Document Type

Graduate Syllabus

Date

Fall 2021

School

Diplomacy

Course Number

DIPL 6130

Course Description

This is an interdisciplinary course which seeks to answer the questions what do we- states, international institutions, groups, and individuals-want when we seek security and what steps can we take to accomplish security goals? A recent summary of the discipline summarizes it as follows:

“International security, also called global security , is the measures taken by states and international organizations, such as the United Nations. European Union, and others, to ensure mutual survival and safety. These measures include military action and diplomatic agreements such as treaties and conventions. International and national security are invariably linked. International security is national security or state security n the global arena. With the end of World War II. a new subject of academic study focusing on international security emerged. It began as an independent field of study, but was absorbed as a sub-field of international relations. Since it took hold in the 1950s, the study of international security has been at the heart of international relations studies. lt covers labels like "security studies" , "strategic studies", "peace studies", and others.

The meaning of "security" is often treated as a common sense term that can be understood by "unacknowledged consensus". The content of international security has expanded over the years. Today it covers a variety of interconnected issues in the world that affect survival. It ranges from the traditional or conventional modes of military power, the causes and consequences of war between states, economic strength, to ethnic, religious and ideological conflicts, trade and economic conflicts, energy supplies, science and technology, food, as well as threats to human security and the stability of states from environmental degradation, infectious diseases, climate change and the activities of non-state actors.

While the wide perspective of international security regards everything as a security matter, the traditional approach focuses mainly or exclusively on military concerns. The concept of an international security actor has extended in all directions since the 1990s, from nations to groups, individuals, international systems, NGOs, and local governments.”

Students are required to place themselves in the shoes of policy makers, consultants, and operators in order to evaluate particular actions to determine whether these actions enhance or detract from the goals of security.

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