Cory Birenbaum

The course examines how leaders on the world stage-those in governments, international organizations, and non-state actors-make decisions that alter the course of international affairs. These decisions are made under conditions of uncertainty with limited information, elements of surprise about what will happen next, and often carry high degrees of risk. The course considers key theoretical models of uncertainty in decision making and examines specific foreign policy decisions that managed the uncertainty toward a successful outcome and those that ended in failure or expensive mistakes. Master of Global Affairs students only.