Center for International Studies

The University of Chicago's Center for International Studies (CIS) has a distinguished record of scholarship and service to the academic community and the public. Founded in 1968 as the Adlai Stevenson Institute for International Affairs, CIS has assumed the leadership role on campus for all international studies, including area studies and thematic programs. This role was defined by a 2001 Provost's Committee Report which mandated that CIS work to bridge the gap between scholars of international relations and scholars whose expertise is in area studies more broadly defined. This mandate, and the University support which accompanied it, has resulted in increased staff, CIS directorial control of endowment funds, and CIS' current and expanding set of responsibilities which include coordination of area studies centers and academic programs, collaborations with outside institutions, and public education and outreach.

CIS' primary mission is to coordinate and facilitate the activities of five Area Studies Centers, two regional committees, and an interdisciplinary Program on the Global Environment. CIS staff works closely with the Area Studies Centers which include East Asian, East European and Russian/Eurasian, South Asian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern Studies National Resource Centers (NRCs). The Center also supports the Committee on African and African-American Studies, and the Committee on Central Eurasian Studies. Undergraduate students interested in international and comparative studies can select from the interdisciplinary majors supported by CIS: International Studies, African Studies, Environmental Studies, and the minor in Human Rights. The undergraduate program in International Studies (IS) draws on the strengths of the College faculty in a variety of disciplines and their innovative work in such areas as human rights, international relations, globalization, transnationalism, and area studies. Launched in 2007, the CIS sponsored Program on the Global Environment (PGE) includes an undergraduate major and minor in Environmental Studies as well as a graduate and faculty research program. PGE encourages research collaborations across disciplinary and divisional divides through its conferences, lecture series, and the Workshop on the Global. In addition, PGE sponsors public education and outreach programs and works with campus environmental organization and the university Sustainability Council. The Human Rights Program, supported by CIS, advances an innovative multi-disciplinary approach to the study and practice of human rights. This Program is nationally recognized for its diverse programming: an undergraduate and graduate curriculum, an internship program, and a commitment to public outreach.

Graduate student options include a Masters in International Relations and several joint International Relations and professional school degrees, as well as an internationally themed Masters of Public Policy. Doctoral students with similar interests are found across Chicago's broad spectrum of departments and schools.

The University of Chicago is world renowned for its prize winning faculty and research facilities. The 178 faculty associated with CIS come from all parts of the University, including the professional schools. Our library system is among the best in the country, and the University has just approved a $42 million initiative to increase both its physical capacity and its holdings.

Building on the success of the Joint Threat Anticipation Center (JTAC), a five-year joint venture with Argonne National Laboratory's Center for Complex Adaptive Agent Systems Simulation, the Center for International Studies initiated the Program on Violence, Conflict, and Security in 2008. This new program represents both a continuation and expansion of the intellectual scope of JTAC, designed to facilitate an interdisciplinary, global perspective on issues of violence, conflict, and security. Areas of research and teaching include fundamental questions about the underlying causes of conflict and violence as well as a range of more proximate concerns such as the variable roles of religion, culture, politics, and economics.

CIS is a leader in public education and outreach. Current programs include a grant competition for internationally-themed lectures, programs, and conferences; a popular lecture series, and a number of workshops. Long-standing partnerships are in place with educators and schools at all levels. Funding over the past four years has allowed us to enhance and extend our existing programs, specifically: 1) to offer additional LCTLs from Central Asia, the Caucasus, and sub-Saharan Africa; 2) to expand teaching in international studies, environmental studies, and human rights; 3) to expand the international focus in environmental studies; 4) to support a series of interdisciplinary, international conferences and distinguished lectures, and 5) to enhance our vibrant outreach offerings, especially in the area of teacher training.