Introduction to Security Studies - JPB153

• Anglický název: Introduction to Security Studies
• Zajišťuje: Katedra politologie (23-KP)
• Fakulta: Fakulta sociálních věd
• Platnost: od 2023
• Semestr: zimní
• E-Kredity: 6
• Způsob provedení zkoušky: zimní s.:
• Rozsah, examinace: zimní s.:2/1, Zk [HT]
• Počet míst: 80 / 72 (80)
• Minimální obsazenost: neomezen
• 4EU+: ne
• Virtuální mobilita / počet míst pro virtuální mobilitu: ne
• Stav předmětu: vyučován
• Jazyk výuky: angličtina
• Způsob výuky: prezenční
• Způsob výuky: prezenční
• Poznámka: předmět je možno zapsat mimo plán; povolen pro zápis po webu; při zápisu přednost, je-li ve stud. plánu
• Garant: PhDr. JUDr. Tomáš Karásek, Ph.D.
• Vyučující: Mgr. Jonathan Collins; Mgr. Kristián Földes; PhDr. JUDr. Tomáš Karásek, Ph.D.
• Třída: Courses not for incoming students
• Neslučitelnost : JPB248
• Je neslučitelnost pro: JPB248

Anotace

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Jonathan Collins (28.09.2023)

Lecture Room & Time: Wednesdays 15:30 - 16:50
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
[e-mail]
Office Hours: Tuesday 14:00 - 15:30, or by request

Kristian Foldes
[e-mail]
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.

Cíl předmětu

Poslední úprava: 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). 

 

Podmínky zakončení předmětu

Poslední úprava: 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%)
The goal of the mid-term exam is to stimulate students to apply the knowledge they have learned from the lectures while also encouraging critical thinking on issues within the security studies field. The midterm will take place during class time on Week 9, where students will be offered the full hour and twenty minutes to complete the exam.

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:

Taking advantage of the international nature of the group, students will present on one of their home country's security concerns. These concerns can be from any discussion points throughout the class, or another issue not covered. Students are asked to briefly introduce the topic (using any appropriate visual aids) for 10 minutes and prepare for potential questions from the instructor and or peers.

 

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

. The students will be asked to outline, in policy report format, the chosen security issues of the topic, demonstrate the current challenges faced, and come up with possible recommendations to improve the current system. Divided among a draft, presentation, and final report, students will be given guidance on how to produce a meaningful and important piece of research.  

• Draft (5%) –  750  Words +/- 10%  An important part of any writing process in academia is the draft. Thus, in Week 6, groups will be asked to submit an outline of their work which will include a brief introduction to the topic, its importance to the field of security studies, the structure and or concepts of the work, and 10-20 scholarly articles and or policy papers that you aim to work with.

• Final Report (20%) – 2500 Words +/- 10%  Due on January 15 ^th , 2024, groups are to submit their final reports on Moodle. The project should be roughly structured with the following general outline: 1. Introduction to the security issue 2. Why it matters to the security studies field 3. Current challenges in tackling the problem 4. A set of recommendations on how practitioners and or academics are approaching the problem 5. Conclusion from all findings

Literatura

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Jonathan Collins (28.08.2022)

All required literature is uploaded to Moodle within its appropriate week. 

Metody výuky

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Jonathan Collins (15.09.2023)

-