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Introduction to Security Studies (Updated).docx | Winter Syllabus (2023-2024) | Mgr. Jonathan Collins |
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Last update: Mgr. Jonathan Collins (28.09.2023)
Seminars (ODD 1) Room & Time: Wednesdays 12:30 - 13:50 - Starts in Week 3 Seminars (ODD 2) Room & Time: Wednesdays 14:00 - 15:20 - Starts in Week 3 Seminars (EVEN 1) Room & Time: Wednesdays 12:30 - 13:50 - Starts in Week 4 Seminars (EVEN 2) Room & Time: Wednesdays 14:00 - 15:20 - Starts in Week 4 Lecturers Jonathan Collins Jonathan.Collins@fsv.cuni.cz Office Hours: Tuesday 14:00 - 15:30, or by request Kristian Foldes Kristian.Foldes@fsv.cuni.cz Office Hours: Monday 10:00 - 11:00, or by request Appointments are made on the website: https://konzultace.fsv.cuni.cz/reservation/default Course description Security Studies is an ever-growing field of research, covering various topics from the traditional ideals of war and armed conflict to the more nuanced and critical understanding of society's in(security). Therefore, topics will include the International Security System, Armed Conflicts, Hybrid Warfare, Terrorism, the Far-Right, and other aspects of the concept we are just beginning to consider. The different topics covered throughout the semester will give students a starting point for exploration into an important realm of research, offering an engaging overview of what is meant when we use the word security. |
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Last update: Mgr. Jonathan Collins (15.09.2023)
The curriculum introduces students to the many layers we as scholars examine in security studies, providing an overview of both traditional and non-traditional approaches to the broadly-conceived concept. We will start by reviewing the concept of security itself and outlining the contrasts between traditional and non-traditional ways of thinking. We will then branch off into various subjects, split in three sections: (1) traditional lenses, (2) non-traditional or critical perspectives, and (3) future security threats. The conventional lens includes topics on the International Security System, the traditions of war and war-time thinking, and the threat of hybrid warfare. We will turn our attention to the non-traditional viewpoint, including topics like Cyber Warfare, Political and Social imbalances, and other emerging critical security issues. Finally, new and emerging threats – Space, Technology, and Health – have made the field its most dynamic and challenging since its inception. Thus, students will gain a broadly encompassing starting point for security studies research by the end of the course. The core of the course consists of lectures that guide the students through the basics of security studies, covering its different theoretical and practical bases while exploring the divergent perspectives in the field. In the mid-semester exam, students will be asked to recall information from the lectures, readings, and the in-class discussions while also being invited to think critically about the concept of security and provide their interpretations as to why certain elements matter. Additionally, at the beginning of the semester, students will be formed into working groups, which will collaborate to produce a final policy project by the end of the term. The group project will encourage teamwork and cooperative skills, creating an essential step-by-step piece of research that includes a draft and a final report. Each of these steps will encourage students to dive deep into a topic of interest while providing a valuable opportunity to see how practitioners tackle and conceptualise security problems. Finally, seminars will provide an avenue for class discussion and participation. By the end, the student's final work will represent their deeper understanding of what is meant by "security," how one develops a policy report on the topic, and why their chosen topic matters within the field. Learning outcomes Upon completing the course, students will have a basic conceptualisation and understanding of the many facets of what constitutes security studies. This subject will enhance the students' knowledge and critical understanding of what is meant by "security" and allow them to explore different aspects of the field they find interesting. The midterm exam will challenge the students' knowledge obtained from the lectures and inspire them to think critically , with questions that are both conventional and unconventional in academic studies. The group work on the draft and final report will encourage and develop the students' collaborative skills and allow them to immerse themselves into a facet of security studies. Finally, the seminar sessions will inspire class discussion and debate on important topics. Ultimately, the course will provide a taste of what security specialists study and why it is essential, inspiring students to continue their exploration of the field of security. The course comprises twelve lectures, together with four seminars. (For the seminars, the students will be divided in two groups of the same size, group A will attend the seminars on odd weeks and group B will attend the seminars on even weeks - see the schedule in SIS.) The syllabus includes an overview of recommended literature, the study of which is to facilitate students' understanding of the historical and theoretical context of the lectures' content. In order to prepare for the midterm, students will be told during the semester a range of specific current security issues, whose empirical knowledge will be required (see below).
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Last update: Mgr. Jonathan Collins (22.08.2023)
Lectures: Regular attendance and active participation Seminars: the seminars will take place on Wednesdays 12:30 - 13:50 or 14:00 - 15:20 (depending on the group), all students are divided into four seminar groups (two groups will attend on even weeks and the other two on odd weeks) Midterm Exam (45%) Seminar Presentation (30%) – 10 MinutesSeminar sessions will be held every week – divided into two groups alternating between even/odd weeks – of the winter semester (excluding week 1, 2, 9, & 10). These sessions are designed for interactivity and discussion, where students will deliver a 10-minute presentation on a self-chosen topic:
Group Project (25%) In the second week of class, students will be divided into groups in which they will work together throughout the semester. Groups will be able to select their topic (or if necessary be given one by the lecturers) to explore more deeply one of the layers of security discussed within the class or beyond
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Last update: Mgr. Jonathan Collins (28.08.2022)
All required literature is uploaded to Moodle within its appropriate week. |
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Last update: Mgr. Jonathan Collins (15.09.2023)
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