Humanitarian Negotiation on the Frontlines

The purpose of this course is to build the capacity of graduate students to navigate complex political crises in uncertain times, to develop a strategic vision on how to respond to humanitarian emergencies, and to plan a negotiation process in adversarial conditions. Emphasizing the direct engagement with relevant stakeholders, the course will examine a specific context to further a critical reflection on the design of a humanitarian response, set the basis of a professional dialogue with field practitioners, and to shed light on negotiation practices in a complex environment. Since 2006, Claude Bruderlein and his team have developed an experiential learning program for graduate students at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, the T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Harvard Law School, as well as other schools within the Harvard network. The Winter Field Study Courses have explored humanitarian negotiations in various contexts such as Indonesia, Nepal, Lebanon, Jordan, India, Moldova, Israel and the Palestinian Territory, the Balkans as well as Poland. The courses have covered numerous issues from refugees and irregular migration, human trafficking, humanitarian access, engagement with armed groups, the breakdown of health care systems, gender-based violence and global vaccination campaigns. The 2024 edition of the Frontline Negotiation Lab will explore the challenges and dilemmas of the response to a climate-induced crisis and the work of negotiators and facilitators confronted with the growing distrust and tensions among key stakeholders and the affected population. Course Requirements: Students outside of HSPH must request instructor permission to enroll in this course