GLCb2026 Africas Contemporary Security Challenges

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2023
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Taught in person.
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Lucie Konečná, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Lucie Konečná, Ph.D.
Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Soňa Enenkelová
Supplier department: Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Wed 16:00–17:40 PC25
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 30 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
This course focuses on several major themes of contemporary African security. The aim is to acquaint students with the various security problems that currently threaten this continent. This includes threats such as terrorism, piracy conflicts, migration, etc. Individual threats are presented to students based on an academic theoretical framework and supplemented with specific data and case studies from recent years. It is organized in a lecture format and requires that students read assigned materials.
Learning outcomes
- Familiarise themselves with the central concepts in security studies
- Develop critical assessment skills regarding various approaches to the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of security concepts and policies
- Gain the ability to present and critique competing scholarly arguments as well as engage with the academic and non-academic literature on security issues in Africa
- Transferable skills gained/developed: identifying, locating, and organising relevant source materials, self-management, problem solving, analytical thinking
Syllabus
  • Lecture 1: Introduction to the course Lecture 2: Conflicts in Africa Lecture 3: Terrorism in Africa Lecture 4: Organised Crime Lecture 5: Migration and Influx of Refugees Lecture 6: HIV/AIDS and Female Security Lecture 7. Weakening and Failing of the State Lecture 8. Urbanization and Land Issues Lecture 9: Food and Water Security Lecture 10: Piracy Lecture 11: Students' Presentations. Lecture 12: Students' Presentations. Lecture 13: Students' Presentations.
Literature
  • • Swain, Ashok. Understanding Emerging Security Challenges Threats and Opportunities. Routledge (2013). • Emerson, Stephen and Hussein, Solomon. African security in the twenty-first century Challenges and opportunities. Manchester University Press. (2018
  • Routledge handbook of environmental conflict and peacebuilding. Edited by Ashok Swain - Joakim Öjendal. First published. New York: Earthscan from Routledge, 2018, xxii, 339. ISBN 9780367521523. info
  • When states failcauses and consequences. Edited by Robert I. Rotberg. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2003, 348 s. ISBN 9781400835799. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, class discussion, reading compulsory literature
Assessment methods
Each student will prepare a presentation. The topic is chosen by the students themselves, but they should do a detailed case study of one African country (their choice) in which they will focus on one specific security problem such as terrorism, internal conflict, influx of refugees, piracy, etc. The presentation itself should take approximately 20 minutes and will take place in the last three classes of the course. Assignment of students to dates will be made at the end of March and the schedule will be uploaded to the information system. The presentation will be graded 0-20 points. The final exam will be in the form of a written test, which will absorb the assigned literature and lecture materials. A total of 40 points can be obtained from the final exam. A 60 – 56 points B 55 – 51 points C 50 – 46 points D 45 – 41 points E 40 – 36 points F 35 and below
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2023/GLCb2026