Security Studies and Security Policy

Varnostne študije in varnostna politika

Course credits:

6.00 ECTS / 60 (30 hours of lectures, 12 hours of exercises, 18 hours of seminars, 0 hours other forms of work)

Course holder:

prof. dr. Anton Grizold

Type:

Required

Language:

Slovenian/english

Semester:

First semester

Study degree

2. level

Course execution:

• Postgraduate Programme of Defence and Security Studies
• Postgraduate Programme of Political Science – Comparative Public Policies and Administration
• Postgraduate Programme of Political Science – Political Theory, Global and Strategic Studies

Prerequisits:

Students are allowed to participate in the course provided that they have completed the enrolment procedure. Students can sit for the final exam provided their project work and presentation were given a positive evaluation.

Objectives and competences

Objectives: Provide students with knowledge and experience for the understanding of complex security phenomena, structures, and processes of decision-making at the level of nation state and international community in the resolution of problems related the these phenomena in contemporary world. Enable students to critically apply various theories and approaches to contemporary security in their study of concrete security phenomena in contemporary world (e.g. human trafficking, mass migrations and refugee flows, intra state armed conflicts with international dimensions – Libya, Syria, Ukraine, etc.) Competences: Ability of critical understanding and evaluation of theories and approaches in the framework of Security Studies in the analysis of contemporary security phenomena and problems. Ability to methodologically and theoretically set and carry out the analysis of a concrete security phenomenon and problem in contemporary world (e.g. humanitarian and security dimensions of contemporary migration flows, intrastate crises and their resolution – Libya, Syria, Ukraine etc.)

Content (Syllabus outline)

The course consists of three thematic parts: 1. Epistemology of Security Studies (development of Security Studies in the aftermath of Second World War, institutionalisation of Security Studies as a distinct scientific discipline in social sciences, the impact of Security Studies on the study of security phenomena in contemporary world); 2. Outline of theorethical paradigms of contemporary security phenomenon as the framework for the formulation of security policies of states and international security organisations; 3. The application of relevant theories to the analysis of concrete security phenomena and problems in contemporary world (e.g. appearance of security communities, human trafficking as security threat, humanitarian and security dimension of contemporary migrations etc.)

Intended learning outcomes:

Students obtain knowledge and ability to develop their own conceptual-theoretical framework and to analyse security policies, security phenomena, and security issues in the modern world. Moreover, students develop the ability for public speaking and group collaboration in writing research essays.

Learning and teaching methods:

Lectures, seminars, exercises, individual and group work, and presentations of research essays.

Assessment

Research essay with presentation 40 %, Oral exam 60 %.

Obligatory literature

Additional literature