Current PhD students and candidates are now invited to apply to participate in the eighth annual New Era Foreign Policy Conference, a two-and-a-half-day workshop comprising Political Science PhD students, post-docs, and policy experts. This year's conference will take place at American University's School of International Service in Washington, D.C. from (Sunday) March 10 to (Wednesday) March 13, 2013. Travel, housing, and meals will be provided.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

December 18, 2012

HOW TO APPLY 

To apply, you will need to: 

1. Upload a current CV in .pdf format, titled as follows: Your Last Name, Your First Name (CV) -- for example: Smith, Jane (CV) 

2. Upload a maximum 600-word response to the following prompt in .pdf format, titled as follows: Your Last Name, Your First Name (Memo) -- for example: Smith, Jane (Memo) 

U.S. officials frequently base foreign policy decisions – at least in part – on predictions as to how countries, trends, and threats will develop in the medium-to-long term. Often, however, those predictions are inaccurate in significant ways, leaving policymakers unprepared to deal effectively with new and surprising circumstances. Put yourself in the shoes of an advisor to the President of the United States. You have been tasked with evaluating U.S. foreign policy over the medium-term (the next 5 to 7 years). 

A. Name an important bilateral or multilateral relationship, trend, or threat, and identify the most common predictions/conventional wisdom as to how that relationship, trend, or threat will develop over the next 5 to 7 years.

B. Briefly explain why that relationship, trend, or threat will likely develop in an unexpected way. 

C. Suggest a novel policy approach that would leave the United States better prepared for such unexpected developments." Please note: Your response should be written as a memo and should not include academic-style footnotes.

3. Fill out the brief form available when you click: "Apply Now". ***Only click Apply Now once you have prepared your CV and memo for submission.*** Follow the instructions on the Apply Now page to fill out the form and upload the required documents. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the New Era Team at bridgingthegap@american.edu

Apply Now