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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Ieva Jusionyte’s 2024 book, "Exit Wounds: How America’s Guns Fuel Violence Across the Border," has won multiple awards, including the Juan E. Méndez Book Award and two awards from the Association of American Publishers.
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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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A show exploring today's biggest global challenges with the world's leading experts, from the Watson School 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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The Watson School launches with ambitious plans for the coming year and beyond

Brown's first new school in over a decade, the Thomas J. Watson Jr. School of International and Public Affairs, launches on July 1. Plans for the new School include broadening the scope of research, expanding the faculty, and breaking down traditional barriers between disciplines to address the world's most pressing economic, political, social and policy challenges.

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Master of Public Affairs

The Watson School is home to a rigorous Master of Public Affairs program, which 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 School 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 School is home to several 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