BSSb1105 International Security Policy

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 7 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Taught in person.
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Vendula Divišová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Lucie Konečná, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Vendula Divišová, Ph.D.
Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Lucie Pospíšilová
Supplier department: Division of Security and Strategic Studies – Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! BSS105 Internat. sec. pol. && ! NOW ( BSS105 Internat. sec. pol. )
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 21 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course is intended to introduce students to international security policy. It deals with theories and with the structure of the international security system. Students will be familiarised with various actors, historical issues, geopolitics, law, and international security order.
Learning outcomes
The course is designed to help students to:
 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 international security;
 Analyse complex academic and functional problems involved in a multi-level, multi-dimensional approach to international security;
 Pursue the connections between the general and the specific through the production of substantial, analytical study informed by familiarity with the appropriate methodologies;
 Formulating lucid, precise and concise explanations and assessments of international processes in both written and oral presentations;
 promote critical engagement with the security studies literature and enable you to display this engagement by developing an ability to present, substantiate and defend complex arguments.
Syllabus
  • The first seven classes are classic lectures, where attendance is not mandatory. These lectures are followed by six seminars. Lecture 1: Introduction to the course Lecture 2: Violent Non-State Actors Lecture 3: International Organisations I Lecture 4: International Organizations II Lecture 5: International Law Lecture 6: Regional security Lecture 7: International Missions and Operations
Literature
    required literature
  • Alan Collins (ed.), Contemporary Security Studies (Oxford 2007).
  • International Criminal Court, Elements of Crimes (2013) https://www.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/Publications/Elements-of-Crimes.pdf
  • United Nations. United Nations Charter (1945). https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter/full-text
  • United Nations (Department of Peacekeeping Operations). United Nations Peacekeeping Operations: Principles and Guidelines (2008), pp. 17-40. https://peacekeeping.un.org/sites/default/files/capstone_eng_0.pdf
  • European Union. Consolidated version of the Treaty on European Union (2012), Articles 3-5, 13-19, 21-38, 42-46. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A12012M%2FTXT
  • NATO. Vilnius Summit Communiqué (2023). https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_217320.htm
  • Bellamy, Alex J., And Charles T. Hunt. 2015. “Twenty-first century UN peace operations: protection, force and the changing security environment.” International Affairs 91 (6): 1277-1298. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2346.12456.
  • European Union. A Strategic Compass for Security and Defence (2022), pp. 10-41.
  • Williams, Phil. Violent Non-State Actors and National and International Security. (2008): https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/93880/vnsas.pdf
  • NATO. The North Atlantic Treaty (1949). https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_17120.htm
  • NATO. NATO Strategic Concept (2022). https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/2022/6/pdf/290622-strategic-concept.pdf
  • Schneckener, Ulrich. Spoilers or Governance Actors? Engaging Armed Non-State Groups in Areas of Limited Statehood. p. 3-26. (2009).
  • Bailes, Alyson J. K. and Cottey, Andrew, Regional security cooperation in the early 21st century (In SIPRI Yearbook 2006) https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/YB06%20195%2004.pdf
Teaching methods
Students will be required to do the required readings, attend seminar sessions, and prepare and deliver a presentation on a selected topic.
Assessment methods
Students will receive a final grade for the semester based on the following components: (1) In-term written test = 20 points (2) Presentation = 15 points (3) Active participation in a seminar = 5 points (4) Final exam = 20 points.
Students can receive up to 5 points for active participation in the seminars. In each seminar, student presentations will take place on a chosen topic from the list. After each presentation, students have the opportunity to ask supplementary questions and participate in a discussion about the topic of the given presentation. Total discussion points will be assigned to students at the end of the semester. The teachers always check attendance at the beginning of the lesson. If it happens that the student arrives at the seminar later, they should come to the teacher at the end of the class and record their attendance. Teachers are not obliged to check the attendance of latecomers on their own initiative.
In-term written test: The test includes 10 multiple choice questions based on the content of the lectures delivered up to October 23 and required readings up to Lecture 6. October 30, 2023 (Lecture 7) is the date of the in-term test. In case of authorized absence (according to norms of the MU or specific approval obtained in advance from the lecturer) an alternative date for the test will be provided. There is no resit of the test.
Students will also receive points for preparing a presentation. The presentation will be made in pairs or individually (see the information system, some topics can be processed in pairs, others individually). Students choose their presentation topics from the list below (see the end of the syllabus). Students sign up for presentation topics online in the information system. Registration will take place from October 2 (17:00) to October 15. If students do not register themselves, they will be assigned to some topics automatically. We ask students to apply to the topics of their already registered seminar groups. If they register for the topic of the wrong seminar group, they will be automatically assigned a different topic. The presentation itself should take 15-20 minutes, it should have a logical structure and include a list of sources. The presentations should not be limited to a brief description of the topic, but it also needs to address current political or academic debates on the topic, including contested issues and controversies. A total of 15 points can be obtained from the presentation.
The final exam will be in the form of a written test, which will absorb the assigned literature and lecture materials. A total of 20 points can be obtained from the final exam.
Assessment and marking: 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
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2024, recent)
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