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The Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs is an interdisciplinary research center at
Brown University Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...
in
Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts ...
. Its mission is to promote a just and peaceful world through research, teaching, and public engagement. The institute's research focuses on three main areas: development, security, and governance. Its faculty include anthropologists, economists, political scientists, sociologists, and historians, as well as journalists and other practitioners. The institute is directed by Edward Steinfeld, professor in the Department of Political Science, and director of the China Initiative at Brown University.


Location

The Institute occupies three buildings surrounding a central plaza located at the southern edge Brown's campus on the East Side of
Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts ...
. The first is a modern and architecturally distinctive building at 111
Thayer Street Thayer Street in Providence, Rhode Island is a popular destination for students of the area's nearby schools of Brown University, Moses Brown School, Hope High School, Wheeler School, RISD, Providence College, Johnson & Wales University, and ...
, designed by Uruguayan architect
Rafael Viñoly Rafael Viñoly Beceiro (born 1944) is a Uruguayan architect. He is the principal of Rafael Viñoly Architects, which he founded in 1983. The firm has offices in New York City, Palo Alto, London, Manchester, Abu Dhabi, and Buenos Aires. Viñ ...
in 2001. The second,
Stephen Robert Stephen Robert (born June 13, 1940)Toshiko Mori Toshiko Mori (born 1951) is a Japanese architect and the founder and principal of New York-based Toshiko Mori Architect, PLLC and Vision Arc. She is also the Robert P. Hubbard Professor in the Practice of Architecture at the Harvard University Gra ...
and completed in 2018. The institute also occupies a 19th-century building at 59 Charlesfield Street renovated in 2018.


History

The Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs was established to fulfill two parallel missions: "to bring international perspective into the life of Brown University, and to promote peace through international relations research and policy." In 1981, with the support and guidance of 1937 Brown alumnus
Thomas J. Watson Jr. Thomas John Watson Jr. (January 14, 1914 – December 31, 1993) was an American businessman, political figure, Army Air Forces pilot, and philanthropist. The son of IBM Corporation founder Thomas J. Watson, he was the second IBM president (195 ...
, former chairman of IBM and Ambassador to the Soviet Union, Brown University founded the Center for Foreign Policy Development. The center was formed to explore solutions to the major global issues of the day, foremost of which was the possibility of a nuclear encounter between the United States and the Soviet Union. In 1986, the university created the Institute for International Studies to integrate the Center and Brown's other international programs. In 1991, following a $25 million gift from Watson, the institute was rededicated in his honor. Originally housed in five separate locations on campus, the institute's programs moved into a single building at 111 Thayer Street, designed by architect
Rafael Viñoly Rafael Viñoly Beceiro (born 1944) is a Uruguayan architect. He is the principal of Rafael Viñoly Architects, which he founded in 1983. The firm has offices in New York City, Palo Alto, London, Manchester, Abu Dhabi, and Buenos Aires. Viñ ...
, in January 2002.


2014-2019: Expansion

In 2014, the Watson Institute merged with the Taubman Center for American Politics and Policy, which had previously been housed in the Department of Political Science. Speaking of the motivation behind the merger, then–director
Richard M. Locke Richard Michael Locke (born April 22, 1959) is Dean of Apple University. Locke joined Apple after serving as the 13th provost of Brown University. He served as provost for 7.5 years, one of the longest serving provosts of Brown University. Biog ...
cited the increasingly inseparable nature of
domestic Domestic may refer to: In the home * Anything relating to the human home or family ** A domestic animal, one that has undergone domestication ** A domestic appliance, or home appliance ** A domestic partnership ** Domestic science, sometimes c ...
and
foreign policy A State (polity), state's foreign policy or external policy (as opposed to internal or domestic policy) is its objectives and activities in relation to its interactions with other states, unions, and other political entities, whether bilaterall ...
. In 2015, the Institute received a $50 million gift to expand facilities and hire additional faculty. This gift enabled the construction of a new building at 280 Brook Street and renovation of an existing building at 59 Charlesfield Street. In 2019, the Institute established the Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies (CHR&HS) as a permanent and endowed center. The center replaced the Humanitarian Innovation Initiative, which was established in 2016.


