German and European Studies (GEST)

Drone swarms. Subsea cable clipping. Grid failure. Have interconnectedness and digitization left us vulnerable? To whom? This course will explore the “geopolitics of technology” to understand power dynamics in a hyper-globalized and hyper-digitized world. By the end of the course, students are expected to have developed a concrete understanding of geopolitical dynamics affecting the AI tech stack, from data governance rules to export controls. Students should be able to defend – through an international political economy lens – the risks and rewards associated with a globalized and technologically advanced society.

This course examines the wave of populist movements in Europe.

Graduate level tutorial course for SEST 4444 Combating Terrorist Financing This course explores how terrorists and terrorist organizations—from Foreign Terrorist Organizations like al Qaeda and the Islamic State to Domestic Violent Extremist groups like anti-government militias and white supremacist organizations—are funded and resourced, how they move and access money, and how governments and other international actors seek to combat the financing of terrorism. The course considers what the goals of counter-terror financing efforts are or should be, and whether these efforts are effective, worthwhile, and how to improve them. It investigates how terrorist groups finance their activities and transfer funds, and analyzes key choke points through which illicit funds may flow. The course examines the tools available to states, international organizations, and the private sector to either follow the money or stem the flow of illicit funds—two effective but mutually exclusive lines of effort. The course also covers policy debates such as the comparative utility of financial tools in national security, the relative benefits of following or freezing funds, and more. The course includes case studies and group work to provide students hands-on exposure to the course themes.