Prospectus

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Cyber security Governance

Course
2015-2016

Admission requirements

Admission only after intake,
see https://www.csacademy.nl/en/education/master-s-programmes/executive-master-s-programme-cyber-security

Part of the governance track

Description

‘Contested spaces’, where a state is unable or unwilling to exert its authority, have frequently been defined as threats to international security in the past twenty years. These were often geographical areas synonymous with ‘failed states’, where non-state actors such as terrorists or criminal organisations would seek sanctuary. According to public perception cyberspace has now become one of these ‘ungoverned spaces’, out of reach for governments and businesses alike. Cybercrime and cyber terrorism have proliferated as a result, and according to some the threat of cyber war looms ahead. This cyber-governance module will look at where responsibility for cyber security in the public-private-individual triangle is placed and how government institutions have shared, distributed or obtained cyber tasks and duties. Strategies and doctrines will also be covered, and how they combine with traditional state responsibilities such as defence and intelligence (espionage).
In practice, however, internet is not so much ungoverned as subjugated to alternative forms of governance, often by non-state actors. Although relatively little has as yet been written in academia on cyber governance, this module will explore the customary theories from public administration and legal perspectives.
Cyberspace also has important repercussions for conflict studies. Traditional concepts such as sovereignty, power, war, espionage and terrorism could face fundamental changes as global internet connectivity and dependence continues to grow. This module will look at competing views on cyber threats (from a ‘digital pearl harbour’ to cyber-operations in support of conventional military attacks), working through definitions, concepts and policies to sketch some of the possible implications for future inter and intra-state relations.

Course objectives

Participants have:

  • knowledge and understanding of the different theories on cyber-governance, the implications of cyberspace, the internet for traditional notions such as sovereignty, power, war and conflict, espionage, terrorism and crime and historical developments in cyber governance and how key events have led to the current state of affairs
    Participants are able to:

  • apply conceptual knowledge of cyber governance theories in relation to involved technical aspects to specific situations and case-studies (deduction) and

  • translate understanding of cyber-events (empirical observations) into concepts, trends and theories and communicate about these concepts in a clear and concise way (induction)

  • apply knowledge of cyber-governance to practical, policy-orientated questions, to reduce these questions to the essentials and to communicate about the answers in a precise and academic way

  • use a sound knowledge base of cyber-governance to determine reliability of reporting on issues and contextualise new developments within a conceptual framework

Timetable

7 days from 9.30 until 17.00
Thursday 15 October 2015
Friday 16 October 2015
Friday 6 November 2015
Friday 13 November 2015
Friday 20 November 2015
Friday 27 November 2015
Friday 4 December 2015

Mode of instruction

Lectures, seminars, exercises, class discussion
Lecturers: mr. Sergei Boeke, dr. Dennis Broeders (EUR) and others

Course Load

5 EC

Assessment method

Written exam and assignment

Blackboard

Yes, for posting slides of lectures, relevant literature and assignments

Reading list

Compulsory literature and literature for further consultation will be announced via Blackboard

Registration

No registration is required for lectures and exams.

Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs

N/A

Contact

Mr. Sergei Boeke
Drs. Mireille Snels, programme manager

Remarks

See https://www.csacademy.nl/en/education/master-s-programmes/executive-master-s-programme-cyber-security