Admission requirements
This course is part of both the Cybersecurity & Cybercrime (FGGA) minor and the Cyber Security Governance Essentials (W&N) minor. Students enrolled in the Cyber Security Governance Essentials minor will be required to read additional articles and answer extra exam questions to receive 6 ECTS instead of 5 ECTS.
Description
This course explores cyber security issues from the perspective of political science and international relations. Having become a major concern for national security, the cyber domain presents policymakers with enduring strategic and doctrinal dilemmas. This course will review relevant debates in international relations and security studies theory; draw lessons from previous technological transformations on how to address contemporary security problems; evaluate scholarly debates about the international security implications of cyber capabilities; examine the operational and technical features of interstate offensive cyber operations; review legal, ethical, and normative paradigms to regulate international cyber conflict; and expose students to policy dilemmas under the pressure of a simulated scenario. By completing the course, students will acquire a knowledge base on cyber statecraft, cyber diplomacy, and international cyber conflict, as well as develop critical thinking, analysis, and communication skills.
Course objectives
- Collect, understand, critically evaluate, and present information in a format appropriate for a professional audience related to state-linked cyber actors and their operations;
- Evaluate scholarly debates and apply relevant theoretical and conceptual frameworks from international relations and security studies to analyse the implications of cyber technologies for international security and security strategy;
- Demonstrate knowledge of issues related to international cyber security, such as cyber conflict, cyber espionage, legal and normative frameworks, disinformation, and artificial intelligence;
- Critically evaluate national cyber strategies, provide practical insights and resolutions to cyber-related problems for decision-makers, and develop an awareness of the complexities of responding to major cyber events.
Timetable
The timetable will be displayed with a link on the website, Brightspace and on the page of this minor programme.
Mode of instruction
One 2 hour lecture per week, 6 weeks.
Assessment method
simulation assignment
30% of total grade
Re-sit not possible
Grade must be compensated
Participating in the simulation is mandatory in order to obtain a grade for the simulation assignment
written exam
70% of total grade
Grade must be 5.50 or higher to pass the course
Re-sit possible
Re-sit will take the same form
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.
Reading list
Registration
Registration via MyStudymap or uSis is possible after registration for the entire minor. Register for every course via MyStudymap or uSis. Some courses of the minor have a limited number of participants, so register on time.
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.
Please note: guest-/contract-/exchange students do not register via MyStudymap but via uSis.
Contact
Dr. Jelena Vicic j.vicic@fgga.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
This course will be entirely taught and tested in English