Joshua Shifrinson

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Associate Professor; Senior Fellow, CISSM
Affiliations:

Joshua Shifrinson is an associate professor with the School of Public Policy. An expert on contemporary international security, his research engages broad issues of great power politics, U.S. foreign policy, and diplomatic history. Recent projects include a re-examination of the sources and consequences of NATO enlargement, U.S. policy toward Russia and China, and the evolution of American grand strategy during and after the Cold War. 

Cornell University Press published his first book, Rising Titans, Falling Giants: How Great Powers Exploit Power Shifts in 2018; he is presently finishing another volume detailing the uses and abuses of archival research for international relations topics.  Other work has appeared in International Security, the Journal of Strategic Studies, International Politics, Foreign Affairs, and the Washington Quarterly, and has been supported by the Stanton Foundation, CKF, and Bridging the Gap Project. In addition to his research, Shifrinson is a frequent commentator on international security and great power relations for a variety of media outlets. 

Shifrinson received his B.A. summa cum laude in History and Politics from Brandeis University and his PhD in Political Science from MIT.  Prior to joining SPP, he was an associate professor with Boston University’s Pardee School of Global Studies and held fellowship with the Belfer Center, Dickey Center, Institute for Security and Conflict Studies, and Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

PLCY288J Introduction to Public Policy Topics; America Abroad: Debating US Foreign Policy Yesterday and Today
3 Credit(s)

Examines historical and conceptual debates over the United States of America s role in international affairs in order to assess contemporary concerns surrounding American foreign policy. Topics covered include the role of alliances, ideology/democracy promotion, military power, and foreign intervention in creating a safe and secure world in which the United States can operate. By engaging both primary and secondary sources, students will emerge from the course able to apply historical evidence and theory to contemporary discussions, thus allowing them to directly contribute to US foreign policy debates today.
Schedule of Classes

PLCY401 Contemporary Issues in Public Policy
3 Credit(s)

An integrative course that allows policy students to explore the complexities of the policy-making process from the perspective of specific policy topics. They will learn about and discuss subject- based issues in a seminar format led by faculty and policy experts. Site visits to federal agencies, guest speakers, and round table sessions ensure that students receive a variety of real-world perspectives on their chosen policy area. Restricted to students who have earned a minimum of 90 credits.
Schedule of Classes

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