Admission requirements
- Only students of the MSc Crisis and Security Management, enrolled in the specialisation ‘Cybersecurity Governance’ can take this course.
Description
This course adopts a perspective rooted in the disciplines of political science and international relations to investigate conflict in cyberspace. It focuses on the key research skill of writing a ‘literature review’: mapping, understanding, and critiquing the body of knowledge on cyber conflict. This is a highly transferable skill, relevant to academic and professional environments, as it requires students to conduct independent study, summarise their findings accurately, and identify problems and make connections without direct guidance. Students with this skill should also be a more discerning consumers of information in all walks of life, to society’s overall benefit.
In terms of content, this course traces how cyberspace has transformed interstate relations and introduced many new actors onto the scene – from transnational corporations to troll farms and tech-savvy activists. It explores the probability of cyberwar and reflects on the hype around it. It also critically analyses the world of state-sponsored disinformation campaigns, digital espionage, and cyber capability proliferation. Finally, it looks beyond corporate and statist lenses on international politics to address the impact of cyber conflict elsewhere, in areas such as international law, human rights, and gender politics.
Course Objectives
After finalising this course, students will be able to:
- Critically study, search, sort, prioritise, synthesise and assess the body of knowledge on specific topics relating to conflict in cyberspace, including a clear conceptual framework, a comprehensive account of relevant literature and assessment of its quality, a discussion of fundamental debates and gaps in knowledge, and a succinct synopsis. Students will be able to present the results of this individual research project in the form of a written academic report (the literature review).
- Demonstrate in-depth knowledge about issues relating to cyber conflict, including cyberespionage, disinformation and human rights, and advanced knowledge of the social and political dynamics of cybersecurity at an international level, including how the label ‘cybersecurity’ is constructed and used.
- Identify and analyse in a timely manner new developments relating to conflict in cyberspace, such as new laws and policies, new cyberattacks or new techniques of surveillance.
- Identify and apply relevant theoretical or analytical frameworks and methodologies to analyse real life issues relating to conflict in cyberspace.
- Present arguments and analyses on conflict in cyberspace in a format appropriate for a broader professional audience and as input to expert groups.
- Provide strategic analysis and advice to decision-makers and develop awareness of the challenges of functioning in a complex academic or professional environment.
- Self-evaluate and reflect after interactive in-class work and individual assignments.
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
A combination of interactive lectures and activating workgroups (two sessions per week). In the lectures, students will learn the key principles of research, and the relevant concepts and methodologies. In the workgroups, students will practise research design and methods by applying the concepts, testing theories, and analysing empirical material. The workgroups will, amongst others, consist of in-class assignments, team performances, peer review and exercises and feature compulsory formative (non-graded) exercises that will help the student prepare for the summative (graded) assignments.
Active participation during the sessions is strongly recommended to pass this course.
Total study load: 280 hours.
Contact time: 42 hours (21 hours lectures, 21 hours group exercises).
Non-contact time: 238 hours self-study: reading, preparing lectures, assignments, etc.
In this 10 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 four assignments:
Written assignment (literature review paper)
40% of final grade
Grade cannot be compensated, a 5.50 is required to pass the course
Resit possible
Resit will take the same form
Assignment (written exam)
30% of final grade
Grade must be compensated in case of a fail (grade < 5.50)
Resit not possible
Group exercise 1
20% of final grade
Grade must compensated in case of a fail (grade < 5.50)
Resit not possible
Group exercise 2
10% of final grade
Grade must compensated in case of a fail (grade < 5.50)
Resit not possible
Additional, formative (non-graded) assignments are an obligatory part of the course.
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 40% written assignment.
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.
Transitional arrangement
Partial grades obtained during the academic year 23- 24 for the course Espionage and War in Cybertspacre will still be valid in the academic year 24-25 but they will weigh towards the final grade in accordance with the weight given to partial grades in the year 24-25.
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 each course, workgroup and exam (not all courses have workgroups and/or exams).
Do so on time, before the start of the course; some courses and workgroups have limited spaces. You can view your personal schedule in MyTimetable after logging in.
Registration for this course is possible from Wednesday 12 July 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. Jelena Vićić j.vicic@fgga.leidenuniv.nl