Academic programs

The Watson Institute offers a single undergraduate degree program in International and Public Affairs. The concentration features both a core curriculum as well as three specialized tracks (Development, Security, and Policy & Governance) among which students can choose. Graduate programs offered at the Watson Institute include the Graduate Program in Development (Ph.D.) and the Public Policy Program ( M.P.A.). The Graduate Program in Development (GPD) is an
NSF NSF may stand for: Political organizations *National Socialist Front, a Swedish National Socialist party *NS-Frauenschaft, the women's wing of the former German Nazi party *National Students Federation, a leftist Pakistani students' political gr ...
-funded, interdisciplinary program that supports the training of PhD candidates in anthropology, political science, economics, and sociology. The Public Policy program is a one-year intensive (summer – fall – spring) full-time degree with a focus on quantitative policy analysis and management. Since 2017, the institute has also offered a fifth year M.P.A program for Brown undergraduates. The institute also offers Post Doctoral, professional development and global outreach programming.


Area studies

The following
area studies Area studies (also known as regional studies) are interdisciplinary fields of research and scholarship pertaining to particular geographical, national/ federal, or cultural regions. The term exists primarily as a general description for what ar ...
centers are based at Watson: the Brazil Initiative, the Africa Initiative, the Center for Contemporary South Asia (CCSA), the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS), the China Initiative, and Middle East Studies (MES).


Professional programs

Two professional outreach programs are based at the institute. The Brown International Advanced Research Institutes (BIARI) provides the opportunity for junior scholars and practitioners from all over the world to study together at the institute. According to Watson's website, BIARI "aims to build transnational scholarly networks while also providing opportunities for professional development. Each summer, BIARI brings promising young faculty from the Global South together with leading scholars in their fields for two-week intensive residential institutes." Choices develops and publishes curriculum resources for high school social studies classrooms, and leads seminars for secondary school teachers. The program's mission is "to equip young people with the skills, habits, and knowledge necessary to be engaged citizens who are capable of addressing international issues with thoughtful public discourse and informed decision making."


Research


Costs of War Project

In recent years, the most internationally cited product of the Watson Institute has been its
Costs of War Project The Costs of War Project is a nonpartisan research project based at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University that seeks to document the direct and indirect human and financial costs of U.S. wars in Iraq and ...
, first released in 2011 and continuously updated since. The project comprises a team of economists, anthropologists, political scientists, legal experts, and physicians, and seeks to calculate the economic costs, human casualties, and impact on civil liberties of the wars in
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
,
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
, and
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
since 2001. The project is the most extensive and comprehensive public accounting of the cost of post- September 11th U.S. military operations compiled to date.


Publications

The Watson Institute is the editorial home to three academic journals: *'' Brown Journal of World Affairs'' *''
Studies in Comparative International Development The Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs is an interdisciplinary research center at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Its mission is to promote a just and peaceful world through research, teaching, and public engagement ...
'' *''
Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law The ''Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law'' is a bimonthly peer-reviewed academic journal covering health policy and health law as they relate to politics. It was established in 1976 and is published by Duke University Press. The editor-in ...
'' Watson also publishes a working paper series, distributed by SSRN: *
Watson Working Papers
'


