QI3004 International Security

To what extent is international security a contested concept among academics? In your answer, explain the main ways in which the field has been defined and discuss the factors that shape these definitions. How far, if at all, can different perspectives be reconciled through the use of competing IR theories (for example realism, liberalism, constructivism, critical approaches)?

Section B: Answer ONE of the following two questions:

Question 2 – Interstate war
Discuss how major theories of interstate war explain its causes and possible solutions. How does the “levels of analysis” framework (systemic, state, and individual levels) help us organise these explanations?

Question 3 – Intrastate war
Discuss the role of intrastate war in international security. What are the main causes of civil war, and what types of solutions are commonly proposed? How do state failure and ethnic conflict deepen our understanding of intrastate war?

 Section C: Answer ONE of the following two questions:

Question 4 – “Non-traditional” security threats
“Non-traditional” threats such as public health crises, environmental/resource insecurity, and transnational organised crime have become central to the international security agenda. Drawing on course material, discuss how at least two of these issue areas can be understood as security problems rather than just technical or economic challenges. In your answer, analyse key drivers of vulnerability (for example globalisation, inequality, weak state capacity) and assess the strengths and limits of international cooperation in responding to these threats.

Question 5 – Cybersecurity, cybercrime and cyberwarfare
To what extent does the rise of cyberspace, especially cybercrime, cyber espionage, and cyberwarfare, require us to rethink core concepts such as sovereignty, deterrence and war in international security? In your answer, use examples from both criminal and state-based cyber operations, and where possible refer to the GCC or wider Middle East context.