The Only AI-Proof Laboratory for International Relations.
Automate lab-scale instruction for 300+ students while securing assessments against Generative AI. Transition from a textbook-only curriculum to a data-driven laboratory science.
Assessments That Cannot Be Googled.
Each section generates a unique history. LLMs like ChatGPT can't analyze events that never existed in their training data—so the evidence is inherently original.
International relations are shaped by a complex interplay of power, institutions, and norms. States pursue security in an anarchic system, balancing deterrence and cooperation to maximize national interests while managing uncertainty…
Turn 0 → Turn 8, mapped to the Big Three textbooks.
A structured 14-week map that aligns simulation turns to Frieden, Baylis, and Mingst so faculty can see immediate course fit.
| Turn | Weeks | Core focus | Frieden (textbook) | Baylis (textbook) | Mingst (textbook) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turn 0 | Weeks 1–2 | Foundations & levels of analysis FriedenBaylisMingst | Globalization + IPE foundations | IR intro + security overview | Scope of IR + key concepts |
| Turn 1 | Weeks 3–4 | Security dilemma & deterrence FriedenBaylisMingst | Economic statecraft leverage | Security dilemma + deterrence | Realism + anarchy |
| Turn 2 | Weeks 4–5 | Arms races & crisis bargaining FriedenBaylisMingst | Sanctions + bargaining tools | Alliances + escalation | War & bargaining problems |
| Turn 3 | Weeks 6–7 | Institutions & international law FriedenBaylisMingst | Coordination + compliance | International institutions | Law, IOs, cooperation |
| Turn 4 | Weeks 7–8 | Trade interdependence & sanctions FriedenBaylisMingst | Trade + finance + interdependence | Economic security | IPE foundations |
| Turn 5 | Weeks 9–10 | Norms, identity, legitimacy FriedenBaylisMingst | Domestic winners/losers | Constructivism & norms | Identity shaping interests |
| Turn 6 | Weeks 10–11 | IPE & trade wars FriedenBaylisMingst | Trade wars + coercive leverage | Coercive diplomacy | Political economy & globalization |
| Turn 7 | Weeks 12–13 | Globalization & transnational risk FriedenBaylisMingst | Supply chains + interdependence | Global governance challenges | Transnational issues |
| Turn 8 | Week 14 | Capstone: global shock FriedenBaylisMingst | Crisis coordination | Collective action | Global problems & cooperation |
Live Empirical Evidence: The Self-Sustaining Classroom.
Observe how active learning scales to 300+ students without increasing instructor intervention. This is where your students generate the unique, AI-proof datasets they will analyze in their research papers.
In this laboratory model, the professor is not a lecturer or a game master. You are the Principal Investigator, observing a self-correcting system that automates the logistics of active learning while you focus on high-level theoretical debriefs.
Scholarly Validation: Peer-Reviewed Efficacy.
Statecraft is a validated pedagogical instrument proven to enhance academic integrity and student performance in the IR classroom.
John Linantud (2019)
Research confirms that Statecraft's unique "butterfly effect" makes assignments virtually plagiarism-proof. In a multi-year study, only 2–3 students out of hundreds attempted plagiarism—a near-perfect honesty rate.
97% of students recommend Statecraft for future courses, noting increased confidence and a proactive desire to analyze their own simulation data in formal essays.
Jennifer Epley Sanders (2016)
Data indicates successful performance on course assessments and deep conceptual retention when Statecraft is utilized alongside traditional IR lectures.
From Lab to Library: Simulation as Case Study.
Move beyond multiple-choice. Enable your students to treat the simulation as a primary dataset for formal research papers.
A built-in case study generator. Students export turn-by-turn global stats and build scatterplots/correlation graphs (e.g., Global Terror Index vs. Democracy Count) for evidence-based term papers.
Placeholder visualization—live charts pull directly from each section's dataset.
Prove the syllabus fit—concept by concept.
Select a canon topic on the left. On the right: the specific Statecraft mechanic that automates the concept into a dataset you can grade.
The Narrative & Norms module tracks Legitimacy Points and Soft Power, showing how norms constrain behavior beyond material power.
Automating the Security Dilemma
Students experience the “panic” of a self-help system where defensive moves are misread as aggression.
Mechanic: “Spy Reports & Arms Races.” As noted in Lecture #4, arms buildups are visible to rivals, provoking fear and counter-balancing. Students feel the visceral reality of the Security Dilemma.
Students experience the “panic” of a self-help system where defensive moves are misread as aggression.
Mechanic: “Spy Reports & Arms Races.” As noted in Lecture #4, arms buildups are visible to rivals, provoking fear and counter-balancing. Students feel the visceral reality of the Security Dilemma.
The Teaching Fellow’s Operations Dossier.
Secure your section against AI. Equip TAs with forensic data tools to grade both Conflict and Cooperation.
Download the Fall 2025-2026 Syllabus Integration Kit.
The complete 14-week map aligning turns 0–8 to Frieden, Baylis, and Mingst—plus grading prompts and TA implementation notes.
2025–2026
Inject the news cycle into the simulation.
Keep sections relevant with “scenario injections” that transform real-world events into assessable simulation shocks.
We Automate the Logistics. You Teach the Theory.
This kit makes the simulation runnable, repeatable, and low-drama for every section.
Grade 50 policy memos in under 60 minutes with structured rubrics and evidence-first prompts.
Ten-minute, pre-written debriefs that translate sim outcomes into theory takeaways.
Protocols that maintain simulation continuity even with fluctuating enrollment, dropped students, or stalled negotiations.
STRATEGIC AMBIGUITY: DEFENSE OR AGGRESSION?
Recent intelligence reports indicate a surge in military exercises along contested borders, with leadership justifying the mobilization as a defensive reaction to neighboring alliances rather than an offensive preparation. This creates a textbook example of the *security dilemma*, where uncertainty regarding intentions causes rational actors to spiral into an arms race despite a mutual preference for peace. Statecraft Move: Scrutinize a rival's recent procurement of military units to classify it as defensive or offensive, then execute a *security dilemma move* by choosing to match their strength for deterrence or offer a public treaty for reassurance.