From May 12-14, the Watson Institute's Master of Public Affairs (MPA) program held its annual Policy in Action (PIA) Symposium, in which students presented the results of work they did for government, nonprofit and private sector organizations over the spring semester.
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The Watson Institute’s Policy Labs — created with the goal of turbo-charging research on critical policy issues by bringing together students and researchers — were highly productive during their first year of operation. The Civil Conflict and Democratic Erosion Policy Lab, the Justice Policy Lab, and the Realizing Rights Lab created cutting-edge social science research while enhancing student research skills.
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The Watson Institute's Africa Initiative is the only U.S. partner in the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA), an organization dedicated to building a vibrant multidisciplinary African academy that produces world-class research.
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Peter Andreas recently published "The Illicit Global Economy: What Everyone Needs to Know," a new book that explores the unauthorized cross-border flows of goods, people and money shaping global trade and politics.
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Jennifer Hadden recently published a book titled "Crowded Out: The Competitive Landscape of Contemporary International NGOs," examining how global nonprofits are being squeezed by competition, specialization, and dispersion—even as global needs grow.
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A show exploring today's biggest global challenges with the world's leading experts, from the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
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The Rhodes Center Podcast, hosted by Mark Blyth, features conversations with some of the most thought-provoking figures in international finance and economics. Mark and Brendan talk with scholars, policy makers, and finance experts about some of today's most pressing economic issues, and about how those issues affect our daily lives.
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Master of Public Affairs

The Watson Institute is home to the Ivy League’s only one-year residential master’s program in public affairs, the MPA prepares students to be public policy leaders, analysts and advocates in government, politics, and the nonprofit, and private sectors, both in the U.S. and abroad.

Student Experience

The Watson Institute houses several undergraduate and graduate programs that take an interdisciplinary, comparative approach to policy-relevant learning in the social sciences. Our programs are designed to inspire today's engaged scholars and creative thinkers to become tomorrow's leaders in international and public affairs.

“ Living outside of Washington, D.C., in Northern Virginia, where I grew up, I saw the wheels of politics turn and I always wanted to either hold the pen that wrote policy or write about who did. ”

– Charlie Adams IAPA Class of 2025

Centers, Initiatives and Programs

The Watson Institute is proud to house 11 region or topic-focused centers, initiatives and projects that are dedicated to research, teaching and outreach. These entities also serve as conveners, sponsoring informative events that inspire dialogue among scholars, students and the public.

learn more about our centers