MAAIS Goes Live on Facebook to Talk Congress & U.S. Foreign Policy

Incoming fall faculty, former U.S. Congressman Jim McDermott and former Congressional Staff Member Celes Eckerman, took to Facebook Live on September 20 to pitch their new course. Congress and U.S. Foreign Policy, a MAAIS elective, will also be open to a limited number of students across the UW campus. This course examines the role of the U.S. Congress in shaping and driving U.S. foreign policy, exploring both the statutory and political responsibilities through which elected representatives approach U.S. involvement abroad. Students will hone their skills in developing concise, compelling arguments on complex topics for both written and oral presentation. Course work will be largely driven by “mock Senate” floor debates, in which students will be required to confront notable foreign policy case studies from the perspective of their assigned roles as members of the U.S. Senate. The purpose of this class is to expose students to the significant challenges of foreign policy decision making in a democracy, and to encourage and prepare them to engage in this process, either as outside advocates or as direct participants. Interested students should contact maais@uw.edu for additional information.