Triumphs of Modern Statecraft

Undergraduate

The modern exercise of statecraft takes place against constantly shifting global forces, among them growing great power competition, technology innovation, climate change, and political rifts. Cumulatively, these forces and others disrupt policymakers’ traditional assumptions and demand high-velocity statecraft to thrive in a global context likely to evolve even more rapidly going forward. Are there modern examples of countries that have excelled on a dimension of statecraft against this backdrop? What can aspiring policymakers learn from these cases? These are the central questions of this course. We explore twelve triumphs of modern statecraft—instances when a capable government, innovative corporate ecosystem, and empowered citizenry undertook a project that generated disproportionate national influence. From South Korea’s ascent as a cultural power and Sweden’s corporate overperformance to Ukraine’s new position as a leader in defense innovation and the UAE’s unlikely status as a global crossroads, we assess how countries on six continents have accomplished globally significant breakthroughs. This course is designed for undergraduates interested in global affairs. Students leave the course empowered with an arsenal of modern examples of elite statecraft, a range of strategies used to achieve them, and their own ideas for new triumphs in the future. M 4pm-5:55pm