TLÜ ÕIS

International Security

Course code

RIR6039.YK

old course code

Course title in Estonian

Rahvusvaheline julgeolek

Course title in English

International Security

ECTS credits

4.0

Assessment form

Examination

lecturer of 2023/2024 Spring semester

Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.

lecturer of 2024/2025 Autumn semester

Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.

Course aims

This course introduces mainstream understandings of the meaning and
content of international security, and juxtaposes those understandings
with critical perspectives. The aim is to critically think about which
actors, harms and relations our conceptualization of security should
center. This course provides a chance to familiarise oneself not only with
different perspectives on security and their real-life consequences, but
also how questions of war, conflict, peace, (non)violence, (anti-
)militarism are pertinent to discussions of security. Further, this course is
interested in exploring together recent scientific and policy literatures that
argue that violence exists on a continuum and thus should be explored in
a way that connects different types of violence in different contexts and in
different situations (peace/war). Thus, questions about domestic violence,
rape, poverty, slow death, gender inequality, ecological destruction are
intimately related to how we think of security. It suggests that we should
broaden not only what security means but who is guaranteed security.
Given these emphases, this course defines security broadly holding on to
its different facets – as encompassing all forms of violence, physical,
structural, epistemic and ecological; in terms of well-being and survival
of the individual and their environment. In critically exploring security
this course asks what security is, who merits being secured, how securing
is performed, and how we know that security has been achieved.

Brief description of the course

The course will consist of lectures and seminars. Each meeting is divided
into a lecture and a seminar. Every student is expected to do the required
readings (compulsory) for each meeting, actively take part in seminars
and participate in the final group discussion ‘What kind of security is
needed in the contemporary world?’

Learning outcomes in the course

Upon completing the course the student:
- will discuss and appraise the various meanings ascribed toi nternational security in the policy and academic world;
- has an efficient grasp on various approaches to security in International Relations;
- will address the “pros” and “cons” of various approaches to achieve international security;
- is able to clearly present ideas/arguments and work together with peers;
- is able to apply theories and concepts to the analysis of security problems & puzzles in the contemporary security context;

Teacher

Birgit Poopuu

Additional information

Through a range of seminar activities including group discussion and
group work, taking on presenter-discussant roles, the course has also been
designed to enable the development of analytical and communication
skills, namely critical thinking, data analysis and problem-solving skills.

Study programmes containing that course