Senior fellows receive a one-year appointment at Brown University through the Watson School of International and Public Affairs. Fellows are encouraged to lead student study groups each semester and throughout the year to attend student/faculty discussions, visit courses, host public events, and mentor undergraduate and graduate students through office hours. Recent fellows include Menaka Guruswamy, senior advocate at the Supreme Court of India, former U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, former Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele, writer ZZ Packer and Jim Yong Kim, former president of the World Bank.

Study Groups

Senior Fellow study groups provide an opportunity for students to delve deeply into policy and international affairs topics and apply theory and research to real-world challenges.

They are open to undergraduates and graduate students from all concentrations. The study groups are designed to be accessible to students across different fields and to avoid infringing on students’ coursework. Fellows often invite guest speakers to address specific topics. Background reading is usually assigned for each session but is kept to a minimum. The group size is kept small to promote student participation and conversation, and participating students are expected to attend all five meetings.

Current Study Groups

How Does Congress Really Work: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Led by: Kathy Manning
This study group will be led by a former two-term member of Congress who has experienced several rounds of gerrymandering, started Congress during the height of COVID, was caught in the House gallery during the January 6th insurrection, and had to figure out how to get things done for her constituents during highly partisan times.

U.S. Diplomacy: From Policy to Practice

Led by: Laurel Rapp ‘06
This study group explores the role of diplomacy in the United States’ national security toolkit, drawing on perspectives from senior policy practitioners, primary sources from government, as well scholarship from think tanks and academia.

The Role of Courts in Policymaking

Led by: Senior Judge William Smith
This study group will examine how litigation shapes law and policy, the evolving relationship between the courts and policymakers, the roles of lawyers and judges, and the impact of public interest and class action cases.