Summer research projects are a hallmark of the Grand Strategy program. Every summer, students embark on research trips that allow them to explore pressing political, economic, and social issues.
In the spring, students consult with GS faculty on a summer project. They are expected to produce a proposal that outlines the scope of the project, the essential questions and themes, and a budget for completion. If approved, funding of $2,500-$4,000 will be available. Back on campus in the fall, students submit a written brief, policy essay, or academic research paper that presents their findings.
GS students have pursued research across the globe, from Washington to Delhi, Manhattan to Madrid, and everywhere in between. The topics pursued often mirror the themes explored in class such as great power competition, global governance, and social change. Recent projects include:
- Assessing Prison Abolition as a Strategic Project
- The Future of the Democratic Party: Framing a Strategy for 2050
- How Chile Went from Economic Role Model to Dysfunctional Disaster
- Nord Stream 2: The Contradictions, the Effects, the Future
- Queer Rights Movements in Kenya: Strategies of De-colonial Resistance
- The Silicon Shield’s Unlikely Savior: Taiwanese AI
Summer research stories
Grand Strategy students share their summer experiences across the world
How cultural institutions are dealing with the Philippines’ authoritarian past
Just a generation ago, Filipinos lived under the dictatorial rule of Ferdinand Marcos. Elisa Cruz ’26 spent last summer in Manila to research the ways cultural institutions are fighting the nation’s collective denialism over these events to adequately address systemic social issues.
Identity shift – or not? Understanding Sweden joining NATO
Agnes Sjöblad ’26 details her summer research on the reasons for her native Sweden’s drastic shift from military neutrality to joining NATO. She found that the shift wasn’t as drastic as she first thought.
Building sustainable migration management frameworks in the Global South
The majority of the world’s migrants are hosted in the Global South, often subjected to few resources and potential conflict. Maheen Iqbal ’25 researched “South-South” migration in Morocco and was surprised to find “a relatively progressive stance on integration” — and new ways for Western nations to approach immigration policy.