Admission requirements
- Only students of the MSc Crisis and Security Management can take this course.
Description
A general feeling of insecurity and anxiety has settled in parts of society and ‘security’ has become a catch word that defines a range of situations and developments that societies consider problematic or threatening – and by that, security has been broadened and deepened, encompassing a diverse range of (perceived) crises and security threats, to include for instance radicalisation, transnational terrorism, climate change, pandemics, natural disasters, violent crime, cyber security risks and unregulated international migration.
The very notion of ‘deepening and broadening of security and crises’ already implies that ‘security’ and ‘crisis’ are not fixed, objective realities but the outcomes of political, social, cultural, economic and technological changes and power relations. This also implies that there is no one way of looking at, and understanding security and crisis. To get an in-depth understanding of security and crisis we need different perspectives, different theories and a critical attitude.
In this course, students will get acquainted with the underlying social, economic, political and cultural changes of late-modernity that influence perceptions of (in)security and crisis. Students will be familiarized with different theoretical and conceptual developments, different perspectives, main discussions in the academic field and new, or understudied perspectives. As the field of security and crisis is in a permanent state of fluidity and uncertainty, the focus will be on critical analytical skills that enable students to make sense of a world in (e)motion.
Course Objectives
After finalising this course, students are able to:
1. Reflect on the concepts of crisis and security as a political, social and mental construction and critically evaluate the effect of the social, political and cultural transformations, context and complexity on the perception and understanding of crisis and security issues.
2. ‘Read’ society and identify and analyse in a timely manner new developments and phenomena related to (changing) concepts and practices of crises and security.
3. Apply the framework of ontological (in)security to real-life cases and phenomena in a conceptually and methodological rigorous manner.
4. Seek evidence and draw from empirical or theoretical materials for an informed (and, when applicable, critical) judgement.
5. Engage in public debates about the issues related to (the study of) crises and security issues.
6. Self-evaluate and reflect after interactive in-class work and individual assignments.
Skill tags
Analysing:
Apply the framework of ontological (in)security to real-life cases and phenomena in a conceptually and methodological rigorous manner.
Seek evidence and draw from empirical or theoretical materials for an informed (and, when applicable, critical) judgement
Engage in public debates about the issues related to (the study of) crises and security issues.
Presenting:
Engage in public debates about the issues related to (the study of) crises and security issues.
Timetable
On the right side of programme front page of the studyguide you will find links to the website and timetables, uSis and Brightspace.
Mode of Instruction
Attendance is mandatory. Students are only allowed to miss more than one session if there are special, demonstrable personal circumstances. The Board of Examiners, in consultation with the study advisors, will decide on such an exceptional exemption of mandatory attendance.
Seven Lectures of two hours and three working groups of two hours
Total study load: 112 hours
Lectures and working groups: 20 hours
Self-study: 92 hours
In this 4 ects course, we will focus on the research skill assignment that is going to be part of your portfolio. Specific information on the portfolio assignment and the intended learning outcomes that are being acquired will be published in the syllabus of this course.
Assessment method
Assessment for this course is based on two assignments:
Group assignment
30% of final grade
Resit not possible
Grade must be compensated in case of a fail (grade < 5.50)
Individual paper assignment
70% of final grade
Grade must be 5.50 or higher to pass the course
Resit possible
Resit will take the same form
The calculated overall course grade must be at least 5.50 in order to pass the course. If the calculated overall course grade is lower than 5.50, students are also permitted to resit the 70% individual paper.
In the case of written assessment methods, the examiner can always initiate a follow-up conversation with the student to establish whether the learning objectives have been met.
Attendance is mandatory. Students are only allowed to miss more than one session if there are special, demonstrable personal circumstances. The Board of Examiners, in consultation with the study advisors, will decide on such an exceptional exemption of mandatory attendance.
Transitional arrangement
Please be aware that passed partial grades obtained in academic year 2024-2025 are no longer valid during academic year 2025-2026.
Reading list
A selection of books and articles, to be announced on Brightspace.
Registration
Register yourself via MyStudymap for the lecture. Enrolment in one of the workgroups will be arranged by the programme. You will not be able to register yourself for one of the workgroups. Enrolment for these workgroups will be done in late August, so please note that it will take a while before the workgroup is finalized in your timetable.
Do so on time, before the start of the course; some courses have limited spaces. You can view your personal schedule in MyTimetable after logging in.
Registration for this course is possible from Wednesday 16 July 2025, 13.00h
Leiden University uses Brightspace as its online learning management system. After enrolment for the course in MyStudymap you will be automatically enrolled in the Brightspace environment of this course.
More information on registration via MyStudymap can be found on this page.
Contact
Dr. Jelle van Buuren
Associate Professor in Terrorism and Political Violence
g.m.van.buuren@fgga.leidenuniv.nl
Dr. Malte Riemann
Assistant Professor in Contemporary Armed Conflict
m.riemann@fgga.leidenuniv.nl
Isabelle Frens MSc
PhD-researcher
i.j.frens@fgga.leidenuniv.nl