Global Security

 

Course code: IRS 300/1

Semester and year: Spring 2024

Day and time: Tuesday 11:30 – 14:15

Instructor: PhDr. Ing. Radka Havlová, Ph.D.

Instructor contact: radka.havlova@aauni.edu

Consultation hours: Tuesday 1415-1515 upon previous agreement with the teacher

 

Credits US/ECTS	3/6	Level	Advanced
Length	15 weeks	Pre-requisite	TOEFL iBT 71
Contact hours	42 hours	Course type	Bachelor Required/Elective

 

 

1.     Course Description

 Global security offers a coherent and interdisciplinary grounding in the core aspects of global security in the post-Cold War period. The students will learn about various understanding of global security in the post-bipolar world and about the main security challenges faced by actors in the contemporary world. The course discusses the main issues related to development and the main political, miliary, social, economic and environmental problems related to development. We will also examine in depth the challenge faced by developing countries in the Middle East and North Africa, Asia, Latin America and Asia and the role of great powers and international organizations in development.

 

2. Student Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of this course, the students will be able to:

·          Understand key theories of global security and main security challenges in the post-bipolar globalized world.

·          Be able to work with theoretical knowledge and apply theory to practical issues

·          Acquire  conceptual understanding of the global security challenges faced by Europe, Asia, Africa, MENA and Latin America at the age of globalization.

·          Assess the roles of international organizations and great powers in global security.

·          Identify and analyze main security challenges in the globalized world.

·          Exercise writing skills and methodology while working on the research paper on a topic of his/her particular interest and deepen its knowledge. 

 

3.       Reading Material

Required Materials

·          Buzan, Waever, de Wilde. Security:  A New Framework for Analysis, Lynne Rienner Publishers 1998

·   US security strategy: National Security Strategy, October 2022, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Biden-Harris-Administrations-National-Security-Strategy-10.2022.pdf

·  Russia security strategy: Russia´s updated National Security Strategy, Russian Security Series 2/21, Julian Cooper, NATO Defense College, https://www.ndc.nato.int/research/research.php?icode=704  

·          China security strategy: Drinhausen, K. – Legarda H. “Comprehensive National Security” Unleashed. How Xi´s approach shapes China´s policies home and abroad, MERICS China Monitor, 15 September 2022

·          Krahmann, E.: Conceptualizing Security Governance, Cooperation and Conflicts: Journal of the Nordic International Studies Association, Vol. 38 (1): 5-26, 2003

·          Milliken, J.-Krause, K.: State Failure, State Collapse, and State Reconstruction: Concepts, Lessons and Strategies, Development and Change 33(5): 753-774, 2002

·          Paris, R.: Human Security. Paradigm Shift or Hot Air?, International Security, Vol. 26, No. 2, Fall 2001, 87-102

·          Hynek, N.: EU crisis management after the Lisbon Treaty: civil-military coordination and the future of the EU OHQ, European Security, 2011

 

 Recommended Materials

Internet resources for security studies

·          United Nations: www.un.org

·          EU: https://european-union.europa.eu/index_en

·          NATO: www.nato.int

·          OSCE: www.osce.org

·          African Union: www.au.int

·          Conflict Barometer: www.hiik.de

·          Uppsala conflict data program: https://ucdp.uu.se/

·          SIPRI: www.sipri.org

 

 4. Teaching methodology

 Each class will begin with a short revision of a previous one. Presentation of new material will be interactive and students will be asked to give their opinions based on revised course material. Each class will include a seminar on which students will present the outcomes of their research. The students are required to read assigned material prior to each class in order to participate actively. They also need to follow websites of discussed international organizations and the latest international news concerning them.

 

