In addition to being one of the most popular concentrations offered at the University, the International Relations Program is also arguably the broadest. Its four concentration tracks include courses in economics, political science, anthropology, religion and foreign language departments, among others. But when it comes time to file a concentration in international relations, only one person at the University can sign the forms: Claudia Elliot Ph.D. '99, an adjunct lecturer in international relations and concentration adviser to the entire program, which includes between 250 and 400 students at any given time.
Elliot's job at the University is unique: in addition to her normal responsibilities as a faculty member, she is paid specifically to spend 20 hours per week as an adviser, meeting with and answering questions from international relations concentrators.
"It's doable in the sense that students meet with me for half an hour, so the reality is that I can see all the students (concentrating in international relations)," Elliot said, though she added that the large number of concentrators "does put a strain on the advising process."
Some international relations concentrators complain that it is difficult to make a significant connection with an adviser in just 30 minutes.
"It's hard to develop a personal, one-on-one relationship with your concentration adviser in the international relations (program)," said Rita Cidre '07, a double-concentrator in French and the politics, cultures and identity track of the International Relations Program.
Cidre referred to an advising meeting during which Elliot discouraged her strongly from writing a senior thesis, citing this as one reason she believes advising within the international relations concentration is not as supportive or involved as advising in other concentrations.
"The conversation I had with (Elliot) basically narrowed down to her telling me that it was very hard to do a thesis and very competitive," Cidre said. "I really think that if anyone is willing to undertake such a big project, (that person) should have faculty support. I don't think it's important if you have five B's and four A's in the track - a student should have the faculty support and the tools available to get it done," she added.
Owen David '08, who filed his international relations concentration form last week, expressed sentiments similar to Cidre's.
"(My experience) has been very, very bureaucratic in nature - it took me three, four weeks to schedule an appointment with (Elliot)," said David, who ultimately felt like his meeting with her was cut short.
"In the end, I only got half an hour with Dr. Elliot, and that's not really adequate time," he said. "All these big questions that should be asked when you're declaring - there's no room to discuss them or become comfortable discussing them. You're meeting (Elliot) for the first time, an incredibly intelligent woman. It's pretty intimidating," David added. He said that though Elliot told him not to hesitate before contacting her with more questions, "it's difficult in the department to get real human connections with faculty or advisers because of the sheer (number) of students."
"You can't just stop in and find me here," Elliot said.
Interdisciplinary advising
Unlike most concentrations at Brown, which constitute their own departments, the international relations concentration is actually a program with faculty and courses culled from all parts of the University's curriculum.
"One of the reasons this is different is that we don't have our own faculty," Elliot said.
Each of the four tracks in the international relations program - global security, political economy and development, politics, culture and identity and global environment - has either one or two advisers, depending on the size of the track. Since these advisers are more knowledgeable about their own specific departments than the international relations concentration as a whole, they are intended to provide more extensive, specialized advice for students. Track advisers are also responsible every year for determining the specific set of courses required by their track.
"It's really about helping students think through how (their courses) might fit together and complement each other so that they have a set of courses that actually adds up to something - in that context, advising becomes really important," said Simon Pulver, an assistant professor for international studies and adviser for the global environment track. Global environment is the smallest of the four tracks within the international relations concentration, with about 10 graduates each year.
According to Elliot, there are 140 students planning to graduate in the spring with concentrations in international relations, and they all must first meet with her to revise forms and make sure they have thoroughly fulfilled the concentration re-quirements. Elliot estimated that an additional 140 students - mostly sophomores - will schedule appointments with her sometime this spring to file concentrations in the program.
Elliot is available by appointment only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, though she also spends "an enormous amount" of time outside of these scheduled appointments answering e-mails and occasionally holds office hours in the afternoon to "break up the bottleneck."
Elliot's signature is only required on the first page of Brown's three-page concentration declaration form. For signatures on the short-answer portions on the second and third pages of the form, international relations concentrators are directed to their track advisers.
"In many ways I'm (answering questions) 24/7 - that's what allows the concentration advising to work as it is structured at this point," Elliot said.
