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This course is about an omnipresent yet curiously ill-understood phenomenon in politics and government: leadership. What does it mean when people say they want better leadership? What place can leadership have in a democracy? How is its exercise being facilitated and constrained by the institutions of democracy and the rule of law? How do people who occupy senior public offices exercise leadership and how can leadership be exercised by those who don’t? Through discussing the literature, watching and analyzing episodes of political drama series and documentaries, case studies, meetings with practitioners, and a simulation the course explores how to systematically understand and evaluate various forms of public leadership. Among the key questions the course addresses are: What are the distinctive and functions of leadership in politics and government? Is ‘democratic leadership’ an oxymoron? How does leadership in democracies and autocracies differ? Why do people follow leaders – even really bad ones? How do we know successful political, administrative and civic leadership when we see it? What role do personality, context and skills play in leadership processes? How can we understand, distinguish and evaluate leadership styles? How do leaders cope with the special challenges and opportunities presented by major disruptions and crises? How can we organize effective leadership succession in politics and public administration? During the course, several guest speakers share their knowledge and experience and participants experience acting as a political leader during a simulation. It is vital that reading and coursework are completed before class, so that literature can be (critically) discussed during the meetings and be present during meetings. Please note that for non-USG bachelor students the course 'Introduction public administration and organizational science (USG5520/USG5020)' or another introduction course covering the subject of public administration/political science is required.

Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, with its diverse landscapes — ranging from Mt. Etna’s volcanic geology and coastal marine biodiversity to rural agricultural practices and conservation areas — offers a unique and comprehensive setting for immersive ecological and environmental field studies. This course will engage with key topics such as the natural history and ecology of Mediterranean island environments, the geological processes that shape the landscape, perspectives on human-environment interactions, and the oceanographic dynamics that influence coastal and marine habitats.

The course provides an overview of current applications of formal methods to modern AI systems, including the verification, certification, and monitoring of agent-based systems and solutions. The course is structured in four parts. The first part focuses on basic modal logic, its syntax and semantics based on Kripke frames and models, as well as the model theory of modal logic, including the notions of satisfaction and validity. The second part gives students the foundations for the specification of strategic behaviors of agents in multi-agent systems (MAS), including the formalism of Concurrent Game Structures as a mathematical representation of MAS. In the third part, students consider the role played by formal methods in modern AI systems, specifically reinforcement learning (RL). In the fourth part, the course introduces the language of Alternating-time Temporal Logic (ATL), an extension of the temporal logics CTL and LTL, which allows students to express game-theoretical notions such as the existence of a winning strategy for a group of agents. 

This course explores the advanced mathematical techniques required to understand, design, and implement modern statistical machine learning algorithms and inference mechanisms.

This course covers the fundamental principles of graphic design through small assignments, two big projects, critiques, readings, and lectures. Topics include the elements of form and color, understanding visual forms (points, lines, and surfaces), and visual grammar such as scale, repetition, rhythm, balance, etc.  

For practicing visual grammar, students learn graphic software such as Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. For the projects, students develop their expressive ways to transfer meaning and values based on practicing visual grammar. 

This course explores the impact of technology on international politics, introducing key international relations theories and examining how technological advancements influence patterns of war and peace, as well as the dynamics of cooperation and conflict among states.  

The first part of the course focuses on the development of nuclear weapons and their implications for international relations. It addresses critical questions such as: Does the advent of nuclear weapons represent a fundamental shift in the nature of warfare and international relations? Why and how do states pursue nuclear weapons? What international efforts exist to regulate their proliferation?  

The latter part of the course examines the role of emerging technologies from the new industrial revolution, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous weapons, in shaping international affairs. It tackles questions like: Do cyber operations alter the nature of warfare? What ethical considerations are necessary for regulating autonomous weapons? How does social media influence international relations? Through these inquiries, the course provides a comprehensive understanding of the intersection between technology and global politics. 

There is no prerequisite for this course, but basic knowledge of international relations theories is expected (A recommended course before taking this course: Introduction to International Politics) 

In this course, students explore some of the exciting and experimental developments in film music practices emerging in the second half of the 20th century. During this time cultural changes and expectations were reflected in greater experimentalism and innovation across society and art forms. This includes film music and sound, following the so-called Golden Age of classical Hollywood film scores in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. Students will begin with a brief review of Golden Age film music and the established continuity system of musical editing. Students then examine case studies of film scores from several different countries, including USA, Britain, France, and the former Soviet Union. Students consider fragmented, composite, formalist, and popular music solutions. Finally students consider the growing influence of sound design and the blurred boundaries between music and sound in some contemporary cinema.

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Students are introduced to data science and its practice: how it works and how it can produce insights from social, political, and economic data. It combines accessible knowledge of data science as a field of study with practical knowledge about data science as a career path. By combining case studies in applications of both with the study of the content of data science, it covers data science that is both pedagogic but accessible, as well as fundamentally applied and practical. The course combines three perspectives: inferential thinking, computational thinking, and real-world relevance.

Debating skills are a key component of academic life. This means that you should be able to defend your own position and refute opposing positions by providing substantial arguments based on relevant academic sources. In this project, participants prepare, present, and defend with peers a position for an academic debate on a specific topic. The available topics emerge out of a wide range of UCM courses from different concentrations. Students can submit their preferences for topics beforehand but should be prepared to commit to any topic to which they are assigned. At the start of the project, each group discusses their topic and settle on a concrete proposition for their final debate. After that, groups split into a PRO (“yes”) and a CON (“no”) side. The two sides prepare separately for the final debate. A crucial part of the preparation for their final debate is writing a collective position paper based on self-study of academic sources. The purpose of this position paper is to be informed about the topic of the debate, by developing arguments, anticipating counterarguments, and coming up with rebuttals to these counterarguments.