Notable faculty and fellows


Diplomats and politicians

Notable diplomats who have served as faculty and fellows at the Watson Institute include 22nd U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations,
Richard Holbrooke Richard Charles Albert Holbrooke (April 24, 1941 – December 13, 2010) was an American diplomat and author. He was the only person to have held the position of Assistant Secretary of State for two different regions of the world (Asia from 1977 ...
and former deputy secretary-general of the
OECD The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; french: Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques, ''OCDE'') is an intergovernmental organisation with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate e ...
and 11th Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, J. Brian Atwood. Heads of state and government who have served as faculty and fellows include the 34th
President of Brazil The president of Brazil ( pt, Presidente do Brasil), officially the president of the Federative Republic of Brazil ( pt, Presidente da República Federativa do Brasil) or simply the ''President of the Republic'', is the head of state and head o ...
,
Fernando Henrique Cardoso Fernando Henrique Cardoso (; born 18 June 1931), also known by his initials FHC (), is a Brazilian sociologist, professor and politician who served as the 34th president of Brazil from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 2002. He was the first Brazi ...
; the 31st
President of Chile The president of Chile ( es, Presidente de Chile), officially known as the President of the Republic of Chile ( es, Presidente de la República de Chile), is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Chile. The president is re ...
,
Ricardo Lagos Ricardo Froilán Lagos Escobar (; born 2 March 1938) is a Chilean lawyer, economist and social-democratic politician who served as president of Chile from 2000 to 2006. During the 1980s he was a well-known opponent of the Chilean military di ...
; former
Chancellor of Austria The chancellor of the Republic of Austria () is the head of government of the Republic of Austria. The position corresponds to that of Prime Minister in several other parliamentary democracies. Current officeholder is Karl Nehammer of the Aus ...
, Alfred Gusenbauer; and two-time
Prime Minister of Italy The Prime Minister of Italy, officially the President of the Council of Ministers ( it, link=no, Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri), is the head of government of the Italian Republic. The office of president of the Council of Ministers is ...
,
Romano Prodi Romano Antonio Prodi (; born 9 August 1939) is an Italian politician, economist, academic, senior civil servant, and business executive who served as the tenth president of the European Commission from 1999 to 2004. He served twice as Prim ...
. Other fellows and faculty of note include the 12th
president of the World Bank President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese fu ...
,
Jim Yong Kim Jim Yong Kim (; born December 8, 1959), also known as Kim Yong (/金墉), is an American physician and anthropologist who served as the 12th president of the World Bank from 2012 to 2019. A global health leader, Kim was formerly the chair of ...
; former Chair of the
Democratic National Committee The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the governing body of the United States Democratic Party. The committee coordinates strategy to support Democratic Party candidates throughout the country for local, state, and national office, as well a ...
and
Secretary of Labor The United States Secretary of Labor is a member of the Cabinet of the United States, and as the head of the United States Department of Labor, controls the department, and enforces and suggests laws involving unions, the workplace, and all ot ...
,
Tom Perez Thomas Edward Perez (born October 7, 1961) is an American politician and attorney who served as the Chair of the Democratic National Committee from February 2017 until January 2021. Perez was previously Assistant Attorney General for Civil Righ ...
; 7th
lieutenant governor of Maryland The lieutenant governor of Maryland is the second highest-ranking official in the executive branch of the Government of Maryland, state government of Maryland in the United States. The officeholder is elected on the same ticket as the governor of ...
,
Michael Steele Michael Stephen Steele (born October 19, 1958) is an American political commentator, attorney, and Republican Party politician. Steele served as the seventh lieutenant governor of Maryland from 2003 to 2007; he was the first African-American ...
; Kenyan activist Kakenya Ntaiya; and 16th Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India,
Arvind Subramanian Arvind Subramanian is an Indian economist and the former Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India, having served from 16 October 2014 to 20 June 2018. Subramanian is currently a Senior Fellow at the Watson Institute for International ...
.


