Entry requirements

Bachelor of Arts degree with at least 90 credits in peace and conflict studies, or 90 credits in a related relevant discipline and at least 30 credits in major subject or equivalent experience.

Learning outcomes

The students are expected to acquire:

- Knowledge of relevant discussions and debates on security studies.

- Explore and assess major theoretical approaches to the study of security challenges as well as several core conceptual areas of study in the field.

- Critical understanding of several important empirical cases of new military and non-military threats to security.

The course is designed to provide students with both a solid academic grounding in the relevant theories, and cases, as well as knowledge and skills that will have practical value.

Content

The on-going wave of globalisation has changed the character of threats to human, national and international security. The present security discourse stands in major contrast to the traditional realist understanding of security that prevailed during the Cold War. The aim of this course is to familiarise students with the emerging theories and themes in security studies. The course is divided into two sections. The first part introduces students to the core issues of new military threats to security. This so-called 'hard' security discussion, which dominated the twentieth century, is also back in a new package in the post 9/11 world. Transnational issues like organised crime, arms proliferation, and particularly terrorism have risen to the top of the peace and security agenda. The second part of the course explores those so-called 'soft' security issues that have emerged since the end of Cold War. After the fall of the Berlin Wall and with the shifting of international political environment, a new broader concept of security began to gain acceptance, which includes socio-economic-environmental challenges (e.g. population growth, environmental scarcity, spread of infectious diseases, and migration etc.). The course examines the causes of both military and non-military threats, with a focus on practical measures to address them.

Instruction

Lectures and seminars

Assessment

The examination of the course will be twofold: (1) active participation during the seminars and, most importantly, (2) a final written essay.

There will be two opportunities for examination on each course.