| Course Description |
Security Studies is a field of study in the social sciences. Different approaches to Security Studies exist. Consequently, the name 'Security Studies' per se is a general rubric or an umbrella term under which different ways of studying security issues exist. These different opinions on security lead to different taxonomies or classifications. Most scholars regard Security Studies as a sub-category of International Relations (IR) whereas some regard Security Studies as being more comprehensive than International Relations and sees it as a branch overlapping and comprising IR. In other words, some are of the conviction that IR is a part of Security Studies while others think that Security Studies is a part of IR. Which approach you are closer to or choose to belong to depends upon your paradigmatic and theoretical persuasion. The more you get to learn and discern different approaches and schools in time, the easier you choose your way. Although principal goal of this course is to explicate basic concepts in International Security, it serves you to choose your paradigmatic and philosophical way too.
Theoretical debates (or debates on ways and means of understanding, defining, explaining, modelling, framing, analyzing and measuring social phenomena) differ among scholars around the world. However, there are basically two ways of going about it: the conventional way or the critical way. These ways of going about it are mostly immutable. Put differently, scholars and analysts often pick just one of them despite those scholars that try to bridge the two.
There is often a trade-off between the traditional way and the critical way. To put it in technical terms of the philosophy of science, differences of perspectives or approaches from one another originate in the differences between the positivist paradigm and the post-positivist paradigm. Accordingly, conventional approaches or theories such as realism or liberalism are remarkably different from critical approaches ('critical' particularly in the sense of challenging the conventional theoretical philosophy and their analytical frameworks/theories) such as feminism, critical theory, and constructivism. It is this main line of division between conventional and critical philosophical approaches and theories that helps us to understand what International Security is and what it is not.
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Program Outcomes and Competences |
Level |
Assessed by |
| 1) |
Has a broad foundation and intellectual awareness with exposure to mathematics, history, economics, and social sciences |
N |
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| 2) |
Demonstrates knowledge and skills in different functional areas of business (accounting, finance, operations, marketing, strategy, and organization) and an understanding of their interactions within various industry sectors |
N |
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| 3) |
Applies theoretical knowledge as well as creative, analytical, and critical thinking to manage complex technical or professional activities or projects
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N |
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| 4) |
Exhibits an understanding of global, environmental, economic, legal, and regulatory contexts for business sustainability |
N |
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| 5) |
Demonstrates individual and professional ethical behavior and social responsibility |
N |
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| 6) |
Demonstrates responsiveness to ethnic, cultural, and gender diversity values and issues |
N |
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| 7) |
Uses written and spoken English effectively (at least CEFR B2 level) to communicate information, ideas, problems, and solutions |
N |
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| 8) |
Demonstrates skills in data and information acquisition, analysis, interpretation, and reporting |
N |
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| 9) |
Displays computer proficiency to support problem solving and decision-making |
N |
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| 10) |
Demonstrates teamwork, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills |
N |
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| 11) |
Displays learning skills necessary for further study with a high degree of autonomy
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N |
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| Week |
Subject |
| 1) |
Introduction to the Scope and Boundaries of The Field |
| 2) |
Uncertainty:
The House of Uncertainty
The Quintessential Dilemma
Three Logics
The Security Dilemma in the 21st Century
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| 3) |
Alliances
Introduction: Why study Alliances?
Definition: What is an Alliance?
Explanations of Alliance Persistence and Collapse
The Case of NATO after the Cold War
Alliance Theory and the Future of NATO
Alliances and War
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| 4) |
War:
Three Philosophies of War
The Functions of War
Trends in Armed Conflicts since 1945
Is the Nature of War Changing?
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| 5) |
The Debates about Polarity
-The Definitional Debate on Polarity and Theory at Large
-Precepts of Balance of Power
-Metrics and Analytics of Power Analysis
-Hegemonic Stability Theory
-Nonpolarity
Polarity during the Cold War
Polarity after the Cold War
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| 6) |
Introduction to Culture
Cultures in Security
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| 7) |
Coercion:
What is strategy?
Deterrence and Compellence
Designing Coercive Strategies
Punishment and Denial
Types of Costs
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| 8) |
Terrorism:
Terrorism in Perspective
Definitions
State and sub-state terrorism
Responding to Terrorism
The 9-11 response and the war on terror
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| 9) |
Intelligence:
What is intelligence?
Warning, surprise and failure
Intelligence, uncertainty and stability
Covert action, disruption and event-shaping
Intelligence cooperation
Security and Global Surveillance
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| 10) |
What is Genocide?
Interventions pertaining to Genocide
Crimes against Humanity
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| 11) |
Introduction
What is Ethnic Conflict?
An Overview of Ethnic Conflicts
International Security Dimensions of Ethnic Conflicts
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| 12) |
Human Security:
The Scope
The Boundaries
Unresolved Issues
Human Security and Failed States
Dilemmas of Humanitarian Intervention & International Security Dimensions
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| 13) |
OVERVIEW FOR THE FINAL EXAM |
| 14) |
OVERVIEW FOR THE FINAL EXAM |
Information Package / Course Catalogue