Humanitarian Frontline Negotiation Lab

GHP 543 Subject & Catalog Number

Description

The Frontline Negotiation Lab equips graduate students with the skills to navigate complex political crises and respond to humanitarian, social, and climate emergencies. Using an experiential learning approach, the course combines theory and practice to help students design negotiation strategies in adversarial conditions, analyze crisis environments, and engage in professional dialogue with field practitioners. Students will gain practical tools, methods, and lessons from experienced negotiators to prepare for high-intensity situations such as pandemics, political instability, natural disasters, and armed conflict.

Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
1.Analyze crisis contexts and design strategies for stakeholder dialogue.
2. Define the conceptual framework of frontline negotiation.
3. Develop tactical steps, red lines, and mobilization plans for negotiation.
4. Draw lessons from practitioners’ real-world experiences.

Students can view the IGA 353M Canvas site for more information. 

January 2027 course will run January 4 - 8th, for the first compulsory week on frontline negotiation planning and tools.
Optional content on integrating AI into negotiation processes will be offered January 11 - 15th.

HKS Location is TBD.