Delivered at:: School of International Affairs

Course type:: Compulsory course

When:: 2 year, 3, 4 module

Instructor

Batyuk, Vladimir I.

Full Syllabus

Abstract

This course focuses on main issues of national and international security in the modern world, and mechanism of decision-making in this sphere. In this course the students will learn about major approaches to methods of ensuring national and international security. This course will combine the study of theories of national and international security with the students’ practical work.

Learning Objectives

This course becomes particularly important today when the international community faces the tremendous shift in the balance of power and structure of the modern international system – from unipolarity to multipolarity - and, thus, in the ways and means of provision of national and international security.

Expected Learning Outcomes

Explains the contents of the main challenges in the field of national and international security
Explains the term stability in international relations theory
Describes the modern international system
Explains mechanisms of ensuring national and international security
Explains mechanisms of foreign policy decision-making in different countries
Describes foreign policy instruments in the 21st century
Uses specific concepts, methods, techniques and tools in the field of history of international relations
Analyzes ethnopolitical conflicts in the modern world (on the example of Ukraine)
Explains what has changed in the sphere of Arms Control after the Cold War
Describes characteristic features of Paris climate agreement
Describes characteristic features of environment protection after Paris climate agreement
Describes what political extremism is
Analyzes the problem of Illicit drug trafficking
Conducts research, including problem analysis, setting goals and objectives, the allocation of the object and subject of study, choice of method and research methods, and evaluation of its quality
Describes problems and situations of professional activity, using the apparatus of the social, humanitarian and economic sciences to solve professional tasks
Works with information: finds, evaluates and uses information from various sources required for the solution of scientific and professional tasks (including on the basis of the system approach)
Finds, collects and primarily summarizes actual material, making valid conclusions

Course Contents

Introductory lecture. International security: the developing agenda.
Seminar. Issue of stability of the modern international system.
Seminar. The Process of foreign policy decision-making in the modern world.
Seminar. Foreign Policy Instruments in the 21st century.
Seminar. Globalization: pros and cons.
Seminar. Ethnopolitical conflicts in the modern world (on the example of Ukraine).
Seminar. Arms Control in the modern world: what had changed after the Cold War?
Seminar. Environment protection after Paris climate agreement.
Seminar. Illicit drug trafficking and political extremism.
Presentations on assigned topics

Assessment Elements

Preparing presentations on assigned topics
Test
Final test on Coursera

Interim Assessment

Interim assessment (4 module)
0.2 * Final test on Coursera + 0.4 * Preparing presentations on assigned topics + 0.4 * Test

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Global trends 2030: alternative worlds / a publication of the National Intelligence Council. (2012). Washington/D.C. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.401334392
Jason Beaubien, & Jacki Lyden. (2011). Global Commission On Drug Policy Report Blasts War On Drugs. Weekend Edition Sunday (NPR). Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=nfh&AN=6XN201106051205
Mead, W. R. (2018). National Security Strategy of the United States of America. Foreign Affairs, 97(2), 174. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=f5h&AN=127778227
Trenin, D. V. . (DE-588)114738327, (DE-576)175880190. (2014). Russia’s breakout from the post-Cold War system [Elektronische Ressource] : the drivers of Putin’s course / Dmitri Trenin. Moscow: Carnegie Moscow Center. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.444960643

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Johnson, S. E., Libicki, M. C., Treverton, G. F., & Rand Corporation. (2003). New Challenges, New Tools for Defense Decisionmaking. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=81666
Snyder, J. C., & Mearsheimer, J. J. (2018). Conventional Deterrence. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.BF145EFD

Bachelor’s Programme 'International Relations'

National and International Security