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COURSES
  • EPIIC [Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship]:
    2020-2021 – China and the World

    The rapid rise of China as a major political, economic, military and diplomatic power is one of the most significant developments in world affairs. As a global actor, China impacts every region, from Asia to North America, from Africa to Europe, from Latin America to the Middle East. Its influence is felt in every issue area from climate change to global health, from digital technology to the global economy, from cybersecurity to trade, as well as on global norms and institutions. China’s growing role is shifting the balance of power and raising fundamental questions about the nature of the contemporary global order. Some of the questions the EPIIC Colloquium will address include: What are the factors that shape Chinese foreign policy? How will the world adapt to a rising superpower? How can the U.S. better engage with and respond to China’s rise? What is the future of China’s evolving multifaceted relations with Africa, Southeast Asia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Russia, and the European Union? How is China’s engagement in the United Nations changing in the areas of peace and security? What is China’s role in global economic governance? -- EXP-0079
  • INQUIRY:  High schools across the U.S. have partnered with the IGL to participate in the Inquiry program.  Students enrolled in the EPIIC class are automatically engaged in the Inquiry program.  For those interested in Inquiry but without the time for EPIIC, there is the Inquiry Teaching Group which runs throughout the year, a half credit each semester.  You can sign up on SIS -- EXP-0079-XAS
  • Microfinance: is a powerful tool in the anti-poverty toolkit to help people in challenging economic conditions have a more prosperous life. This course addresses how small improvements can be made and takes a comprehensive look at microfinance and its impact on people and societies. After forming a solid understanding of the various solutions offered under the microfinance umbrella (credit, savings, insurance), the class examines opportunities for domestic and international microfinance initiatives. Students actively participate in the microfinance experience by lending to an actual business owner of their choice, analyzing real-time case studies from around the globe, and interacting with Boston-area microfinance professionals and beneficiaries. Additionally, in partnership with the nonprofit Human Connections, the instructor, Adam Grenier, leads an optional experiential learning trip to Latin America to complement the classroom curriculum. -- EXP 0077F
  • 21st Century Negotiation Skills for Global Leadership: The focus of this program is on teaching students how to build common ground, establish dialogue, and develop relationships, while understanding the context – both historical and current – of the negotiations or mediation. Students engaged in the program learn how to consider alternative perspectives and worldviews, understand system dynamics and the complexity of issues and actors, and apply conflict analysis models, tools and processes. Elizabeth McClintock, a longtime practitioner in the field who is teaching the course, said, “Every time I work with diplomats, business leaders, peacemakers, military officers and other leaders, they all tell me that they wished they’d learned the basics of negotiation earlier in their lives. Tufts students are poised to fill the shoes of these same global leaders and I’m excited to give students an opportunity to improve their skill set and gain a more nuanced understanding of global negotiation issues so that they can jump on that leadership track even earlier in their lives.” Components of the Program will include: a course on “21st Century Negotiation Skills for Global Leadership”, a lecture series that will bring prominent practitioners to campus, internships exposing students to the practice of these issues in the field, and supporting student research initiatives. -- EXP 0078S
 
STUDENT GROUPS

Weekly meetings and events are publicized on the IGL Weekly Bulletin.  To subscribe to the IGL Weekly Bulletin email distribution list, write to: igl@tufts.edu.

