This course uses the foundation provided by SS307/SS357 to explore one of the critical forces that drives world politics - international security. The purpose of this course is to provide students a solid foundation in the field of international security studies - one of the major sub-fields of the international relations discipline - including a grasp of key concepts and case studies relevant to the field today and throughout history. Students will examine fundamental questions in this field, including "What is security?" "What causes war, and what prevents it?" and "How do actors in the international system use force as a tool to achieve goals and influence others?" As a "Writing in the Major" course for the Security Studies and Foreign Policy track of the International Affairs major, students should expect heavy emphasis on writing assignments as a key tool for developing, communicating, and validating their understanding of course material.