5.       Course Schedule

Date		Class Agenda
Session 1 6.2.2024		Topic: Introduction to global security Description: An outline and logic of the course, formal requirements and the assignment of topics for students’ group projects. Reading: course syllabus Assignments/deadlines: Assignment of presentation topics
Session 2 13.2.2024		Topic: Conflicts and global security. Conflict resolution, conflict prevention. Post-conflict reconstruction as a part of global security Description: We will analyze some basic concepts related to global security such as conflict, conflict analysis, conflict resolution, conflict prevention, post-conflict resolution Reading: Krahmann, E.: Conceptualizing Security Governance, Cooperation and Conflicts: Journal of the Nordic International Studies Association, Vol. 38 (1): 5-26, 2003 Assignments/deadlines: Structure your topics and find literature for your presentations, possibility to consult presentation proposals
20.2.2024		No session, replaced on 8.3.2024 Assignments/deadlines: Presentation proposals due via NEO
Session 3 27.2.2024		Topic: Globalization and conflicts. Conflicts after the end of the Cold War. Main global security threats after the end of the Cold War Description: We will analyze how understanding of security and conflicts changed since the end of the Cold War. We will discuss the new framework of security and the main security challenges in the post-Cold War world. Reading: Buzan-Waever-de Wilde, pp. 1-49; Milliken, J.-Krause, K.: State Failure, State Collapse, and State Reconstruction: Concepts, Lessons and Strategies, Development and Change 33(5): 753-774, 2002 Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 1
Session 4 5.3.2024		Topic: Energy security, cybersecurity, economic security, social security and environmental security as new aspects of global security Description: We will focus on some of the main security challenges in the contemporary world and some conflicts related to energy security, cybersecurity, economic, social and environmental security. Reading: Buzan-Waever-de Wilde, pp. 71-141; Paris, R.: Human Security. Paradigm Shift or Hot Air?, International Security, Vol. 26, No. 2, Fall 2001, 87-102 Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 2
Session 5 Friday 8.3.2024 Replacement session		Topic: Terrorism and asymmetric conflicts as threats for global security Description: We will analyze some of the asymmetric conflicts at the age of globalization. Special focus will be paid to various terrorist organizations and their impact on global security in the post-Cold War world Reading: Buzan-Waever-de Wilde, pp. 49-71 Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 3
Session 6 12.3.2024	Topic: Great powers and global security Description: We will focus on some of the great powers active in the contemporary world. Which countries could be considered great powers in the post-bipolar world and what is their approach to global security and conflict resolution? We will discuss about the role of the United States, China, Russia, Europe, India and other regional great powers. Reading: US security strategy, Russia security strategy, China security strategy Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 4

 

Session 7 19.3.2024	Mid-term exam. Exam via NEO Description: Students must demonstrate their understanding of topics covered in the first half of the semester. Mid-term will take place via NEO in form of a freeform essay of 800 words, choice of three comprehensive questions covering topics discussed in the first half of the course. Reading: all readings up to now Assignments/deadlines: mid-term exam via NEO
26.3.2024	Mid-term break. No classes
Session 8 2.4.2024	Topic: International organizations and global security Description: How are international organizations active in global security in the post-bipolar world? We will discuss about the UN and its role in conflict resolution and we will also try to analyze the role of regional security organizations in various regions around the world. We will also briefly discuss the different approaches of regional organizations (EU, NATO, OSCE, AU, ASEAN etc.) to global security. Reading: Hynek, N.: EU crisis management after the Lisbon Treaty: civil-military coordination and the future of the EU OHQ, European Security, 2011; www.un.org; https://european-union.europa.eu/index_en; www.nato.int; www.osce.org; www.au.int Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 5
Session 9 9.4.2024	Topic: Conflicts in Europe since the end of the Cold War as threat to Global security Description: What are some of the major security challenges in Europe since the end of the Cold War? How have they changed in the recent decades? We will discuss about the main conflicts in Western, Central and Southeastern Europe since the end of the Cold War. Reading: www.hiik.de; https://ucdp.uu.se/; www.sipri.org Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 6
Session 10 16.4.2024	Topic: Conflicts in post-Soviet region since the end of the Cold War as threat to Global security Description: What are some of the major security challenges in the region of former Soviet Union since the end of the Cold War? How have they changed in the recent decades? We will discuss about the main conflicts in Russia and the region of former Soviet Union since the end of the Cold War. Reading: www.hiik.de; https://ucdp.uu.se/; www.sipri.org Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 7
Session 11 23.4.2024	Topic: Conflicts in MENA since the end of the Cold War as threat to Global security Description: What are some of the major security challenges in the Middle East and North Africa since the end of the Cold War? How have they changed in the recent decades? We will discuss about the main conflicts in the MENA region since the end of the Cold War. Reading: www.hiik.de; https://ucdp.uu.se/; www.sipri.org Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 8
Session 12 30.4.2024	Topic: Conflicts in Asia since the end of the Cold War as threat to Global security Description: What are some of the major security challenges in Central, Southeast, South and Northeast Asia  since the end of the Cold War? How have they changed in the recent decades? We will discuss about the main conflicts in Asia since the end of the Cold War. Reading: www.hiik.de; https://ucdp.uu.se/; www.sipri.org Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 9

