Keough School Of Global AffairsEdit

The Keough School of Global Affairs is the University of Notre Dame’s flagship unit for the study and practice of international policy. Established in the late 2010s with a major philanthropic endowment from the Keough family, the school was designed to fuse rigorous research with hands-on policy work, reflecting Notre Dame’s broader mission of service rooted in its Catholic intellectual tradition. Through its programs, centers, and partnerships, the Keough School seeks to organize knowledge about global affairs around pragmatic outcomes—promoting stability, economic opportunity, and human flourishing while operating within a framework of ethics and responsibility.

Rooted in the University of Notre Dame’s emphasis on ethics and human dignity, the Keough School combines traditional disciplines such as international relations, economics, and political science with applied policy analysis, diplomacy, and development practice. Its work spans diplomacy and security, economic development, humanitarian policy, climate and energy policy, health policy, and governance in an increasingly data-driven global environment. The school maintains a close connection to Notre Dame’s broader research ecosystem, including collaborations with the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and other interdisciplinary centers across campus, while drawing on a worldwide network of partners in government, civil society, and the private sector. The institution’s name honors Donald J. Keough and his family, whose philanthropy supported the creation of the school and its long-range mission to prepare leaders who marry ethical reflection with effective policy work. University of Notre Dame is the parent university and the primary home for this program of study, with an international reach that extends through study abroad options, research projects, and policy outreach.

Overview

Mission and approach: The Keough School describes its mission as combining scholarly rigor with practical policy engagement, grounded in the Catholic tradition of human dignity and service. The school frames global affairs as a field where ethical considerations—such as human rights, development, and humanitarian obligations—must inform policy choices alongside economic or strategic calculations. Catholic social teaching provides one of the normative anchors for its approach, while the school emphasizes evidence-based analysis, critical inquiry, and accountability in policy work.
Areas of emphasis: Core programs cover diplomacy, development, economics, global governance, and the ethical dimensions of international policy. In practice, this means coursework and research that address statecraft, international institutions, market-oriented development, aid effectiveness, and the policy implications of climate change, health systems, and technology. The curriculum seeks to prepare graduates for roles in government, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, think tanks, and the private sector.
Institutional context: The Keough School sits within a broader ecosystem of global affairs scholarship at the University of Notre Dame, often collaborating with the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and other interdisciplinary programs. This positioning allows it to draw on a mix of disciplinary expertise and field-based practice to address real-world problems.

History

The school emerged from Notre Dame’s established strengths in international affairs, humanitarian action, and ethics in public life. A philanthropic gift from the Keough family made possible the creation of a dedicated school focused on global policy issues, educational programs, and policy-oriented research. The formal launch of the Keough School reflected a broader trend in American higher education toward consolidating global affairs education within a single, mission-driven unit that could offer graduate programs, research agendas, and professional training in a cohesive framework. Since its founding, the school has sought to build a network of alumni and partners in governments, international institutions, and private organizations around the world.

Programs and Curriculum

Degrees and professional training: The Keough School offers graduate programs designed to prepare students for leadership roles in diplomacy, development, and policy analysis. The flagship Master of Global Affairs (Master of Global Affairs) is paired with opportunities for specialized concentrations, internships, and fieldwork. The school also provides research-based avenues for doctoral study and opportunities for continuing education through executive programs and partnerships with government and industry.
Curriculum design: Courses emphasize a balance between quantitative policy analysis and qualitative judgment, with emphasis on practical skill-building in negotiation, policy assessment, and program design. Students gain exposure to data-driven decision-making, economic analysis, and the evaluation of aid and development programs, complemented by seminars on international institutions, security studies, and ethical considerations in policy.
Language and field components: Given Notre Dame’s global footprint, programs often incorporate language study, regional specialization, and field-based experiences that connect classroom theory to on-the-ground policy work. The school’s structure supports collaboration with researchers and practitioners across global development, diplomacy, and international economics.

