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Recent advances in Generative Artificial Intelligence place us at the threshold of a unique turning point in human history. For the first time, we face the prospect that we are not the only generally intelligent entities, and indeed that we may be less capable than our own creations. As this remarkable new technology continues to advance, we are likely to entrust management of our environment, economy, security, infrastructure, food production, healthcare, and to a large degree even our personal activities, to artificially intelligent computer systems. The prospect of "turning over the keys" to increasingly autonomous and unpredictable machines raises many complex and troubling questions. How will society respond as they displace an ever-expanding spectrum of blue- and white-collar workers? Will the benefits of this technological revolution be broadly distributed or accrue to a lucky few? How can we ensure that these systems are free of bias and align with human ethical principles? What role will they play in our system of justice and the practice of law? How will they be used or abused in democratic societies and autocratic regimes? Will they alter the geopolitical balance of power, and change the nature of warfare? Are we merely a stepping-stone to a new form of non-biological life, or are we just getting better at building useful gadgets? The goal of this course is to equip students with the intellectual tools, ethical foundation, and psychological framework to successfully navigate the coming age of superintelligent machines. (Note: This course is pre-approved for credit at SLS and GSB. No programming or technical knowledge is required.)

Mass political mobilization occurs in both democracies and autocracies. Sometimes political protests, demonstrations, and acts of nonviolence civic resistance undermine autocracies, produce democratic breakthroughs, or generate democratic reforms. Other times, they do not. This course explores why, first examining the original causes of mobilization, and then understanding why some movements succeed and others fail. The first sessions of the course will review theories of revolution, social movements, and democratization. The remainder of the course will do deep dives into case studies, sometime with guest lecturers and participants from these historical moments. Cases to be discussed will include Chile, South Africa, Eastern Europe and the USSR (1989-1991), Russia (2011), Serbia and other color revolutions (2000, 2003, 2004), Tunisia, Egypt, and the Arab Spring (2011), China and Hong Kong (1989, 2016), and recent mobilizations (Belarus in 2020, Burma and the U.S. in 2021). The deadline to apply for this course is December 3rd.

Where does the future come from? It comes from the past, of course, but how? What are the key drivers of continuity or change, and how can we trace those drivers going forward, too? What are the roles of contingency, chance, and choice, versus long-term underlying structure? How can people, from whatever walk of life, identify and utilize levers of power to ty to shift the larger system? What is a system, and how do systems behave? To answer these questions and analyze how today's world came into being and where it might be headed, this course explores geopolitics and geoeconomics, institutions and technologies, citizenship and leadership. We examine how our world works to understand the limits but also the possibilities of individual and collective agency, the phenomenon of perverse and unintended consequences, and ultimately, the nature of power. Our goal is to investigate not just how to conceive of a smart policy, but how its implementation might unfold. In sum, this course aims to combine strategic analysis and tactical agility.

Current Issues in Southeast Asia ( INTLPOL 226) is a seminar that will examine some of the key challenges facing the nations of Southeast Asia, which collectively boast the world's fifth largest economy and are home to some 680 million people. After a brief introduction to the region's history and geography, students will review the region's political systems and -- using country-specific case studies -- look at how they are dealing with issues such as democracy versus authoritarianism, ethnic and religious divisions, economic development, climate change, and China's rising influence. The course will cover all these issues in the context of some of the real-world factors, as opposed to theoretical concepts that influence and shape policies and decisions in the region, and which in many ways pose a threat to Southeast Asia's remarkable potential. It will also offer an opportunity for students to learn about the policymaking process and policy-related writing.

What is governance, and what does it mean for a country to govern effectively? This course examines governance in an era of global capitalism. Over the past fifty years, most countries around the world have embraced some degree of political and economic liberalization. Although there have been enormous gains, many nations nonetheless struggle to achieve democratization and growth. The relationship of democracy and capitalism, which has long been considered mutually beneficial, now seems unsettled. In recent years, citizens around the world have taken part in hundreds of mass protests demanding better governance and economic security. Governance underpins the relationship of democracy and capitalism, and this course is designed for students who already have background coursework on political science, democracy, and/or economics. This 10-week seminar will give students a grasp of 1) concepts and theories of governance, 2) governance issues specific to global capitalism, and 3) current and future challenges to governance. The class is open to MIP students and undergraduate juniors/seniors.

Russia presents a puzzle for theories of socio-economic development and modernization and their relationship to state power in international politics. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 brought into being the new Russia (or Russian Federation) as its successor in international politics. Russia suffered one of the worst recessions and experienced 25 years of halting reform. Despite these issues, Russia is again a central player in international affairs. Course analyzes motivations behind contemporary Russian foreign policy by reviewing its domestic and economic underpinnings. Examination of concept of state power in international politics to assess Russia's capabilities to influence other states' policies, and under what conditions its leaders use these resources. Is contemporary Russia strong or weak? What are the resources and constraints its projection of power beyond its borders? What are the determinants of state power in international politics in the twenty-first century? This course is a combination of a lecture and discussion, and will include lectures, readings, class discussions, films and documentaries.

This class examines the most pressing international security problems facing the world today: nuclear crises, non-proliferation, insurgencies and civil wars, terrorism, and climate change. Alternative perspectives - from political science, history, and STS (Science, Technology, and Society) studies - are used to analyze these problems. nn nnThe INTLPOL 241S listing is open to students enrolled via the Stanford Center for Professional Development only. It has been adapted to be available to online students. This class does NOT include the two-day international negotiation simulation.

Post-WW II transformation in the Asia-Pacific region, with focus on the ascent of Japan, the development of newly industrialized capitalist countries (S. Korea and Taiwan), the emergence of socialist states (China and N. Korea), and the changing relationship between the U.S. and these countries.

China and its Military has three main goals. First, the course will provide students with an understanding of China¿s security environment and its security policy responses. This includes an overview of PRC thinking on major concepts in security studies such as the nature of the international system, the role of power, deterrence, the use of force, coercion, and the utility of asymmetric strategies. Second, students will gain an understanding of the history and trajectory of ground, naval, air, space, and conventional and nuclear missile forces modernization as well as the strengths and weaknesses of China¿s defense industry. Lastly, students will analyze the contemporary security challenges the Chinese military presents to the United States and the region; as well as how other actors, including the US, could respond to China¿s more assertive security policies and capabilities such as cyber.