Fletcher fields of study partner to offer four new Gender & Intersectional Analysis courses
The Fletcher School is delighted to announce the addition of four diverse and comprehensive new courses to the Gender & Intersectional Analysis (GAIA) field of study.
The GAIA program examines gender and other key factors that influence and intersect with gender, including ethnicity, race, age, religion, class or caste, sexual orientation, disability, and urban/rural differences. Interdisciplinary in its formation, scholarly focus and practice, the field uses micro-, meso- and macro-level gender and intersectional theory and analyses to illuminate and engage directly with systems and institutions of political, military, social, economic, legal, and cultural power.
Faculty and students of all fields use these perspectives to examine gender and intersectional roles and relations as forms of power to organize authority, institutions, rights, responsibilities, access to resources, and life options. Completion of the field enables students to carry out theoretically grounded, gender and intersectional-informed research, analysis, and design within their wide-ranging professional careers.
In partnership with fields of study in Technology and International Affairs, Human Security and Humanitarian Affairs, International Legal Studies, and International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, the Fletcher GAIA program welcomes in-depth coursework in Artificial Intelligence: Algorithms, Ethics, and Policy, International Human Rights Law, Migration and Transnationalism in Latin America, and Peace and Democratization in Post-Conflict Societies: Cross-Comparative Perspectives.
Explore the full course descriptions below:
Artificial Intelligence: Algorithms, Ethics, and Policy
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a cornerstone of modern technology, radically changing how we interact with the world and make decisions. From self-driving cars and language translations to criminal sentencing and surveillance, AI systems are embedded in various applications that significantly impact society. As these systems become more pervasive, understanding how they work is crucial for anyone involved in shaping the future of technology and society. This course is designed to provide students with an introduction to AI combining technical and policy perspectives. We will explore the fundamental principles of AI to build a basic technical foundation, which will allow students to better analyze the ethical, legal, and policy challenges associated with AI applications, examining how these issues can be addressed through informed policy-making.
International Human Rights Law
This course is designed as a schematic introduction to the concepts, norms, procedures, institutions, mechanisms and potentials of international human rights laws in an interdependent world. It explores the origins, scope and reach of these norms and institutions, how they have evolved, the opportunities that they offer and the adaptability, limits and logics of their operations and deployment. The course is suitable for students who are not lawyers but who may wish to understand or explore how the law intersects with or supports their interests or pursuits in policy, social justice, advocacy, administration or other areas. While retaining an inter-disciplinary appeal, the emphasis is on exposing the students to aspects of the doctrinal, political, and institutional geographies of international human rights law (international, regional, national) as well as an understanding of how they work. Major topics include the foundations and sources of international human rights law, international human rights treaties, regional human rights systems, and human rights movement building and fact finding.
Migration and Transnationalism in Latin America
This seminar examines the shifting dynamics and implications of international migration, national immigration policies, and diaspora politics in the Americas. After reviewing general theories of migration and mobility, we will trace migratory journeys in the hemisphere from their origins to their destinations with attention to drivers, obstacles, and redirections at various points along the way. We then examine how migration and remittances affect places of origin with particular attention to economic development, social norms, state policy, and partisan politics.
Peace and Democratization in Post-Conflict Societies: Cross-Comparative Perspectives
This course is about peace governance and the intertwined processes of peacebuilding and democratization in post-conflict societies. It examines patterns of governance after conflict, and their complex relationship with the quality of democracy, authoritarian resilience, and sustainable peace. The course addresses the following questions: How do post-conflict societies navigate the complex journey of peace and democratization? What are the trade-offs between peace and democratization? What role do various actors play in shaping peace and democratization outcomes? What are some of the unintended consequences of their intervention? Why have some post-conflict societies made significant progress towards peace and democracy while others have relapsed into conflict? Lastly, how do practitioners go about sequencing peacebuilding activities? Students will gain analytical and conceptual tools to analyse peace governance and learn their application through various case studies and post-conflict scenarios. They will also acquire insights into practical missions such as electoral monitoring or designing town hall meetings in post-conflict societies.