Diplomatic Practice Courses Taught by AAD Members
Summary and Methodologies
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Courses offered at Carnegie Mellon University

International Conflict Resolution (Ambassador Daniel H. Simpson)
The instructor draws on his experience as a professional American diplomat for 35 years, in Africa, Europe and the Middle East, including as U.S. Ambassador to the Central African Republic, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and assignments in the United States at the Department of State, U.S. Army War College and National Defense University.

Courses offered at Georgetown University

International Mediation: Strategy and Methods (Dr. Chester Crocker)
This seminar explores the role of mediation as an instrument of conflict management and a foreign policy technique. Students consult both theoretical and case study materials, and become adept at analyzing the suitability of diverse mediatory approaches and actors to concrete conflict situations at diverse stages of the conflict life cycle, using a five-phase model of mediation tradecraft.

Creating a 21st Century Diplomacy (Ambassador Marc Grossman)
What can diplomats do to meet the challenges of the 21st century?  Our workshop considers the principles and attributes which should define 21st century diplomatic practice and then tests these ideas through presentations, role-plays and written work. 

Somalia to Afghanistan/Iraq: A New World (Ambassador H. Allen Holmes)
This seminar examines the evolving use of military power, in conjunction with diplomacy, law enforcement and humanitarian/economic assistance, to resolve complex civil-military challenges to US foreign policy interests.

Practicing Diplomacy Abroad (Ambassador Howard B. Schaffer)
 This seminar looks at diplomacy as a political process and as an instrument of foreign policy. It examines the role of diplomacy and the responsibilities of the ambassador and other members of an overseas mission, explore the resources and techniques available to them, and review the way diplomats relate to the government they serve and the one to which they are accredited. 

The Study of Non-State Actors: “Preventing Them from Breaking Bad” (Ambassador Peter F. Romero)
This seminar combines the concentrations of International Relations and Security, International Commerce and Business, and International Development in the analysis of emerging non-state actors. Seminar participants are divided into four “regional teams” that are responsible for examining: The Middle East; South Asia; Latin America; and Africa.

Courses offered at George Washington University

The Conduct of American Foreign Policy Abroad (Ambassador Edward “Skip” Gnehm)
This course focuses on authorities of the Ambassador and the Roles and Presence of Multiple U.S. Government Agencies Abroad.

Capstone Course: The Conduct of American Foreign Policy Abroad (Ambassador Edward “Skip” Gnehm)
This Capstone course examines challenges to the conduct of U.S. foreign policy caused by the proliferation of U.S. Government agencies abroad with their new authorities. Specifically, the focus is on the interface between the Ambassador and the representatives of other (non-State) US executive branch agencies, such as the CIA, the military, law enforcement agencies, and in the economic arena: Treasury, USTR, Commerce, and USAID.

The Role of The Embassy in the Conduct of Foreign Policy (Ambassador Edward “Skip” Gnehm)
This course familiarizes students with the structure of the embassy including its representatives from other agencies (especially the Country Team), its authorities both formal and informal, and how it supports U.S. interests.  During the course, each student assumes the role of one member of the country team.  The professor will act as ambassador.  In this role-playing model, students will deal with hypothetical issues (based on real events), thereby developing an appreciation and understanding of how an embassy operates.

Courses offered at Hamilton College

Making America’s Policy toward the Middle East and Related Regions (Ambassador Edward “Ned” Walker)
This seminar will examine the making of American foreign policy toward the Middle East in a period of deep divisions in the region and in our own country. We will focus on the role of the United States and the Administration as it seeks to deal with the problems of Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, the Palestinians, Lebanon, the growing influence of China, terrorism, democracy, energy and the environment.

Courses offered at Johns Hopkins University

Diplomatic Disasters: Statecraft in War, Peace, and Revolution (Ambassador Eric Edelman)
This course looks at mistakes made by intelligent politicians and statesmen in the midst of war and revolutions. It takes a broad view of diplomacy as statecraft, and not merely the technique of representation and negotiation, and it explores why and how competent diplomats can get it badly wrong.

Courses offered at University of Michigan

Global Issues: Drugs, Crime, and Terrorism (Drugs & Thugs) (Ambassador Melvyn Levitsky)
Students explore the global issues of illegal drugs, international crime and terrorism.  Course content emphasizes the study of organizations and networks, policy formulation and implementation, national and international approaches and programs, and the international legal and organizational framework of these issues. The instructor will devote considerable attention to the similarities and links between the drugs, crime and terrorism phenomena.

Issues in U.S. National Security (Ambassador Melvyn Levitsky)
We examine the international aspects of U.S. national security policy.  We study the Cold War preface to current policy as well as broad issues of substance, strategic doctrine and governmental processes affecting national security policy. 

Courses offered at Penn State University

Foundations of Diplomacy and International Relations Theory (Ambassador Dennis Jett)
This course addresses the central tenets of diplomacy and international relations theories and the concepts that underpin the study of international relations. It surveys major theoretical paradigms and arguments concerning international relations including such substantive areas as international conflict, international law, international organization and international political economy.

Courses offered at Princeton University

The US and the Persian Gulf: Rebalancing the Relationship (Ambassador Barbara Bodine)
The focus of this course is on the conduct of diplomacy, the impact of economics and the prospects for reform and governance within the Gulf States.

US, The Gulf and its Neighbors (Ambassador Barbara Bodine)
This course examines the political, social, economic and strategic dynamics within the Other Middle East, i.e., the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the primary neighbors, Iraq, Iran, India and Yemen.

Yemen – Crafting a Comprehensive Strategy for a Fragile State (Ambassador Barbara Bodine)
This Task Force examines the centrifugal forces that threaten to sunder Yemen and the centripetal factors that have allowed it to survive, the complexity and inter-relationship of the challenges and the need for a nuanced inter-agency approach to their solution, and will seek to devise an appropriate whole-of-government strategy.

Courses offered at Texas Tech University

Africa’s Role in the Contemporary World (Ambassador Tibor Nagy)

Courses offered at Tufts University