Academics

*
Nadje Sadig Al-Ali Nadje Sadig Al-Ali (born 1966; ar, نادية صادق العلي) is a German-Iraqi academic of social anthropology and Middle East studies and feminist activist. She is currently the Robert Family Professor of International Studies at Brown ...
, ''Director'', Middle East Studies *
Omer Bartov Omer Bartov (Hebrew: עֹמֶר בַּרְטוֹב; pronounced .html" ;"title="oˈmer ˈbartov/nowiki>">oˈmer ˈbartov/nowiki>; born 1954) is the John P. Birkelund Distinguished Professor of European History and Professor of History and Profe ...
, ''Faculty Fellow'' *
Mark Blyth Mark McGann Blyth (born 29 September 1967) is a Scottish-American political scientist. He is currently the William R. Rhodes Professor of International Economics and Professor of International and Public Affairs at Brown University. At Brown ...
, ''Director,'' William R. Rhodes Center for International Economics and Finance *
Robert K. Brigham Robert K. Brigham is the Shirley Ecker Boskey Professor of History and International Relations at Vassar College. He is a historian of Foreign policy of the United States, US foreign policy, particularly of the Vietnam War. Education Brigham ea ...
, former ''Visiting Professor of International Relations'' *
James Der Derian James Der Derian is the Michael Hintze Chair of International Security Studies and Director of the Centre for International Security Studies at The University of Sydney, having taken up his appointment in January 2013. His research and teaching int ...
, former ''Professor of Research'' *
Peter B. Evans Peter B. Evans (born 1944) is an American academic. He is a Faculty Fellow in International and Public Affairs at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University and Professor of Sociology emeritus at the University o ...
, ''Faculty Fellow'' *
John Friedman John N. Friedman is an economist who currently serves as Professor of Economics, Chair of Economics, and Professor of International and Public Affairs at Brown University. He additionally co-directs Opportunity Insights and is a Research Associate ...
, ''Professor of Economics and International and Public Affairs'' * Justine Hastings, ''Professor of Economics and International and Public Affairs'' *
Shirley Brice Heath Shirley Brice Heath (born 26 July 1939) is an American linguistic anthropologist, and Professor Emerita, Margery Bailey Professorship in English, at Stanford University. She graduated from Lynchburg College, Ball State University, and Columb ...
, ''Professor-at-large'' (2003-2010) *
Patrick Heller Patrick Heller is an American sociologist and the director of the development research program at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University. Education Patrick Heller completed his bachelor's degree in Arts ...
, ''Director'', Development Rsearch Program *
Eugene Jarecki Eugene Jarecki (born October 5, 1969) is an American filmmaker and author. He is best known as a two-time winner of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize, as well as multiple Emmy and Peabody Awards, for his films '' Why We Fight'', ''Reagan'', and '' T ...
, ''Visiting Fellow'' *
Stephen Kinzer Stephen Kinzer (born August 4, 1951) is an American author, journalist, and academic. A former ''New York Times'' correspondent, he has published several books, and writes for several newspapers and news agencies. Reporting career During the 198 ...
, ''Senior Fellow'' *
David Kertzer David Israel Kertzer (born February 20, 1948) is an American anthropologist, historian, and academic, specializing in the political, demographic, and religious history of Italy. He is the Paul Dupee, Jr. University Professor of Social Science, P ...
, ''Faculty Fellow,'' recipient of the
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
*
Margaret Levi Margaret Levi (born 1947) is an American political scientist and author, noted for her work in comparative political economy, labor politics, and democratic theory, notably on the origins and effects of trustworthy government. Education Margar ...
, ''Senior Fellow'' (2013–14) *
Glenn Loury Glenn Cartman Loury (born September 3, 1948) is an American economist, academic, and author. He is the Merton P. Stoltz Professor of the Social Sciences and Professor of Economics at Brown University, where he has taught since 2005. At the age of ...
, ''Professor of Economics'' *
Catherine Lutz Catherine A. Lutz (; born 1952) is an American anthropologist and Thomas J. Watson, Jr. Family Professor of Anthropology and International Studies at Brown University. She is also a Research Professor at the Watson Institute where she serves as a ...
, ''Professor of Anthropology'' *
Rose McDermott Rose McDermott is an American political scientist who is the David and Marianna Fisher University Professor of International Relations at Brown University. She has also taught at Cornell, UCSB, and Harvard. She is a member of the American Academy of ...
, ''Director'', Postdoctoral Program * Brian C. O'Neill, former ''Associate Professor (Research)'' *
Emily Oster Emily Fair Oster (born February 14, 1980) is an American economist and author. She is currently the JJE Goldman Sachs University Professor of Economics and International and Public Affairs at Brown University, where she has taught since 2015. He ...
, ''Professor of Economics'' *
Eric M. Patashnik Eric M. Patashnik is an American political scientist, author, professor of public policy and political science at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs and Department of Political Science at Brown University. Early life and educ ...
, ''Professor of Political Science'' *
Wendy J. Schiller Wendy J. Schiller is the Royce Family Professor of Teaching Excellence in Political Science at Brown University. She is a Faculty Fellow at Brown's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, where she also serves as Director of the A. ...
, ''Professor of Political Science'' *
