Module Information
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Essay I 2000 Words | 30% |
| Semester Assessment | Essay II 4000 Words | 70% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Essay I 2000 Words | 30% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Essay II 4000 Words | 70% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
Thorough knowledge of different theoretical understandings of security;
Ability to understand key concepts, related theories, and relevant issues;
Ability to identify, analyse and evaluate the assumptions and theories that underpin contending conceptualisations of security;
Ability to critically analyse and discuss the practical implications of these different conceptualisations of security, and participate in post-graduate level discussions about contending positions in contemporary security studies;
Ability to make articulate, concise, persuasive and well-paced presentations in small groups;
Ability to engage in critical and constructive debate.
Brief description
This module explores the 'critical' turn in Security Studies through an examination of the main contending conceptualisations of security that have emerged in recent years in distinction to the realist-derived orthodoxy.
Aims
- the assumptions, theories and practices that have defined post World War II `traditional security studies?;
- the assumptions and theories that underpin alternative conceptualisations of security, namely various forms of constructivism, post-structuralism and critical theory; and,
- the implications of these alternative standpoints as refracted through recent debates in the area of security studies concerning, inter alia, the most appropriate 'referent object' for security, 'broadening' security beyond military issues, 'securitzation', and the purpose and audience of security studies.
Content
This module explores the ‘critical’ turn in Security Studies through an examination of the main contending conceptualisations of security that have emerged in recent years in distinction to the realist-derived orthodoxy. The module is suitable for all students of international politics, and in particular those interested in the study of security in its widest sense. It is available to students in both the ‘Specialist’ and ‘Research Training’ pathways. On completion of this module, students should be able to: 1. To understand different theoretical approaches to understanding ‘security’, focusing especially at the critical turn in security studies. 2. To have grounding in the various theoretical schools in critical security studies (first generation). 3. To understand the connections between the study of security and the more general study of IR – pointing out the strengths and limitations each approach brings about. This module provides a critical overview of the study of security in world politics from the perspective(s) of those employing alternative conceptualizations of security to the military-focused and state-centric approaches at the heart of traditional Security/Strategic Studies. Following a discussion of the orthodox approach, the module discusses various critical attempts to conceptualize the meanings and implications of security in world politics. The differences and common ground between these approaches (or schools) are highlighted through a consideration of key debates, empirical cases, and theoretical studies. Links between the study of security and the more general study of IR are identified. The second half of the module introduces students to recent theoretical developments in security studies (second generation), including the study of the value and meaning of security, the ethics of security and security as linked to concepts such as risk, governmentality, protection and resilience, and to some recent methodological developments.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Creative Problem Solving | . |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 7