Admission requirements
Course for students enrolled in master program Crisis and Security Management
Description
What does security mean and when did it emerge as object of unified, centralized state policy? In this course we will historicize the concept and practices of security in the sense that we will map security through time, embed various security thoughts and philosophies in their respective timeframes and analyze its scope, object and subject, as well as its impact on society. We will study security on three different levels. First of all, we will focus on the main threats, wars and conflicts in modern history. Second, we will analyze how these events shaped government policies and public attitudes towards security and its corresponding practices. Third, we will provide an overview of the main academic perspectives and theories on security throughout history. Our focus will be on the modern era, ranging from the 19th century until the present day.
The course will start with providing an overview of the 19th and 20th century perspectives until today and mark the most important events and corresponding developments in security theories and thinking. Security as a field of study cuts across disciplinary scientific boundaries and thus, can be viewed from different perspectives. In the second part of the course we will take a number of theoretical perspectives on security from different disciplines in order to shed light on a number of case studies. We will concentrate on the West and more specifically: Europe and The Netherlands.
Students are asked both to read primary materials, conduct research on security issues and adopt the concepts and theoretical perspectives provided in the course to their work.
Course objectives
After completing the course the student will be able to:
Understand how the idea of security as a state’s objective and prerogative emerged and how it changed over time, since the 19th century up until the present
Explain major historical developments in security thinking and practices
Analyze the complex and ever-changing phenomenon of security policy and agenda setting
Operate theoretical and critical concepts to better understand evolving security practices
Compare different security regimes in terms of threat perceptions, government policies and public attitudes
Historicize security: they have acquainted themselves with some crucial security breaches, incidents, failures and shifts in modern European history
Autonomously collect, interpret and analyze primary and secondary source materials
Conduct an independent analysis of historical or present day security practices by writing a scientific paper based upon the concepts and theories adopted in this course
Timetable
Mode of instruction
The sessions are dedicated to lectures. This course is compulsory.
Course Load
- total study load 5 EC x 28 hrs. = 140 hrs., of which: – contact hours: 3 hrs. per week x 7 weeks = 21 hrs. – self-study hours: 119 hrs.
Assessment method
Midterm essay (30%)
In week 4, students are required to hand in a referenced paper to complete this course. The paper should consist of 1000-1500 words (excluding front page, footnotes and literature list) and should be driven by a central idea or thesis which grounds the research. The paper should either pose a question, answered through the analysis of secondary source evaluation and, if possible, primary sources as well. Central to the essay is the effort of historicizing a security related topic. Further information will be provided during the lectures.Written exam (70%)
The final written exam will be based on the content of the lectures and the literature in the syllabus. Therefore attendance is an obligation.The midterm essay and written exam need to be 5.5 or higher in order to complete this course.
Re-sit takes the same form.
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
Yes, the course page will be made available two weeks before the course starts
Reading list
To be announced
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
Constant Hijzen: c.w.hijzen@hum.leidenuniv.nl / 071-5272159/ Johan Huizinga building, Doelensteeg 16, 2311 VL, Leiden, Room 1.72a / Office hours: make an appointment by email