  • ALLIES: Meetings are held on Wednesday nights. ALLIES, the Institute's civil-military program that collaborates with the US Military Academies, holds weekly discussions, an annual conference; FieldEx; and the Intellectual Roundtable.  More information can be found online at www.alliescivmil.org and here
  • AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL:  Meetings are held on Monday nights.  Each year Amnesty holds the Jamnesty Concert for Human Rights, participates in the national Get on The Bus event, and holds various events throughout the academic year.  More info is located Amnesty International Page.  
  • EMPOWER: Applications for Empower fellowships are available in the spring and students are selected in April.  The Empower program funds internships and entrepreneurial projects across the globe and students share their experiences with one another each fall.  More info can be found at EMPOWER Page
  • ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS:  Meetings are held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  EWB hosts several fundraisers throughout the year to support their ongoing projects in Uganda and El Salvador.  Members travel for on-site implementation over winter break and summer vacation.  The members involved in the El Salvador project meet Wednesdays at 9pm; those involved with the Uganda progrect meet Tuesdays at 9pm.  More information can be found online at EWB Page and sites.tufts.edu/ewb.
  • LATIN AMERICA COMMITTEE: The purpose of the Latin America Committee (LAC) is to promote discourse on cultural, social, political, historical and economic issues in Latin America. This shall be achieved through a variety of events and initiatives that foster interest and awareness about the region. Moreover, one of LAC’s main objectives is to collaborate with other student-led Latin American groups in the Boston Area to co-host events and that way strengthen and broaden our network.More info is located at LAC Page.
  • MERG [The Middle East Research Group]:  Meetings are held every other week.  The New Initiative for Middle East Peace is a collaborative dialogue and research group studying the Middle East. Students hold discussions, conduct research trips abroad over winter break and host public events throughout the academic year.  More info is located at MERG Page.
  • OSLO SCHOLARS:  The Oslo Scholars Program offers undergraduates with demonstrated interest in human rights and international political issues an opportunity to attend the Oslo Freedom Forum and spend their summer working with some of the world’s leading human rights defenders and activists. Applications are open early in the spring semester.  More info is located at osloscholars.com and at OSLO SCHOLARS Page.
  • TUFTS ASIAN AFFAIRS GROUP (TAAG) The South Asian Academic Society (SASS) is an academic discourse and research group striving to promote discourse on social, political, historical and economic affairs of the South Asian subcontinent. Southeast Asian Collective (Tufts SEACT) - The Southeast Asian Collective at Tufts (SEACT) is an effort to create a self-sustaining academic space for discussion of Southeast Asia affairs, as well as to increase awareness of the region and champion Southeast Asian issues and initiatives at Tufts University. SURGE - Born out of ALLIES, SURGE (Sino-US Relations Group Engagement) is a student-run organization dedicated to the study of diplomatic, economic, and cultural relations between the United States, China, and the broader East Asian region. SURGE hosts academic discussions, book talks, and an annual China-US Symposium in the spring; it serves as an academic and social forum for students interested in Sino-US relations.  For more info contact igl@tufts.edu.
  • TUFTS EUROPEAN HORIZONS: Tufts European Horizons is a chapter of European Horizons, a global, student-led policy incubator whose mission is to give young people a voice in shaping the future of Europe and of transatlantic affairs. The chapter works to promote the discussion of European political, economic, and social affairs through a variety of events on the Tufts campus. Tufts European Horizons engages the student community through discussions, debates, and the interventions of experts on the European continent. Tufts European Horizons also takes part in regional and international events hosted by European Horizons that connect students at the 60 other chapters, spread across 13 different countries and 3 continents. More info is located at TUFTS EUROPEAN HORIZONS Page.
  • TUFTS INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (TuftsID): formerly BUILD is a student-led organization that immerses students in the practice of sustainable development around the world. Students create and implement development-focused projects with the assistance of non-profit partners, and work on teams to implement these programs. TuftsID members currently work on one of three teams: Ecuador Koombook Project with Libraries Without Borders; Honduras Nursing School Project with Action for Education; India Eco-San Toilets Project with Payir; and Costa Rica Education Project with Casa de la Juventud. More info is located at TID Page
  • SYNAPTIC SCHOLARS: Synaptics is a supportive community in which students pursue projects, take intellectual risks, and reflect their learning off their peers of other academic disciplines and classes. Applications for Synaptic Scholars are open for freshmen each Spring semester.  More info is located at SYNAPTIC SCHOLARS Page.
  • WOMEN IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (WIIR): Women in International Relations is committed to exploring opportunities for women in international relations (IR) and strengthening the IR female community at Tufts. Through mentorship and networking events, we strive to build a safe space for dialogue, empowerment, and career building. As women and femme-identifying individuals have only been able to celebrate their identities in recent years, WIIR wish to help amplify women’s capabilities and guide their roles as global leaders. More info is located at WIIR Page.