Applications are now open for the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs Master of Public Affairs Program's Equity in Policy Scholars program, a scholarship and leadership development program designed to increase the diversity of backgrounds and perspectives in public policy making.
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A recent paper from the Costs of War project examines the challenges and human costs of reintegration for Afghan migrants returning home during the U.S.-led intervention, highlighting the disconnect between their expectations and the harsh realities they faced.
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Peter Andreas has received the 2024 Distinguished Scholar Award from the International Association for the Study of Organized Crime, recognizing his outstanding contributions to organized crime research.
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Robert Blair co-authored a paper for the American Journal of Political Science titled "Elites, the aid curse, and Chinese development finance: A conjoint survey experiment on elites’ aid preferences in 141 low- and middle-income countries."
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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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Academic Programs

Watson is home to a thriving undergraduate concentration, International and Public Affairs, as well as a highly rigorous and intensive 12-month Master of Public Affairs program. At the PhD level, the Watson Institute’s Graduate Program in Development provides training and research funding to Brown University doctoral students focused on issues of development in the Global South and beyond.

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.

“ Being surrounded by people at Brown who were so vocal and motivated to do things, I learned the power of speaking my voice and having the ability to create the world I want to see. ”

– Déja Todman IAPA Class of 2024.5

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