Meeting the Challenge
Seeking to promote a just and peaceful world through research, teaching and public engagement.
The Illicit Global Economy: What Everyone Needs To Know
Eric Patashnik Awarded APSA's Outstanding Public Engagement Award
The Militarization of Video Game Culture
Upcoming Events
All EventsAcademics and Research
The Watson Institute houses several undergraduate and graduate programs that take an interdisciplinary, comparative approach to policy-relevant learning in the social sciences.
Master of Public Affairs
The Watson Institute is home to the Ivy League’s only one-year residential master’s program in public affairs, the MPA prepares students to be public policy leaders, analysts and advocates in government, politics, and the nonprofit, and private sectors, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Student Experience
The Watson Institute houses several undergraduate and graduate programs that take an interdisciplinary, comparative approach to policy-relevant learning in the social sciences. Our programs are designed to inspire today's engaged scholars and creative thinkers to become tomorrow's leaders in international and public affairs.
“ Living outside of Washington, D.C., in Northern Virginia, where I grew up, I saw the wheels of politics turn and I always wanted to either hold the pen that wrote policy or write about who did. ”
Centers, Initiatives and Programs
The Watson Institute is proud to house 11 region or topic-focused centers, initiatives and projects that are dedicated to research, teaching and outreach. These entities also serve as conveners, sponsoring informative events that inspire dialogue among scholars, students and the public.
learn more about our centersDiscover Our Research
Focusing on three main areas — development, security and governance — the Institute leverages Brown's tradition of true interdisciplinary to foster innovative, policy-relevant scholarly activities. Across all topics and fields, the Institute tackles the complexities of 21st century security threats, globalization and intractable inequalities. From Latin America to China, from the Middle East to India, the Institute's work helps us all make sense of the world.