Admission requirements
Course for students enrolled in master program Crisis and Security Management
Description
The provision of security is traditionally seen as a public monopoly. Nowadays however private parties are increasingly engaged in it. The public sector becomes one of several actors, part of a network that has as its goal the provision of security. It is for crisis and security management students therefore imperative that this perspective is studied. The changing relationship between the public and the private sector also brings a shift from a governance point of view. What can the public security sector learn from its private partners in terms of innovation, efficiency and efficacy? How can private actors be engaged in providing security to citizens while maintaining democratic accountability, and preventing a loss of civil rights? Are there possibilities of hybrid structures to be set up?
Students will get acquainted with the multitude of private security actors, ranging from corporate security to security guards, private intelligence, private military companies and security consultants. By studying relevant theoretical insights and research papers students will get familiar with the theoretical debate concerning the privatization of security and its main empirical findings.
Learning objectives
At the end of the course, students:
Know the definition of private security and can recount the history and development of the private security industry.
Can identify the different parts of the private security industry, and can explain the distinct features of each of them.
Can recount the added value but also the pitfalls of public-private cooperation regarding security, and can point out specific examples of this kind of cooperation.
Can demonstrate human rights issues and accountability issues with the use of private forces regarding security issues, and can analyze these issues accordingly.
Can write a policy paper on a privatization of CSM issue
Timetable
Mode of instruction
This course consists of seven compulsory lectures
Course Load
- Total study load: 140 hours – Lectures: 21 hours – Self-study: 119 hours
Assessment method
Midterm assignment 1: 15% of final grade
Midterm assignment 2: 15% of final grade
Policy paper: 70% of final grade
Compensation is possible, except for the final policy paper
Resits take the same form
More information can be found in the syllabus
You can find more information about assessments and the timetable exams on the website.
Details for submitting papers (deadlines) are posted on Blackboard.
On the Public Administration front page of the E-guide you will find links to the website, uSis and Blackboard.
Resit
Students will be permitted to resit an examination if they have taken the first sit and have a mark lower than 5.5 or with permission of the Board of Examiners.
Resit written exam
Students that want to take part in a resit for a written exam, are required to register via uSis. Use the activity number that can be found on the ‘timetable exams’.
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used for putting literature and PowerPoint presentations online.
Balckboard will become available one week before the start of the classes.
Reading list
Literature will made available on Blackboard
Registration
Use both uSis and Blackboard to register for every course.
Register for every course and workgroup via uSis. Some courses and workgroups have a limited number of participants, so register on time (before the course starts). In uSis you can access your personal schedule and view your results. Registration in uSis is possible from four weeks before the start of the course.
Also register for every course in Blackboard. Important information about the course is posted here.
Contact
Dr. Joery Matthys
Room: B2.08
E-mail: j.matthys@cdh.leidenuniv.nl
Phone numbers: +31-(0)71-527-6688 or +31-(0)70-800-9395
Drs. Jelle van Buuren
g.m.van.buuren@cdh.leidenuniv.nl