 

Session 13 7.5.2024

Topic: Conflicts in Africa since the end of the Cold War as threat to global security Description: What are some of the major security challenges in Africa  since the end of the Cold War? How have they changed in the recent decades? We will discuss about the main conflicts in Africa since the end of the Cold War. Reading: www.hiik.de; https://ucdp.uu.se/; www.sipri.org Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 10, Seminar papers are due (submission via NEO)

Session 14 14.5.2024

Topic: Conflicts in Latin America since the end of the Cold War as threat to global security Description: What are some of the major security challenges in Latin America  since the end of the Cold War? How have they changed in the recent decades? We will discuss about the main conflicts in Latin America since the end of the Cold War. Reading: www.hiik.de; https://ucdp.uu.se/; www.sipri.org Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 11

 

 6.       Course Requirements and Assessment (with estimated workloads) 

Assignment	Workload (hours)	Weight in Final Grade	Evaluated Course Specific Learning Outcomes	Evaluated Institutional Learning Outcomes*
Active class participation	42	10%	·     Regular and active participation ·     Ability to analyze and to effectively discuss about issues related to global security	Critical thinking
Proposal of presentation and seminar paper	10	5%	Ability to: Analyze selected aspects of global security; ·     Think critically and to provide possible solutions for presented problems;	Critical thinking
Mid-term exam	30	25%	·     Subject knowledge discussed topic relating to global security	Critical thinking
Presentation of research project	45	25%	Ability to: ·      Analyze selected aspects of global security; ·      Think critically and to provide possible solutions for presented problems; ·     Present the results of analysis in class	Critical thinking Effective communication
Seminar paper	45	35%	·     Subject knowledge on various aspects of global security	Critical thinking
TOTAL	150	100%

*1 = Critical Thinking; 2 = Effective Communication; 3 = Effective and Responsible Action

 

7.       Detailed description of the assignments

 Proposal of presentation and seminar paper (Assignment 1)

Students must submit a proposal of presentation and seminar paper by Week 3, i.e. via 20 February 2024 via NEO. The proposal must include the topic, research question, structure and at least 5 reliable resources which the students plan to use in their presentation and seminar paper.

 Assessment breakdown

Assessed area	Percentage
Timely submission of presentation through NEO	50%
Contents of presentation and seminar paper proposal: research question, structure, at least 5 reliable resources	50%

 

 Mid-term exam (Assignment 2)

Final exam will be cover the topics from the first half of the semester. Students have demonstrate that they have a good understanding of the most relevant issues and concepts and that they are able to provide swift and correct answers. The mid-term will have a form of a freeform essay of 800 words and will take place online via NEO. Students will choose one of three comprehensive questions covering the topics discussed in the first half of the semester. Mid-term must be submitted via NEO by 19 March 2024 23:59 of the Prague time.

 Assessment breakdown

Assessed area	Percentage
Ability to correctly evaluate the main purpose of each question	50%
Ability to reflect broader context of each question	25%
Ability to provide correct answers under the time limit	25%

 

 Presentation of research project (Assignment 3)

Students need to select and to sign up for one research project and present the selected topic in class according to the presentation schedule. Presentations will be prepared individually by each student and must be submitted at least three days prior to the presentation day through the NEO – Assignments. Presentations can be submitted in PPT or any other suitable presentation program. The presentation shall be 25 to 30 minutes long and students must always prepare questions for class discussion. Presentation must be submitted via NEO for review at least three days prior to the presentation date via NEO (will be specified at the beginning of the course).

