London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

Modules

140 International security

Prerequisite

If taken as part of a BSc degree, 11 Introduction to international relations.

Aims and objectives

The aim of this unit is to:

* introduce students to the central concepts in security studies,
* develop students’ comparative skills of analysis of differing security policies in practice,
* promote critical engagement with the security policy literature and enable students to display this engagement by developing their ability to present, substantiate and defend complex arguments.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this unit students should be able to:

* demonstrate a critical understanding of the issues involved in security policy decision making,
* demonstrate an understanding of the contexts, pressures and constraints with which security policy-makers have to deal,
* demonstrate an ability to engage in comparative analysis of security policy without losing a sense of historical context.

Syllabus

This unit will interrogate the key concepts and dilemmas involved in security policy by a careful examination of the leading security paradigms – national security, international security and human security. In each case, we examine the historical circumstances out of which the paradigm originates, the political problems it seeks to address, the constraints it imposes upon policy-makers, and its significance within contemporary international society.

The principal themes to be addressed are:

* What does it mean to be ‘secure’ and why does it matter?
* Does security for some automatically imply insecurity for others?
* And how have changes in domestic and international society influenced the ways in which we respond to security dilemmas?

Essential reading
Bain, W. (ed.) The Empire of Security and the Safety of the People. (London: Routledge, 2006) first edition [ISBN 0415380197].

Buzan, Barry People, States and Fear: An Agenda for International Security Studies in the Post Cold War Era. (London: Pearson, 2004) second edition [ISBN 1555872824].
Hough, Peter Understanding Global Security. (London: Routledge, 2004) first edition [ISBN 0415296668].
Economides, Spyros and Mats Berdal (eds) United Nations Interventionism, 1991– 2004. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007) first edition [ISBN 13: 9780521547673; ISBN 10: 0521547679].

Assessment

This unit is assessed by a three hour unseen written examination.
All information in this document is subject to confirmation in the Programme Regulations for degrees and diplomas in Economics, Management, Finance and the Social Sciences that are reviewed annually. Notice is also given in the Regulations of any units which are being phased out and students are advised to check unit availability.