School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University

Happy Kwanzaa, Hoyas! We wish you a joyous and meaningful holiday.

Chanukah Sameach! Happy Hanukkah, Hoyas!

Merry Christmas, Hoyas! We hope your holiday is full of peace and joy.

Applying to grad school but don’t know where to start? Here’s Apurva Ramakrishnan (SSP’25) from the Georgetown Security Studies Program on how to select the right program. Don’t forget, the priority deadline for merit scholarship consideration is January 15!

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“Modern AI is not only data-hungry but energy-intensive,” says SFS Professor Andrew Imbrie from the Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) in his piece on five big issues to watch in 2025. How will policymakers balance the demand for new data centers with an already strained ? Dig into all the issues related to this emerging, critical policy area at https://bit.ly/49E7ukw.

Five Key Issues to Watch in AI in 2025 - SFS - School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University SFS Professor Andrew Imbrie highlights the AI issues he believes will be most important in 2025. SFS Professor Andrew Imbrie highlights the AI issues he believes will be most important in 2025.

Just in time for the holiday season, SFS Professor Charles King has a new book titled “Every Valley: The Desperate Lives and Troubled Times that Made Handel’s Messiah,” which illuminates the personal and political dramas that converged to create a cultural phenomenon. King takes us behind the scenes of his storytelling, revealing how unlikely characters and their struggles made Messiah an enduring work of resilience and hope.

Read the full Q&A:

The Untold Story Behind Handel’s "Messiah" - SFS - School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University In his new book, Every Valley, SFS Professor Charles King brings the world of George Fideric Handel to life, illuminating the personal and political dramas that converged to create the cultural phenomenon Messiah. King takes us behind the scenes of his storytelling, revealing how unlikely characters...

Despite the immense human and economic toll of Russia’s war in Ukraine, public support among the Russian people for the Kremlin remains strikingly resilient. In her latest report for the Atlantic Council’s Russia Tomorrow series, Maria Snegovaya, adjunct professor in the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies (CERES), explores the “Putin consensus,” examining how propaganda, societal conformity and cognitive dissonance have sustained high approval for both the war and Vladimir Putin’s leadership.

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The reluctant consensus: War and Russia’s public opinion This report explores Russian society’s consolidation around the Kremlin and the Russian public’s perception of Putin’s war on Ukraine.

It’s timeeee! After a busy semester, take time to recharge and enjoy some well-deserved rest this winter break. Stay warm, and happy holidays!

South Korea's political crisis has reached a boiling point, and President Yoon Suk Yeol faces impeachment after a shocking declaration of martial law. In The Atlantic, SFS Professor Victor Cha, president of the Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department and Korea Chair at CSIS | Center for Strategic & International Studies, analyzes the turmoil's impact on Korea's economy, democracy and its alliance with the U.S. as Donald Trump prepares for a second term.

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South Korea’s Crisis Is Nowhere Near Over Ongoing political chaos will entrench the country’s economic and social problems—and leave Seoul woefully unprepared for Trump.

In a co-authored article for Americas Quarterly, Antonio Ortiz-Mena, adjunct professor in the Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS), argues that the USMCA trade agreement among the United States, Mexico and Canada is more critical than ever for North America. As the 2026 review approaches and global tensions with China and Russia rise, Ortiz-Mena emphasizes that maintaining and strengthening USMCA is essential for regional security, economic integration and global competitiveness.

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Why The U.S. Needs USMCA More Than Ever Derailing or failing to successfully review the trade agreement will only benefit China’s and Russia’s global ambitions.

: Saurabh Bhoyar’s (MSFS’25) has had a lifelong passion for community development. His service in the Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Defense Innovation Organization equipped him with expertise on issues of national security and technology. However, his time at SFS inspired and developed interest in a couple of new, unexpected topics: environmental justice and energy security.

Experiences like Saurabh’s are part of what makes SFS special. If you’re also looking for a graduate program to expand your horizons, be sure to apply by January 15 for priority consideration for merit scholarships.

Read more: https://bit.ly/402HIDu

Saurabh Bhoyar (MSFS’25) Combines Security and Tech Studies with Energy and Climate Innovation - SFS - School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University News Saurabh Bhoyar (MSFS’25) came to Georgetown after serving four years in the Indian Naval Forces and two years in the Indian Defense Innovation Organization. He joined the Master of Science in Foreign Service program looking to leverage his technology and security background to advance community de...

Are you wondering how will evolve in 2025—and where the big breakthroughs will come from? Check out what SFS Professor Andrew Imbrie from the Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) has to say in his piece, “Five Key Issues to Watch in AI in 2025” at https://bit.ly/49E7ukw.

