This course adopts an international relations perspective and examines the fundamental elements and factors underlying global and regional security. The course will analyze the historical evolution of international security since World War II, from the Cold War to the current conflicts. Contending theoretical arguments, such as Realism, Trans-nationalism and Constructivism, will be presented and critically examined. Students will be encouraged to study the competing strategies employed by different players and to predict the potential ramifications. It will also study the evolution of security study as a subfield of international relations with a focus on the emergence of non-traditional security issues and its increasing importance.
This course is organized around three driving questions: (1) What is security? This discussion includes a theoretical framework, rationalists’ explanations for war, regime types and armed conflicts (internal and external); (2) How the security governance operates? This discussion includes topics such as military alliances, Use of force by the United nations and regional security arrangements; (3) Which are the current debates on security? This discussion includes topics such as terrorism, and genocide and international justice.