Understanding Global Crises

Few, if any, countries have been unaffected by the dynamic of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this three-week program, we will examine how political scientists make sense of it all. Have democracies been more effective than authoritarian regimes in coordinating a public health response? Has the global threat of the pandemic put an end to globalization as we know it? Or has it merely highlighted the need for institutionalized and sustained international cooperation? In this course, students will receive instruction in the types of questions political scientists ask, focusing on China, Europe, and Latin America. They will additionally acquire a deeper understanding of a liberal arts approach to learning while simultaneously honing the skills required to excel in a college environment.