International Studies

This course is an introduction to the theories and issues in the international public policy, focused primarily on economic policy, given how critical this issue is to domestic and international cooperation. In particular, the course examines the political, economic, and social conditions conducive to the development of cooperative behavior on a global scale. The main questions and puzzles in this sub-field, and the discipline's best answers to date, will be covered.

This course covers the concepts, paradigms, and explanations needed to become effective practitioners in culturally, racially, and linguistically diverse classrooms and schools. An important of goal of this course is to help future educators attain a sophisticated understanding of the concept of culture and to view race/ethnicity, gender, and class as interacting concepts rather than as separate and distinct. As a result, intersectionality, i.e., how race/ethnicity, gender and class are fluid variables that interact in complex ways is an overarching concept in this course. In doing so, the course integrates the content of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to provide students an opportunity to explore issues of inequalities and injustices related to race/ethnicity, gender, and class within their communities from a global perspective.  

The course collaborates with National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) through online interactions and Project-Based Learning (PBL) to facilitate participants’ understanding of local issues and current circumstances pertaining to race/ethnicity, gender, and social class in South Korea and Taiwan. Through PBL focusing on student-selected topics, participants from both societies will actively engage in intercultural collaboration and knowledge exchange, promoting social inclusivity and advancing SDGs grounded in principles of multicultural education and sustainable development. 

This course offers an in-depth exploration of quantitative text analysis methods for studying international relations. Students engage with advanced computational techniques, including text classification, topic modeling, and network analysis, to systematically examine textual data. The class places emphasis on methodological rigor, critical interpretation of results, and the application of these tools to address key research questions in the field. It is designed to equip students with the skills needed to conduct independent research using text as data.

This course immerses students in a global examination of the rise of far-right movements, employing mixed methods to explore radicalization, narratives, and mobilization strategies. The comparative perspective encompasses cases in both Latin America and Europe. Participants gain practical experience in qualitative data collection and analysis techniques, as well as skills in database construction and discourse analysis. The course culminates in the drafting of a research publication, fostering the development of rigorous academic skills.