This course focuses on understanding the causes and consequences of state fragility in different parts of the world. Students who enroll in the course should be able to propose policy options that can help fragile or failing states work on building capacity including the option of peace-building and use of foreign aid.
The course is a hybrid of on-line and instructor led discussions. It is also a truly international collaboration. The course will be prepared faculty from four institutions, The University of California, Berkeley, Cambridge University, National University of Singapore, and the University of Tokyo. The four universities, will collaborate in sharing a (1) a core syllabus, (2) common course materials (video, powerpoint, assignment and questions), and also prepare for (3) cross-national student groups, two from each universities to work together. The final paper will require students to work with their colleagues from these universities across the globe on group projects, possibly in a form of policy paper / recommendations that may either take form of a website presentation, power point, written paper, or a combination of the above.
Minimum GPA: 3.5
Political Science Majors of Junior and Senior status, with a minimum overall UC GPA of 3.3. Students must place themselves on the waitlist through "CalCentral" in Phase II. Selection and notification will occur in mid-August. Priority may be given to students who have not yet taken a junior seminar.