 Assessment breakdown

Assessed area	Percentage
Timely submission of presentation through NEO	5%
Visual format of presentation	20%
Contents of presentation: correct, recent information, to analyze main problems and suggest creative solutions; ability to apply and to demonstrate acquired knowledge from the course; ability to link the topic of the presentation to the overall topic of the class; ability to apply a concrete theory to a presented problem; ability to formulate credible claims and evidence	50%
Contact with students, engagement of students in discussions: continuous contact with students while presenting, clear speech, good intonation and eye contact, positive body language, ability to stress most significant aspects of analyzed topic while presenting, ability to answer questions from audience, ability to engage fellow students in discussions	20%
Compliance with time limit: presentation length between 30 and 40 minutes, space for discussion with fellow students	5%

Seminar Paper (Assignment 4)

Students prepare a seminar paper on the topic of their presentation to understand the analyzed topic in more depth. Seminar papers should be 2000 words long and should fulfill all criteria imposed on an academic paper (formal arrangement of the paper, reference to resources, research question and analysis of the research question etc.). Paper must be submitted via NEO by 7 May 2024 23:59 Prague time.

 Assessment breakdown

Assessed area	Percentage
Formal arrangement of seminar paper	10%
Reference to resources	20%
Language, stylistics	10%
Research question, analysis of research topic	60%

 

Class participation (Assignment 5)

Active participation and contribution to class discussion. Students should actively participate in class discussion. Discussions are an important mechanism for developing critical thinking and presentation skills.

Assessed area	Percentage
Knowledge and comprehension of the weekly reading assignments	50%
Critical thinking about the issues explored in the readings	50%
TOTAL	100%

 

8. General Requirements and School Policies

General requirements

All coursework is governed by AAU’s academic rules. Students are expected to be familiar with the academic rules in the Academic Codex and Student Handbook and to maintain the highest standards of honesty and academic integrity in their work.

Electronic communication and submission

The university and instructors shall only use students’ university email address for communication, with additional communication via NEO LMS or Microsoft Teams.

Students sending e-mail to an instructor shall clearly state the course code and the topic in the subject heading, for example, “COM101-1 Mid-term Exam. Question”.

All electronic submissions are through NEO LMS. No substantial pieces of writing (especially take-home exams and essays) can be submitted outside of NEO LMS.

Attendance

Attendance, i.e., presence in class in real-time, at AAU courses is default mandatory; however, it is not graded as such. (Grades may be impacted by missed assignments or lack of participation.) Still, students must attend at least two thirds of classes to complete the course. If they do not meet this condition and most of their absences are excused, they will be administratively withdrawn from the course. If they do not meet this condition and most of their absences are not excused, they will receive a grade of “FW” (Failure to Withdraw). Students may also be marked absent if they miss a significant part of a class (for example by arriving late or leaving early).

Absence excuse and make-up options

Should a student be absent from classes for relevant reasons (illness, serious family matters), and the student wishes to request that the absence be excused, the student should submit an Absence Excuse Request Form supplemented with documents providing reasons for the absence to the Dean of Students within one week of the absence. Each student may excuse up to two sick days per term without any supporting documentation; however, an Absence Excuse Request Form must still be submitted for these instances. If possible, it is recommended the instructor be informed of the absence in advance. Should a student be absent during the add/drop period due to a change in registration this will be an excused absence if s/he submits an Absence Excuse Request Form along with the finalized add/drop form.

Students whose absence has been excused by the Dean of Students are entitled to make up assignments and exams provided their nature allows. Assignments missed due to unexcused absences which cannot be made up, may result in a decreased or failing grade as specified in the syllabus.

Students are responsible for contacting their instructor within one week of the date the absence was excused to arrange for make-up options.

Late work: No late submissions will be accepted – please follow the deadlines.

Electronic devices

Electronic devices (e.g. phones, tablets, laptops) may be used only for class-related activities (taking notes, looking up related information, etc.). Any other use will result in the student being marked absent and/or being expelled from the class. No electronic devices may be used during tests or exams unless required by the exam format and the instructor.

Eating is not allowed during classes.

Cheating and disruptive behavior

If a student engages in disruptive conduct unsuitable for a classroom environment, the instructor may require the student to withdraw from the room for the duration of the class and shall report the behavior to the student’s Dean.