Galina Starovoytova Galina Vasilyevna Starovoitova (russian: Гали́на Васи́льевна Старово́йтова; 17 May 1946, in Chelyabinsk – 20 November 1998, in Saint Petersburg) was a Soviet dissident, Russian politician and ethnographer known ...
, former ''Visiting Scholar'' * J. Ann Tickner, ''Visiting Adjunct Professor'' (2004–2009) *
Ashutosh Varshney Ashutosh Varshney (born 1957) is an Indian-born political scientist and academic. He is currently the Sol Goldman Professor of International Studies and the Social Sciences and Professor of Political Science at Brown University, where he also d ...
, ''Director'', Center for Contemporary South Asia * Robert Wade, ''Professor of International Political Economy'' (1996–99) * Margaret Weir, ''Professor of International and Public Affairs and Political Science'' * Thomas G. Weiss, ''Associate Director,'' ''Research Professor'' (1990–98) *
Xu Wenli Xu Wenli () (born on 9 July 1943), is from Anqing, located in the Southeastern province of Anhui, China. As one of the leaders of the China Democracy Party, Xu organized and participated in the Democracy Wall movement and acted as the chief edi ...
, ''Visiting Senior Fellow'' File:Richard Holbrooke US diplomat 2008 front.jpg, American diplomat
Richard Holbrooke Richard Charles Albert Holbrooke (April 24, 1941 – December 13, 2010) was an American diplomat and author. He was the only person to have held the position of Assistant Secretary of State for two different regions of the world (Asia from 1977 ...
File:Ricardo Lagos (45777830295) (cropped).jpg,
President of Chile The president of Chile ( es, Presidente de Chile), officially known as the President of the Republic of Chile ( es, Presidente de la República de Chile), is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Chile. The president is re ...
,
Ricardo Lagos Ricardo Froilán Lagos Escobar (; born 2 March 1938) is a Chilean lawyer, economist and social-democratic politician who served as president of Chile from 2000 to 2006. During the 1980s he was a well-known opponent of the Chilean military di ...
File:Fernando Henrique Cardoso em fevereiro de 2013 (cropped).jpg,
President of Brazil The president of Brazil ( pt, Presidente do Brasil), officially the president of the Federative Republic of Brazil ( pt, Presidente da República Federativa do Brasil) or simply the ''President of the Republic'', is the head of state and head o ...
, Fernando Cardoso File:Romano Prodi in Nova Gorica (2c).jpg,
Prime Minister of Italy The Prime Minister of Italy, officially the President of the Council of Ministers ( it, link=no, Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri), is the head of government of the Italian Republic. The office of president of the Council of Ministers is ...
,
Romano Prodi Romano Antonio Prodi (; born 9 August 1939) is an Italian politician, economist, academic, senior civil servant, and business executive who served as the tenth president of the European Commission from 1999 to 2004. He served twice as Prim ...
File:Arvind Subramanian - PopTech 2011 - Camden Maine USA (cropped).jpg, CEA of India,
Arvind Subramanian Arvind Subramanian is an Indian economist and the former Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India, having served from 16 October 2014 to 20 June 2018. Subramanian is currently a Senior Fellow at the Watson Institute for International ...
File:Jim Yong Kim 2015.jpg,
President of the World Bank President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese fu ...
,
Jim Yong Kim Jim Yong Kim (; born December 8, 1959), also known as Kim Yong (/金墉), is an American physician and anthropologist who served as the 12th president of the World Bank from 2012 to 2019. A global health leader, Kim was formerly the chair of ...
File:Michael Steele (27366255673) (cropped).jpg, Politician
Michael Steele Michael Stephen Steele (born October 19, 1958) is an American political commentator, attorney, and Republican Party politician. Steele served as the seventh lieutenant governor of Maryland from 2003 to 2007; he was the first African-American ...
File:The Crash 2008 Ten Years On--part 1 of 4 9.30.jpg, Political economist
Mark Blyth Mark McGann Blyth (born 29 September 1967) is a Scottish-American political scientist. He is currently the William R. Rhodes Professor of International Economics and Professor of International and Public Affairs at Brown University. At Brown ...
File:Glenn Loury Race, incarceration, and American values 57m22s (cropped).jpg, Economist
Glenn Loury Glenn Cartman Loury (born September 3, 1948) is an American economist, academic, and author. He is the Merton P. Stoltz Professor of the Social Sciences and Professor of Economics at Brown University, where he has taught since 2005. At the age of ...
File:ECB COVID-19 Webinar Series Emily Oster 54m40s.jpg, Economist
Emily Oster Emily Fair Oster (born February 14, 1980) is an American economist and author. She is currently the JJE Goldman Sachs University Professor of Economics and International and Public Affairs at Brown University, where she has taught since 2015. He ...


Directors

* Howard Swearer (1986–1991) * Vartan Gregorian (1991–1994) * Thomas J. Biersteker, (1994–06) * Barbara Stallings, (2006–2008) * Michael D. Kennedy, (2009–11) *
Richard M. Locke Richard Michael Locke (born April 22, 1959) is Dean of Apple University. Locke joined Apple after serving as the 13th provost of Brown University. He served as provost for 7.5 years, one of the longest serving provosts of Brown University. Biog ...
, (2013–16) * Edward Steinfeld, (2016–present)


References


External links


Watson Institute for International Studies
{{Coord, 41.82515, -71.39999, type:edu_globe:earth_region:US-RI, display=title Brown University Schools of international relations in the United States Security studies Public administration schools Public policy schools Realist think tanks Peace and conflict studies Foreign policy and strategy think tanks in the United States Rafael Viñoly buildings Research institutes of international relations 1981 establishments in Rhode Island