Global Risk

Global Affairs is an uncertain and complex array of issues and actors, of threats, opportunities, and consequences; how those are understood and managed is largely through a lens of risk. Whether one speaks of the stock market, insurance, public health, climate change, international security, technological innovation, or even space travel, the frameworks used to anticipate, plan, and act in these disparate fields definitely relies on some concept of risk. This course prepares students to better appreciate the functions, pros, and cons of risk, ranging from its evolution as a modern concept; methods for assessing and managing risk; and the ethics, politics, governance, and communication of risk. This course is the core requirement for the successful completion of the Global Risk Specialization within the MS Global Affairs degree.