Areas of Study and Research

Diplomacy and international security: The school engages with the theory and practice of diplomacy, alliance management, crisis response, and the use of economic tools to advance national and global security interests. Diplomacy is taught not only as interpersonal negotiation but as a strategic instrument within the framework of national policy and international law.
Development and economics: Research and coursework address development economics, aid effectiveness, and market-based approaches to growth, with attention to the role of private sector-led development and sustainable policy design. Development economics and related policy analysis are prominent components of the curriculum.
Global governance and institutions: The school's work includes studies of international organizations, governance mechanisms, and the rules that shape cross-border cooperation on trade, climate, health, and humanitarian relief. International relations andglobal governance scholarship inform both teaching and policy-oriented research.
Ethics, health, and humanitarian policy: In keeping with its Catholic heritage, the Keough School examines the ethical dimensions of policy options, including questions related to human rights, humanitarian aid, and the responsibilities of wealthier nations toward disadvantaged populations.

Faculty, Centers, and Collaborations

Academic composition: The faculty combines scholars in political science, economics, public policy, theology, and related disciplines, with practitioners who bring policy experience to the classroom. The cross-disciplinary environment fosters dialogue between theoretical analysis and practical application.
Centers and initiatives: The school collaborates with Notre Dame’s existing institutes and centers, such as the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, to explore intersections of peacebuilding, policy planning, and ethics in international affairs. Partnerships extend to think tanks, government agencies, and international organizations, reflecting a broad, mission-driven approach to global policy issues.
Alumni and policy impact: Graduates and affiliated scholars occupy roles in government ministries, intergovernmental organizations, international NGOs, and academic or policy think tanks, contributing to policy discourse and practical implementation of international initiatives. See also public policy and diplomacy for related career paths.

Global Engagement and Outreach

Study and field experiences: The Keough School emphasizes experiential learning, including externships, field projects, and problem-driven research that connects students with real-world policy challenges. This approach seeks to produce graduates who can translate analytic insight into effective action.
International partnerships: The school maintains active ties with universities, governments, international organizations, and civil society groups around the world. By linking classroom learning to on-the-ground policy work, the school aims to influence both scholarship and practice across sectors. See global affairs and international development for related concepts and networks.
Public policy influence: Through research centers, policy briefs, and dialogue with practitioners, the Keough School seeks to shape policy conversations on issues such as governance, climate-related policy, humanitarian response, and sustainable development.

Controversies and Debates

Like many universities that sit at the intersection of ethics, religion, and global policy, the Keough School operates in a milieu where competing viewpoints and policy preferences collide. From a perspective that prioritizes practical outcomes and national interests, several recurring debates are worth noting:

Moral philosophy vs. national interest: Critics sometimes argue that policy education at faith-based institutions privileges ethical considerations at the expense of strategic realism. Proponents counter that ethical reflection strengthens long-run policy legitimacy, credibility, and public support, particularly in humanitarian and development contexts.
Activism and academic scope: Some observers contend that global affairs programs at major universities increasingly tilt toward advocacy or identity-focused activism. Defenders maintain that rigorous analysis and a plurality of viewpoints are central to sound policymaking and that the school’s curriculum includes debate, empirical evaluation, and exposure to diverse perspectives.
Global governance and sovereignty: Debates persist over how much weight should be given to multilateral institutions and global governance versus national sovereignty and autonomous decision-making. The Keough School’s approach—emphasizing both ethical reflection and policy effectiveness—seeks to address these tensions by advocating accountability, transparency, and practical outcomes in international cooperation.
Woke criticisms and policy education: Critics from different corners argue about the degree to which campuses, including global affairs programs, foreground identity politics, equity agendas, or narrative framing in policy analysis. From a traditional policy perspective, supporters describe this as part of a comprehensive, ethics-informed education that equips students to navigate complex moral and practical trade-offs; they contend that robust, evidence-based debate remains essential and that calls for uniform orthodoxy undermine rigorous scholarship.

Why some observers view these debates as overstated or misdirected: supporters of the school’s model argue that a policy curriculum rooted in ethics, accountability, and empirical analysis produces leaders who can pursue effective results without sacrificing core principles. They emphasize that real-world diplomacy, development, and governance require both principled reasoning and a willingness to engage with conflicting interests, data, and trade-offs. In this view, criticisms that label the program as out of touch with field realities are often descriptions of disagreement over policy choices rather than evidence of failure to teach the fundamentals of international affairs. See also policy analysis, global affairs.