Introduction to Security and Defence Studies

1. Explain the subject matter and methods of security studies
2. Analyze contemporary security processes and actors
3. Review the development and design of security institutions, policies and strategies
4. Prepare qualitative and quantitative research on various aspects of security and defence phenomena
5. Explain activities of national and international security institutions
6. Compare different policies and security strategies, and evaluate their outcomes at the level of international organizations or national institutions

Two hours of lectures weekly

Two hours of seminars weekly

Preparation of the presentation and short weekly essays

Mentoring the preparation of the presentation

1. Lectures: Introduction into course, the concept, content and types of security Exercises: Development of security and defence functions through history
2. Lectures: Definition of Security and Defence Studies - Past, Present and Future Exercises: Security and defence dilemma
3. Lectures: Security in international politics - traditional approaches Exercises: Copenhagen and Wales school of security studies
4. Lectures: Peace studies Exercises: Gender and security - women in the military
5. Lectures: Critical Security Studies Exercises: Human security and state-centric security
6. Lectures: Securitization Exercises: Limitations of the model and examples of securitization: military interventions, crime, migrations...
7. Lectures: Defence Studies and Development of Defence Function Exercises: Military strategy and military security: traditional security studies
8. Lectures: Regime security Exercises: The dilemma of insecurity for weak states
9. Lectures: Military security Exercises: Duality of state and societal security
10. Lectures: Environmental security Exercises: Threats to social identity
11. Lectures: Human security - Children and War Exercises: Environmental changes and violent conflict
12. Lectures: The role of intelligence in national security Exercises: Diplomacy of coercion- Western use of coercive diplomacy from 1990 up to 2005
13. Lectures: Weapons of mass destruction Exercises: The future of weapons of mass destruction
14. Lectures: Terrorism Exercises: Defence trade
15. Lectures: Transnational crime and illegal migrations Exercises: Ethnic Conflicts and Security