Security Challenges in a Globalizing World (4 ECTS)

In this course, students get acquainted with the underlying social, economic, political and cultural changes of late-modernity that influence perceptions of (in)security and critically discuss the concept of ontological security. This course addresses transformations in society that produce ontological insecurity, like globalisation and hybrid threats. Further, the course will look into the renewed search for ontological security, as manifested in populism, identity politics, re-territorialisation, nationalism and nostalgia.

Security: Actors, Institutions and Constellations (5 ECTS)

The provision of security has increased in complexity over time. The public provision of security is divided amongst several public entities, the pure public provision of security is deemed an illusion, and citizens demand a role in this framework as well. The very concepts of internal and external security become fluid as well, not in the least because of the growing importance of cyber security. Lastly, this multi-actor approach plays in a multilevel setting. In this course, students discuss the different theories on how security can be provided in the most effective way, and what repercussions this has for the organisational structure of security actors.

Social Movements and Political Violence (10 ECTS)

This course will provide students with practical experience in collecting and managing data and will introduce students to key theories that have informed understandings of contentious politics and violent social movements. The course will make extensive reference to ongoing and past academic debates in the field of social movement research. Emphasis will be placed on the appraisal and incorporation of robust empirical findings across different contexts, and the importance and associated challenges of applying these insights to policy.  

Extremism in a Global Context (10 ECTS)

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the concept of political Islamism – from its historical origins to contemporary questions related to Islamist extremism across the world today. This includes exploring Islamism within the South Asia and MENA region and within the Western European context, where various ethnic minority communities are concentrated. It also permits a focus on issues of migration, diaspora and transnationalism.

Security and the Rule of Law (5 ECTS)

Democracies today continue to wrestle with shifting and rapidly evolving threats stemming from conflicts, state coercion, and a variety of security concerns. Differently from other political systems, societies upholding the rule of law require policy and legal responses to respect balances and protect civil, social and human rights. Hence, how can states ensure safety while respecting a democratic legal framework? What kind of powers and responsibilities characterise democratic security governance? The aim of this course is to bring together different theoretical and methodological approaches in order to address these questions. Specifically, the seminars are designed around seven dilemmas related to security and the rule of law addressing both national and international politics.

Elective (5 ECTS)

In Block 4, students are required to pick one elective of 5 ECTS. Find the overview of the electives offered in 2023-2024 here. 

Terrorism and Counterterrorism: Governing Wicked Problems (10 ECTS)

The aim of this course is to familiarise students with the governance of terrorism and the complexities arising in counterterrorism. Taking this combined perspective enables students to understand why dealing with terrorism and counterterrorism are wicked problems. Students are encouraged to adopt a critical attitude and be aware of dilemmas and unintended consequences that can arise from counterterrorism policies. 

The State of the Art and its Discontents (10 ECTS)

This course will hone students’ ability to critically review academic knowledge by delving into some of the main dilemma’s facing terrorism scholars. These range from academic agenda setting (how are research topics and questions determined?) and methodological challenges (how to study a controversial phenomenon like terrorism) to the question of evaluation (how do we know whether the many applied studies have value?). 

Portfolio (1 ECTS)

You will acquire substantive knowledge and (research) skills throughout the CSM-programme, especially in the specialisation courses where assignments are tailored towards testing specific research skills: literature review, data collection, analysis of complex situations and phenomena, and critical review of standing research.

In your portfolio, you include assignments produced during the specialisation courses and common courses, showing the (research) skills and competencies acquired.
The portfolio also functions as a showcase for future employers: you can not only show to employers skills obtained, but also the research papers they produced. The portfolio therefore is also part of the labour market preparation in the CSM-programme. 
Additionally, the portfolio has to be accompanied by a reflection paper and problem analysis assignment. In the specialisation courses and common courses you have to produce short interim reflection papers, that serve as the basis for the final reflection paper.
In the final reflection paper, you reflect on your learning pathway in terms of (research skills) and general insight in Crisis and Security Management as developed during the programme. That way, you show your competency of self-directed learning and the ability to critically reflect on their competencies and achievement as a (future) reflective, academically trained security professional.

A defense meeting in which the portfolio, reflection paper and problem analysis assignment will be presented and discussed, is part of this course and function as the formal final step in order to graduate.