Controversies in Security Studies

Undergraduate / Graduate

Academic debates in security studies have real world policy implications: does nuclear proliferation create stability or the potential for security crisis? Do international institutions constrain aggressive actors? Can international courts hold human rights abusers accountable? This course covers crucial debates in the field of security studies. Each week, we will review both sides of a claim with mixed theoretical and empirical evidence and review the evidence and arguments for either side. Throughout the class, students will learn the substance of these debates, along with processes for evaluating arguments, interpreting data and evidence, and argumentative writing.