Students engaging in behavior which is suggestive of cheating will, at a minimum, be warned. In the case of continued misconduct, the student will fail the exam or assignment and be expelled from the exam or class.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism obscures the authorship of a work or the degree of its originality. Students are expected to create and submit works of which they are the author. Plagiarism can apply to all works of authorship – verbal, audiovisual, visual, computer programs, etc. Examples are:

·                  Verbatim plagiarism: verbatim use of another’s work or part of it without proper acknowledgement of the source and designation as a verbatim quotation,

·                  Paraphrasing plagiarism: paraphrasing someone else’s work or part of it without proper acknowledgement of the source,

·                  Data plagiarism: use of other people’s data without proper acknowledgement of the source,

·                  False quotation: publishing a text that is not a verbatim quotation as a verbatim quotation,

·                  Fictious citation: quoting, paraphrasing, or referring to an incorrect or a non-existent work,

·                  Inaccurate citation: citing sources in such a way that they cannot be found and verified,

·                  Ghostwriting: commissioning work from others and passing it off as one’s own,

·                  Patchwriting: using someone else’s work or works (albeit with proper acknowledgement of sources and proper attribution) to such an extent that the output contains almost no original contribution,

·                  Self-plagiarism: unacknowledged reuse of one’s own work (or part of it) that has been produced or submitted as part of another course of study or that has been published in the past,

·                  Collaborative plagiarism: delivering the result of collective collaboration as one’s own individual output.

At minimum, plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the assignment and shall be reported to the student’s Dean. A mitigating circumstance may be the case of novice students, and the benefit of the doubt may be given if it is reasonable to assume that the small-scale plagiarism was the result of ignorance rather than intent. An aggravating circumstance in plagiarism is an act intended to make the plagiarism more difficult to detect. Such conduct includes, for example, the additional modification of individual words or phrases, the creation of typos, the use of machine translation tools or the creation of synonymous text, etc. The Dean may initiate a disciplinary procedure pursuant to the Academic Codex. Intentional or repeated plagiarism always entail disciplinary hearing and may result in expulsion from AAU.

Use of Artificial Intelligence and Academic Tutoring Center

The use of artificial intelligence tools to search sources, to process, analyze and summarize data, and to provide suggestions or feedback in order to improve content, structure, or style, defined here as AI-assisted writing, is not in itself plagiarism. However, it is plagiarism if, as a result, it obscures the authorship of the work produced or the degree of its originality (see the examples above).

AAU acknowledges prudent and honest use of AI-assisted writing, that is, the use of AI for orientation, consultation, and practice is allowed. For some courses and assignments, however, the use of AI is counterproductive to learning outcomes; therefore, the course syllabus may prohibit AI assistance.

A work (text, image, video, sound, code, etc.) generated by artificial intelligence based on a mass of existing data, defined here as AI-generated work, is not considered a work of authorship. Therefore, if an AI-generated work (e.g. text) is part of the author’s work, it must be marked as AI-generated. Otherwise, it obscures the authorship and/or the degree of originality, and thus constitutes plagiarism. Unless explicitly permitted by the instructor, submission of AI-generated work is prohibited.

If unsure about technical aspects of writing, and to improve their academic writing, students are encouraged to consult with the tutors of the AAU Academic Tutoring Center. For more information and/or to book a tutor, please contact the ATC at: http://atc.simplybook.me/sheduler/manage/event/1/.

Course accessibility and inclusion

Students with disabilities should contact the Dean of Students to discuss reasonable accommodations. Academic accommodations are not retroactive.

Students who will be absent from course activities due to religious holidays may seek reasonable accommodations by contacting the Dean of Students in writing within the first two weeks of the term. All requests must include specific dates for which the student requests accommodations.

 

9. Grading Scale

Letter Grade	Percentage*	Description
A	95–100	Excellent performance. The student has shown originality and displayed an exceptional grasp of the material and a deep analytical understanding of the subject.
A–	90–94
B+	87–89	Good performance. The student has mastered the material, understands the subject well and has shown some originality of thought and/or considerable effort.
B	83–86
B–	80–82
C+	77–79	Fair performance. The student has acquired an acceptable understanding of the material and essential subject matter of the course, but has not succeeded in translating this understanding into consistently creative or original work.
C	73–76
C–	70–72
D+	65–69	Poor. The student has shown some understanding of the material and subject matter covered during the course. The student’s work, however, has not shown enough effort or understanding to allow for a passing grade in School Required Courses. It does qualify as a passing mark for the General College Courses and Electives.
D	60–64
F	0–59	Fail. The student has not succeeded in mastering the subject matter covered in the course.

* Decimals should be rounded to the nearest whole number.

 

Prepared by: Dr Radka Havlová

Date: 9.11.2023

 

Approved by: Dr George Hays

Date: 15.1.2024