PUBPOL 1300

Democracy Policy in the World

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2025-2026 Catalog.

The Cornell Pre-College Summer Institute “Democracy Policy in the World” is a two-week intensive course designed for rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors interested in learning theory and practice of issues related to the development of democracy policy in the international system. In sum, this program is a rigorous, intensive global democratic citizens training program. In the current state of world disorder, characterized by a transition between a rules-based international order and power-based international order, as well as pernicious polarization domestically and internationally between East-West and North-South, this program’s goals are: to introduce students to foundational theories of democracy and its intersection with diplomacy and international policy; support students in recognizing themselves as informed, engaged, and activated global democratic citizens; equip students with basic diplomatic skills to analyze policy issues and support global democracy; and inspire students to continue engagement and critically analyze democracy and international policy issues in their future academic and career paths.

Last 4 Terms Offered (None)

Learning Outcomes

• Recognize yourself as a better informed, engaged, and activated global democratic citizen.
• Be inspired with new ideas and motivation to act as a global citizen through meaningful and active engagement with international policymakers and policy- implementers.
• Define what policy and democracy policy means and its relevance to diplomacy and international affairs.
• Analyze the existing different state and non -state actors within the international system, compare and contrast types of international institutions, identify their limits and merits, and explain the significance of a values-driven, rules-based international world order.
• Understand the essential components democracy and how it evolves on and contributes to the global governance system.
• Assess the state of democracy policy in each of the eight thematic areas covered during the course.
• Examine the role of international actors in democracy promotion and defense.
• Obtain and analyze information from multiple sources: academic (textbook excerpts and journal articles), open-source intelligence (OSINT), and human intelligence (HUMINT).
• Demonstrate the linkages between theory and practice in global policy.
• Communicate effectively, orally and in writing.
• Demonstrate ability to work in a team.
• Apply skills for communication, connection, and collaboration across differences, examining peer perspective during group work.

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