Security and Geopolitics

(Theoretical and conceptual)

LO1 – Provide the students a broad introduction to geopolitics and contemporary security studies, giving them the major concepts, theories in the area of international security, through an exploration of a series of empirical puzzles.

LO2 – Ability to critically evaluate the usefulness/applicability of competing theories and concepts within Security Studies and Geopolitics. Understanding how and why the concepts and study of security has broadened.

LO3 – Apply geopolitical analysis and strategic foresight skills to analyze conflicts, relevant security issues and their potential evolutions on different geographic scales. The focus will be both theoretical and analytical.

LO4 – Ability to analyze the threats and opportunities that shape security at regional and global level. Capacity to critically assess the main factors and processes impacting the capacity of contemporary security institutions to deal with contemporary security challenges.

(Personal development)

LO5 – Define abstract concepts and apply them with consistency and rigour, giving meaning to the complexity of issues involving geopolitics and international security. Justify own positions with arguments based on factual issues.

LO6 – Familiarize the students with the resources available for further research. Provide them the ability to communicate effectively in speech (the ability to work under pressure in seminars, where students must demonstrate the ability to respond to questions orally) and writing (for example, writing an essay or book review using commonly accepted standards of definition, analysis, grammatical prose, and documentation).

LO7 – Provide them the capacity to work independently, demonstrating initiative, self-organization, and time-management, as well as co-operating with other students to achieve common goals.