• Offered for Year: 2024/25

• Module Leader(s): Professor Jocelyn Mawdsley
• Co-Module Leader: Dr Dimitris Skleparis
• Other Staff: Professor Rachel Woodward, Dr Ingrid A. Medby, Dr Deniz Yonucu, Professor Ben Farrand, Dr Matthew Richmond

• Owning School: Geography, Politics & Sociology
• Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Aims

To provide students with an advanced understanding of the evolution and current state of theory in security studies.

- To introduce security studies, its key themes and theories.

- To explore the historical and contemporary themes of security studies.

- To explore critical approaches to discourses and practices of security.

- To discuss and critically evaluate the debates that have characterised the development of security studies.

Outline Of Syllabus

Security has been one of the touchstone issues in the last few decades, and one of the most debated topics in many developed and developing states. From wars, terrorism and organised crime to viruses and climate change, the diverse nature and spread of contemporary threats place security at the heart of human affairs. But what does security mean, and how is it perceived, experienced, practiced, and studied? This module examines security and insecurity from an interdisciplinary perspective with reference to a range of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ threats. It does so by drawing on various traditional/mainstream and critical theoretical approaches to security, as well as Western and non-Western empirical contexts.
Topics to be covered may include:
- Inter- and Intra-state Wars
- Terrorism, Drugs, and Crime
- The Environment and Climate Change
- Policing and surveillance
- Immigration
- Artificial Intelligence
- Energy
- Food security

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The 2-hour weekly seminar will involve a combination of a presentation by the module leader and discussion based around a variety of teaching methods e.g. simulations, field trips, scenario building depending on the topics covered. The themes of the seminars will relate to the theoretical, methodological and substantive issues outlined in the module aims. The seminar-based teaching and learning methods will enable students to develop employment-related skills such as interpersonal communication, oral presentation, teamwork, planning and organising, information literacy and problem solving.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

1 x 4000 word research paper
In writing their research paper, students will be expected to show an ability to collate and evaluate theoretical and empirical material.

Reading Lists

• POL8026's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• POL8026's Timetable