To develop a good grounding and advanced appreciation of key concepts, theories, perspectives and analytical frameworks of security studies, particularly as these relate to understanding transnational and international security agendas and processes.
To develop a good appreciation of the range of contemporary security challenges and processes, particularly as they relate to transnational and international security problems; and understanding and skills on how these concepts and analytical frameworks can be used to advance knowledge and understanding of such security challenges.
To develop detailed and advanced understanding of selected major contemporary securitychallenges in which major shifts in relative power, interstate tensions, and risks of interstate war are a major factor. These include risks of violent conflict and military confrontations involving major or emerging global and regional powers, including selected case studies in Asia, Europe, Middle East and North Africa. These further include major challenges to global and regional security governance and conflict prevention mechanisms in the contexts of the relative rise of China, India, Russia, and other major developing powers and global security governance; challenges to post-Cold War regional security and conflict prevention orders (for example in Europe and East Asia); the relevance and effectiveness of the UN and other multilateral security institutions; and nuclear arms proliferation and holdings.
To develop knowledge and understanding sufficient to engage at an advanced level with contemporary policy debates concerning key international security issues.
To develop skills and familiarity with methods for analysing factors contributing to risks and processes of violent conflict, and for assessing inter-relationships between risks of civil war or transnational conflicts and risks and dynamics of interstate conflicts.
Outline Syllabus
Grounding in key concepts, perspectives and analytical frameworks of security studies, particularly as these relate to transnational and international security agendas and processes; including concepts, theoretical frameworks, conditions of (in-)security and conflict prevention and security governance.
Review of types of contemporary security challenges and of application of security studies concepts and perspectives to understand and analyse these.
Detailed examination of selected major contemporary security challenges in which major shifts in relative power, interstate tensions, and risks of inter-state war are a major factor.These include risks of violent conflict and military confrontations involving major or emerging global and regional powers. Selected case studies will be examined in detail; for example in Asia (e.g the Korean Peninsula, East Asia, South Asia, South West Asia); Europe (e.g. Ukraine, the Baltic region; South East Europe); and Middle East and North Africa (e.g. Iran-Saudi Arabia; Yemen and Arab-Israeli conflicts).
Introduction to methodological frameworks and their use for analysing risks and processes of violent conflict, and for assessing inter-relationships between risks of civil war or transnational conflicts and risks and dynamics of interstate conflicts.