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Security Studies

Module description

This module will introduce you to the study of war and the use of force in world politics. It explores three schools of thought (strategic studies, contemporary security studies and peace studies) and examine the theories and concepts they deploy to understand contemporary conflict. Moreover, it will examine cases of political violence and address current issues relating to strategy, security and peace. The module will focus first on strategic studies and the pursuit or order and national security including nuclear weapons and the arms trade.  It goes on to look at security more broadly in terms of new approaches to the concept of security, the problem of terrorism and counter-terrorism, and the idea and practice of human security. It finally considers peace studies and international interventions to end conflict including peacekeeping, peace-building and the theory and practice of non-violence. The module provides a broad survey of strategy, security and peace which will provide a basis for more detailed studies at Level 3 and in undergraduate and postgraduate research.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module will introduce you to the study of war and the use of force in world politics. It will explore three schools of thought (strategic studies, contemporary security studies and peace studies) and examine the theories and concepts they deploy to understand contemporary conflict. Moreover, it will examine cases of political violence and address current issues relating to strategy, security and peace. The module will focus first on strategic studies and the pursuit or order and national security, before going on to look at (international) security more broadly and the old and new concerns it raises, and then finally considering peace and international interventions to end conflict. The module provides a broad survey of strategy, security and peace which will provide a basis for more detailed studies at Level 3 and in undergraduate and postgraduate research.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. demonstrate knowledge of a specific case of conflict with regard to the following schools of thought: strategic studies, contemporary security studies and peace studies;
• 2. situate this knowledge critically with respect to the other schools of thought;
• 3. understand how these concepts and cases inform our study of the general field of International Relations;

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. critically analyse secondary source material including audio-visual material in the field of politics;
• 5. understand and use political theory;
• 6. construct well-structured and rigorous political arguments;

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. demonstrate the ability to digest, select and organise material to produce, to a deadline, a coherent and cogent argument, developed through the mode of assessment;
• 8. demonstrate competence to use the internet and other IT resources.

Syllabus plan

Introduction:  War, conflict, security: contentious concepts

Part 1:Classical approaches to war, security and conflict: Strategy, geopolitics, and traditional IR theories

Part 2: Contemporary security studies: new theories and new objects in a changing world

Part 3: Crossing disciplinary boundaries: security through the lens of Economics and Psychology

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

The core textbook for this module is:

Contemporary security studies. Edited by Alan Collins. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. Second edition.

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

Other materials will be identified by the module convener in lectures, tutorials and via ELE.

Key words search

Security, Studies, Politics, terrorism, counter-terrorism, peacekeeping