Foundations in Social Science for International Affairs

3 units

How do we know what we know about international affairs? What are the advantages and disadvantages of different social scientific approaches to understanding behaviors of states, individuals, institutions, and other actors in the international arena? In this course, students will build skills in collecting and organizing research resources, interpreting and critically assessing academic research articles, and writing literature reviews that integrate one’s own analyses. The class will build these skills using an applied approach with international affairs topics and major theoretical frameworks, and students will have the opportunity to complete a literature review on an international affairs topic that fits their interests.