Global Affairs
- Taught by Leading Journalists, Historians, and Authors
- Focuses on Issues Behind Today&rsquos News
- Provides a Stimulating Environment for Discussion
Global issues—from terrorism and immigration to the global economy, climate change, and human rights—have both subtle and significant implications in our lives. Gain an in-depth and more contextualized understanding of today’s critical issues.
This semester, study in-person or from anywhere in the world from the safety and comfort of your home through online or remote instruction.
Global Human Rights Through Film and Literature
This course will examine visual and literary representations of human rights and humanitarian issues. Using both film screenings and written...
Understanding Espionage and Intelligence
Intelligence is perhaps the least understood function of the U.S. government. This course examines the role of the espionage and intelligence in...
America in the World: Is the US Constitution in Crisis?
Explore how studying other democracies can shed light on the troubled present—and possible future—of American politics and government.
China and America: A Global Power Struggle
Explore the competition between the US and China, from trade tensions to Beijing's censorship of Hollywood films to the battle for tech dominance.
Global Hotspots Through Foreign Film
Watch powerful foreign films that serve as catalysts for post-screening discussions about present-day issues in the associated geopolitical regions.
The Crisis of Security: Global Politics from the End of the Cold War to the Present
In 1991 the world witnessed the triumph of Liberal Democracy with the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. This was the Age of...
The United States: The World's Liberal Hegemon, But Why?
The United States is seen by its friends and enemies as the world’s liberal hegemon, the "cop." But why the United States? What...
Political Thought and Life: From Plato to Climate Change
Political theory is often viewed as overly philosophical, abstract, and inapplicable to contemporary life. Our goal in this course will be to...
Politics and Leadership in a Changing Middle East
This course will look at the historical and ideological legacies that influence politics and leadership in the Middle East. It will cover the...
Information Wars: The History, Strategy, Tactics, and Effects of Disinformation
Gain an understanding of the power, methodology, effects, and ethics of information wars being waged by nation-states and extremist organizations.
A Holistic Look at Iran: Economics, Religion, Politics, and More
Take a holistic look at the various aspects of Iran: environment, ethnolinguistic composition, religious proclivities, economics, and politics.
The American Presidency: Fact vs. Fiction
American presidents are among the most glamourized and villainized, mythologized and fictionalized government figures in the world. Yet the...
Countdown to November: Primaries, Policies, and Politics in Real Time
Register for this course on the NYU SPS Academy of Lifelong Learning website. The course will follow real-time national, state, and...
Espionage: Fact vs. Fiction
Taught by a veteran intelligence professional, this course separates myth from reality in the field of espionage.