Summary
The Global Politics Fellows program is a 15 credit academic program for selected students interested in Government and International Politics and Global Affairs at George Mason University. The academic program is based at the Mason Square campus and incorporates a significant internship experience into the semester.
The Global Politics Fellows make up a small cohort of 20 to 30 students, all interested in the role of government in society, here in the United States and abroad. The smaller classes allow for more student discussion and the opportunity to delve deeper into the issues the world faces today. The internship provides students the chance to immediately apply what they are learning and offers students greater insight into their future career in the arena of government and global affairs.
Go to this GPF webpage to apply to be a fellow for the fall semester. Go to the Arlington Fellows website to view more fellowship opportunities such as the Peacebuilding Fellows and Next System Fellows programs.
OnAir Post: Global Politics Fellows
About
How will the courses apply to my degree?:
The courses offered to the Global Politics Fellows are especially applicable to the Global Governance and International Development concentrations within a Global Affairs major; however, students considering other concentrations are also encouraged to apply. Please contact your academic advisor regarding potential course substitutions for your degree requirements.
Some courses may apply to various concentrations (Comparative Politics, International Relations, or Law, Philosophy and Governance) within the Government and International Politics Major. It is possible to complete 9 of the 12 credits for a concentration in one semester!
One course and 3 credits of GOVT internship can also be applied to a minor in International/Comparative Studies, International Security, or Legal Studies.
Outstanding Fellow Award
Fall 2021: Aisha Karim, Aleesha Yasin, Christopher Nicholson, Dima Kassem, Emily Kampe, Mallory Johnson, Morgan Swindall, Nacer Ben Driouich, and Sally Kishi
Spring 2021: Livija Kaktaite, Emma Sameth
Fall 2019: Alexandr Zabelin
Spring 2019: Daniel Drane
Fall 2018: Roberto Malta
Spring 2018: Shreetika Singh
Fall 2017: Morgan Salzgaber
Spring 2017: Amir Rachmat-Jones, Meeghan Schrecongost
Fall 2016: Aaron McReynolds
Spring 2016: Syed Ali
Fall 2015: Beverly Harp
Spring 2015: Bruno Ortega-Toledo
Fall 2014: Ella McElroy
Spring 2014: Samantha Vaughn
Fall 2013: Claire Downing, Matt Woodford
Spring 2013: Zi Yang
Especially for Fellows
Additional Program Features
Your semester as a Global Politics Fellow will include several additional opportunties and benefits.
Speaker Series
Students will participate in lunch seminars with current and former government leaders, non-profit organizers and elected officials. The speakers will share their insight from their years of experience and answer your questions about their work and career fields.
Special Events
Fellows may be invited to special events hosted by your internship sites, the university and friends of the program. These events are a great opportunity for students to network and see how D.C. works outside the office.
Stipend!
Students will receive a transportation stipend to help cover the cost of their transportation to and from the Mason Square campus and to their internship site.
Application Information
Students must apply the semester prior to the program. The application committee will select between 20 and 30 students to be Global Politics Fellows for the coming semester. Alternates may also be selected depending on the applicant pool.
Students must meet the following requirements to apply for the program:
- Have completed at least 45 college credits (60 credits completed prior to beginning the program)
- Have a minimum 3.0 cumulative G.P.A.
- Have completed or are enrolled in GOVT 132 or GOVT 133.
The application consists of 4 parts:
- The GPF Application
- Essay of 300-500 words on why you should be selected as a Fellow
- Resume
- Transcript from your courses taken at George Mason (official or unofficial)
Submit completed applications by email to GPF@gmu.edu.
Meet a Global Politics Student
Meet Hadiyyah A Abdul-jalaal who participated in the Global Politics Fellows Program in Fall 2019.
Web Links
Politics
Source: none
New Legislation
Courses
Students will be enrolled in three academic courses and a six-credit internship course for a total of 15 credits. Students can only opt out of one of the academic courses if they have already taken the course.
Democracy—Global Perspective
Syllabus for GOVT 434-002
Course Description
Democracy has emerged as the most enduring value in the last hundred years. It is undoubtedly a complex and a challenging phenomenon with many ramifications. The overarching purpose of this class would be to examine the many facets of democratization in a comparative fashion. The aim will be threefold: to gain a theoretical perspective by asking the questions why, when and how; to gain an empirical understanding of democracy by focusing on the studies that have been undertaken to analyze democratization globally and finally to develop a critical perspective by applying these concepts to events on the ground as they unfold sometimes with mesmerizing speed and sometimes slowly. In this class we will explore, for instance, the notion of democratic waves, the relationship between democratization and culture, economic development and democracy, role of external actors in aiding and abetting democracy, gender and democracy, impact of media and technology in democratic transformations and why democratization fails or succeeds. Students are expected to be aware of developments that are taking place around the world to fully appreciate the nuances of global democratization.
Human Rights
Course Description & Objectives
Welcome to the Global Politics Fellows Program and to your GOVT 445 course on human rights! The area of human rights has emerged since the Second World War as a primary global language and framework for conceptualizing, protecting, and promoting human dignity and well-being. Grounded in international law, human rights impose legal and ethical duties on states, with ramifications for both domestic and foreign policy. At the same time, human rights have far-reaching implications for other social actors, from grassroots civil society groups to intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations, and from multinational corporationsto development finance institutionssuch as the World Bank. As such, the study of human rights is relevant for students who are preparing to enter a wide range of fields, and it is pdarticularly crucial for those who aspire to engage in work with significant international and/or policy dimensions.
International Law and Organization
Course Objectives:
This course will examine issues in world politics from the perspective of international law. Besides analyzing the philosophical grounding of international law; role of multilateral institutions such as the UN in anchoring the international legal system, how international tribunals adjudicate international law, the course will look at how international law is applied to different issue-areas ranging from the use of force, diplomacy, human rights, environment and international trade issues. The objectives of such an exercise would be two fold: to ascertain how international law governs these areas and to identify the problems that hinder the operation of international law. This course will highlight the nexus between international law and international politics. An interrelated focus of the course would be to demonstrate how international politics shapes the operation of international law. During the course of the semester the students will learn to read legal cases, interpret treaty language and work on hypotheticals. Finally we would end by critically evaluating the future trajectory of international law in the coming decades.
Internship
GOVT 496 Internship (6 credits)
On-the-job training in transnational or international fields through approved internship programs. Three credits from the internship can be applied to student’s major or concentration depending on internship placement. This course is offered on a pass/fail basis.
Or
GLOA 495 Global Experiential Learning (6 credits)
On-the-job training in transnational or international fields through approved internship programs. Three credits from the internship can be applied to student’s concentration depending on internship placement.
The internship is a key component of the Global Politics Fellows program. The coursework is conveniently scheduled to allow students more time for a substantive internship. Students will intern three days a week, for twenty to twenty-five hours a week. This schedule increases the number of internships available to our Fellows and usually allows them to take on more responsibility. This makes Global Politics Fellows more of an asset for their host organization and gives the student enhanced learning opportunities. Internships are also great networking opportunities to learn more about a potential career field and gain contacts one can use when looking for a summer job and for their future job search after graduation.
Students will obtain their own internship with the help and support of the Fellows program and the Career Center. Internship host sites will likely include local and federal government offices, foreign embassies, non-profit organizations, non-governmental organizations and think tanks. Internship duties often focus on advocacy, program support, communications, research and community outreach. Most internships will be unpaid, but students are also encouraged to pursue internships that offer a small stipend or a paid internship.
Global Politics Fellows will follow all of the current guidelines and requirements for internship credit set for George Mason University’s GLOA 495 and GOVT 496 courses.
