Controversies in Security Studies

Catalog description

Do alliances deter conflict or encourage them? Does nuclear proliferation create instability or paradoxically improve peace between parties? Do international organizations - such as the International Court of Justice - actually prevent human rights abuses? These questions are all subject to some controversy in the field of security studies, with competing theories and evidence on both sides of the equation. This course is dedicated to evaluating both sides of a different critical debate in security studies every week, evaluating the theories and evidence each side brings to the table. In doing so, the class with both survey some of the key areas of active research in the security field, but will also facilitate students argumentative writing, analytical evaluation, and data literacy skills. (GOVT-IR)