International Security

 

 

 

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This course studies international security in the 21st century.  Our objective is to better comprehend how international security is changing global interactions – and how the world can adjust accordingly.  We will examine both the causes of war and the conditions that promote peace, all within the context of notable contemporary crises.  Of course, like many other phenomena, several components of international security today cannot be understood without also examining major events of the past.  Heeding the sage advice of noted political philosopher George Santayana, we should remember that, “Those who cannot remember history are condemned to repeat it.”  Thus we will keep one eye on the past as we look to the future of international security in this class.  Our overarching objective throughout is to analyze the changing definitions of both national and international security – and what that means for you in the coming years.  The last decade has fundamentally recast security concerns, including economic, environmental, and cultural dimensions.  And of course, weapons of mass destruction are arguably even more dangerous today as well, for the post-Cold War environment often facilitates horizontal proliferation.