18F PBPL 85: Global Policy Leadership Practicum Releases Its Final Report

The fall term course began in the classroom with Professor Charles Wheelan ’88 and a select group of students. This year students examined the genesis and implementation of the peace accords signed in 2016 between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

The final report synthesizes the lesson learned from 10 weeks of study on campus and two weeks of travel in Colombia. It provides relevant background, analysis, and actionable recommendations for the U.S. around the primary research question: What role, if any, does the U.S. have in the implementation of the Colombian peace process?

The two weeks in Colombia were spent speaking with relevant stakeholders in the U.S. and Colombian governments, nongovernmental organizations, social activists and humanitarians, conflict victims, art collectives, and former guerillas at FARC reintegration camps. 

“The importance of travel is twofold,” explains Wheelan, “One is this marriage of learning in the classroom and talking to people on the ground; and two, testing your hypotheses and listening to people who have very conflicting points of view.”

The final report "An Uncertain Peace: Assessing the U.S. Role in the Colombian Peace Process"

Read more about the 2018 Fall Term PBPL 85: Global Policy Leadership