Five Key Issues to Watch in AI in 2025 - SFS - School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University SFS Professor Andrew Imbrie highlights the AI issues he believes will be most important in 2025. SFS Professor Andrew Imbrie highlights the AI issues he believes will be most important in 2025.

In a piece published on PBS NewsHour, SFS Professor Bruce Hoffman, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, answers key questions on what to know about HTS, Hezbollah and Iran following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. Hoffman also provides insight on what the United States should be doing to ensure security and protect against new threats.

“The ascendance of Sunni Islamist rebels in Syria should be viewed with great caution by Western powers, but the Assad regime’s collapse disables a critical node in Iran’s regional proxy network,” Hoffman writes.

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Analysis: What to know about HTS, Hezbollah and Iran after Assad's fall in Syria The ascendance of Sunni Islamist rebels in Syria should be viewed with great caution by Western powers, but the Assad regime’s collapse disables a critical node in Iran’s regional proxy network, a counterterrorism expert explains.

As of 2023, the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs)—people who have been forced to flee their homes by conflict, violence, persecution or disasters but remain within their own country—has more than doubled to 75 million, which is more than twice the number of refugees in the world. PROGRESS (Periodic Global Report on the State of Solutions to Internal Displacement) is the product of a collaboration between Georgetown’s Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM) and the IOM - UN Migration’s Global Data Institute and is designed to help create people-centered, data-driven solutions for internal displacement.

In time for the 2024 report’s unveiling in Geneva, Switzerland, SFS Professor Elizabeth Ferris, one of the principal researchers on this project and director of both ISIM and our new Master of Arts in International Migration and Refugees program, answered questions about the partnership, significant findings from the report and how Georgetown students can engage with this kind of research.

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From Research to Results: PROGRESS Supports Durable Solutions for Displacement - SFS - School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University In 2023, the global number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) surged to 75 million, over double the number of refugees worldwide. Driven by climate change, conflict, and other crises, IDPs often face prolonged displacement with significant humanitarian and economic impacts. The PROGRESS report,....

December 18 is , when we celebrate the invaluable contributions of migrants worldwide while recognizing the challenges they face. Amid conflicts, climate disasters and economic pressures, millions seek safety and opportunity, showcasing great resilience.

At SFS, we are proud to support the impactful work of our faculty dedicated to advancing multidisciplinary scholarship on and in service of international migration, including Professors Elizabeth Ferris, Director of our Institute for the Study of International Migration, and Katharine Donato, Donald G. Herzberg Professor of International Migration, who lead the Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM). In addition, we now offer a Master of Arts in International Migration and Refugees (MIMR) which enables students to explore the complex and varying circumstances that cause migration and the different experiences faced by migrants globally.

In the U.S., "Black is beautiful" became a defining cultural slogan of the 1960s civil rights movement. In 1970s West Germany, however, the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) adopted the phrase as its own political slogan. Against a backdrop of current political turmoil in Germany that resulted in Chancellor Olaf Scholz calling a snap election for February, SFS Professor Anna von der Goltz has recently published an article exploring the history and context of "Black is beautiful" in German politics.

Check out our Q&A with her to learn more:

How did “Black is Beautiful” become a German Political Slogan? - SFS - School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University SFS Professor Anna von der Goltz answers questions about her recent article examining how a U.S. civil rights slogan was adopted by a center-right political party in Germany in the 1970s. SFS Professor Anna von der Goltz answers questions about her recent article examining how a U.S. civil rights sl...

Over 280 SFS Georgetown Alumni joined Dean Joel Hellman over Zoom this afternoon for a Fast Break with SFS Professor Nader Hashemi, director of the Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.

Hashemi provided context and analysis on the recent fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the end to the 13-year civil war, particularly focusing on the complex relationships between various foreign actors. This includes Turkey’s “Big Brother” presence, Russia as a major power player, Iran’s diminishing involvement and the U.S.’s incentive to facilitate a smooth transition.

Designed for SFS alumni, Fast Break is 30 minutes of instant analysis from SFS professors on the most important topics of the day.

Watch now on our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/41FqygG

Why do some rebel governments last when others fall? Research from SFS Professor Killian Clarke’s co-authored study on the stability of post-rebellion governments was recently featured in The New York Times. Its results are striking–while rebellions conducted by a single group often resulted in stable governance, fractious and coalition-based rebellions were almost always mired in disunity. These reflections are especially relevant for Syria, in light of the overthrow of former President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime by a diverse coalition of rebels.

“What we see, in case after case after case, are these attempts to share power among themselves. And then within a few years, typically less than 10, somebody reneges on the deal and they return to civil war,” Clarke said.

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Why Do Some Rebel Governments Last When Others Fall? One factor matters most, and it could be a problem in Syria.