviet state, focusing in particular on Russia's relations with the West. Russian policies toward Eastern Europe, Central and East Asia, and the Middle East, and the ways in which those policies have exacerbated tensions with the West, will also be considered. Topics may include the competing views on foreign policy held by various Russian elites, the persistent legacy of the Russian past and of Soviet experience in international affairs before 1945; the impact of ideology on Soviet and Russian decisions and actions; and the institutions and individuals involved in the making of Moscow's foreign policy. Readings, lectures and discussions will analyze Soviet conduct during the Cold War, the changes in Soviet foreign and military policies that led to the end of the Cold War, and Russia's policies in the post-Cold War era. Students will participate in a role-playing exercise, simulating debates in the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Jews of the Muslim East surveys the fascinating history and culture of Jews in the Muslim world east of the boundaries of the Ottoman Empire. The course surveys, primarily, the Jews of Central Asia (both Bukharan Jews and other Jews who ended up in the region), as well as Iran and Afghanistan, from antiquity until the present, including several units dedicated to Muslim, Russian, and Soviet rule. Major themes include exile and displacement, but also preservation; conversion to Islam, real and perceived; religious doctrines and practices; economy and trade; minority status under Muslim rule; literary compositions in unique languages in multiple genres, and communal tensions over representation and commemoration.
REEI-R 300/INTL-I 310, "Global Internet Governance: Sovereignty in the Digital Age"
Class #: 12461, 12462
Meeting Time: Mon/Wed, 4:55pm-7:25pm
Location: In-person
Instructor: Stanislav Budnitsky
Who oversees the “.com” and other top-level domains? Why does Russia want the United Nations to regulate the internet? Is the internet in danger of fragmenting into disconnected national segments? These questions fall under the ambit of global internet governance, the administration of the global internet’s technology and policy. The course traces how internet governance evolved from a niche technical domain into one of the most contentious arenas of global politics. It explores the web of institutions and infrastructures that make possible our everyday use of the internet yet remain unknown to most users. The tension between the internet’s global reach and national sovereignty is at the center of this examination. By the end of the course, students will learn to recognize the internet as an always-evolving product of historical circumstance and political struggle.
Introduction to the people, societies, cultures, and institutions of Southeast Asia and to their regional forms of association, with a focus on contemporary Southeast Asia.
Getting to know Mainland China and Taiwan from social media This course will bring you overseas experience in Mainland China and Taiwan through the eyes of second-language speakers of Chinese. Using resources from social media platforms such as YouTube, Tiktok, Weibo, WeChat, we will learn more authentic Chinese as well as exploring basic issues relevant to common people¿s daily life, i.e., food, transportation, language, school, entertainment, etc. While discussing these issues, we will also reflect on similarities and differences across the straits, and gain a deeper understanding of the cultural norms, values, and beliefs that may differ from your cultural background. Whether you are just curious about study abroad, or already have overseas experience, you will find this course intriguing and fun!
SGIS-S 200, "Diversity, Culture, and Language in East Asia"
Class #: 12568
Meeting Time: Thurs, 3:00pm-4:15pm
Location: Distance Synchronous Video
Instructor: Alessia Cherici
This course will guide you through a short trip to East Asia, namely China, Japan, and Korea, in which we'll be exploring the cultural and linguistic diversity of the region. We'll learn about dialects and language varieties spoken in these three countries, we'll discover and analyze several linguistic phenomena pertaining to sounds, words, and structures, and, most importantly, we'll understand that what we typically refer to as "a language", e.g., Chinese, Japanese, Korean, is a fascinating multifaceted "entity" that subsumes a number of related, though often very diverse, languages. While exploring these issues, we will try to provide answers questions such as What is a "dialect"? What do we mean by "standard language"? How (and how much) do dialects differ from each other and from the "standard"? What does "being multilingual" mean? What are the advantages of being multilingual? Reserve your spot on NOW! It'll be FUN!!!!
SGIS-S 300, "The Global Leaders & Professionals Program"
Class #: 36279
Meeting Time: Wed, 6:30pm-7:45pm
Location: TBD
Instructor: Terrance Stroud
The Global Leaders and Professionals Program’s (GLPP) is a course designed to help sophomores, juniors and seniors secure competitive internships, land a post-graduation fellowship, gain admittance to a graduate program, as well as help students develop short and long-term career goals. Students will expand their network, connect with employers and career mentors, and meet with community and global leaders who will share tips on how to break into and progress in their fields.
SGIS-S 300, "Becoming an International Development Professional: A Career Development Course"
Class #: 36259
Meeting Time: Fri, 10:20am–12:20pm
Location: Hybrid-On Campus & Online
Instructor: Elisheva Cohen
In this course, students will meet and network with a wide range of international development practitioners working across sectors and career levels. Students will also build skills needed for the profession such as grant writing, project management, and monitoring and evaluation through engaging activities, simulations, and hands-on experiences.
Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies