Dec 26, 2024  
2017-18 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2017-18 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

PS 420 International Security


The purpose of this course is to advance a thorough and in-depth analysis of international security issues, themes, theories and cases. The course examines security from three levels of analysis: the international system, state- and domestic-level politics, and individual decision makers. Within each level of analysis, the course studies various theories used to explain the sources of instability and stability in order to understand what drives state and actor behavior in terms of: foreign policy, war, cooperation, and expansion. It also looks at central themes in international security and a few cases where theories can be applied to help us understand crises, conflicts and instability. The course addresses questions such as: What are the main threats to international security? How are these threats addressed or not by state and international actors? Why do states have, or not, nuclear weapons, and what role do international organizations and non-state actors play in security?

Prerequisite: Senior standing is required.