Security studies

This article is about the discipline within the field of international relations. For the study of security management, see security management studies.

For the journal, see Security Studies (journal).

The United Nations Security Council Chamber in New York, also known as the Norwegian Room

Security studies, also known as international security studies, is an academic sub-field within the wider discipline of international relations. The field rapidly developed within international relations during the Cold War, examples from the era including the academic works of mid-20th century realist political scientists such as Thomas Schelling and Henry Kissinger, who focused primarily on nuclear deterrence. While the field is mostly contained within political science and public policy programs, it is increasingly common to take an interdisciplinary approach, incorporating knowledge from the fields of history, geography (stressing classical geopolitics), military sciences, and criminology.

While the field (much like its parent field of international relations) is often meant to educate students who aspire to professional careers in think tanks, consulting, defense contractors, Human Rights NGOs or in government service positions focused on diplomacy, foreign policy, conflict resolution and prevention, emergency and disaster management, intelligence, and defense, it can also be tailored to students seeking to professionally conduct academic research within academia, or as public intellectuals, pundits or journalists writing about security policy.

The core focus of international security studies is organised violence, the steps individuals and aggregations of individuals can take to both employ and protect themselvers from organized violence (accumulation of knowledge in the former being essential for the accumulation of knowledge in the latter). Thus subjects can range from the micro—weapons types, effectiveness, tactics, human-weapons interfaces, individual and group motivations—to the macro; including the causes of war, nuclear strategy, military doctrine, defense spending, civil-military relations, coercive diplomacy, deterrence, and conventional and unconventional warfare strategies.

More recently, these traditional approaches to security have been supplemented by variants such as critical security studies, the Copenhagen School, and Feminist security studies. Clearly useful contributions to our understanding of insecurity and security have also come from constructivism (international relations), peace studies and critical theory.

See also

• Environmental security
• Feminist security studies
• Human security
• International Relations theory
• National Defense University, College of International Security Affairs
• Peace and conflict studies
• The Institute of World Politics
• Welsh School (security studies)

Journals

International Security and Security Studies are the most prominent journals dedicated specifically to security studies.

• Armed Forces & Society
• Defense Studies
• European Security
• European Journal of International Security
• Georgetown Security Studies Review
• Intelligence and National Security
• International Journal of Conflict and Violence
• International Security
• Journal of Conflict Resolution
• Journal of Global Security Studies
• Journal of Strategic Studies
• Security Dialogue
• Security Studies
• Studies in Conflict and Terrorism
• Terrorism and Political Violence
• Texas National Security Review

Some universities with academic programs in security studies

• Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals, Master's in International Security
• Arizona State University, M.A. in Global Security
• Australian National University, Bachelor of International Security Studies
• Babes-Bolyai University, MA in International Relations, Security Studies and Crisis Management
• Brunel University, MA in Intelligence and Security Studies
• Catholic University of Lille, MsC in International and Security Politics
• Charles University in Prague, Master in International Security Studies
• Coastal Carolina University, Bachelor of Intelligence and National Security Studies
• Copenhagen University, MsC Security Risk Management

• East Carolina University, M.A. in Security Studies; Security Studies Certificate
• University of Huddersfield, M.Sc. in Criminology and Global Security
• George Mason University, M.A. in International Security
• George Washington University, M.A. in Security Policy Studies
• Georgetown University, M.A. in Security Studies, Ph.D. in Government with Security Studies concentration
• Johns Hopkins University, M.A. in Global Security Studies
• Kansas State University, Ph.D. in Security Studies
• King's College London, B.A. in War Studies, MA in War Studies, and PhD in War Studies
• Matej Bel University, Master in Security Studies
• Metropolitan university Prague, Bachelor of International relations and European studies
• Macquarie University, Bachelor of Security Studies
• Masaryk University, Bachelor and Master of Security and Strategic Studies
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (MIT), M.S. Security Studies Program
• Massey University, B.A in Security Studies, M.A. in Defence and Security, Master of International Security
• Paris School of International Affairs, Master in International Security
• Penn State School of International Affairs, Master of International Affairs with concentrations in International Security Studies or International Cybersecurity
• Stanford University, Graduate Certificate in International Security
• University of Arizona, M.A. in International Security Studies
• Faculty of Security Studies, University of Belgrade, Offer Security Studies at both Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels at Faculty of Security studies.
• The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, offers International Security Studies as a Master's and PhD-level field of study.
• Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Master and PhD in International Strategic Studies.
• University of Central Florida, PhD in Security Studies
• University College London, M.Sc. in Security Studies
• University of Denver, Josef Korbel School of International Studies, M.A. in International Security
• University of Leicester, M.A. in International Security Studies
• University of Leiden, Bachelor of Science in Security Studies.
• University of Oklahoma, Bachelor of Arts, International Area Studies in Security
• University of Pittsburgh, Master of Public and International Affairs in Security and Intelligence Studies
• University of St Andrews, MLitt in International Security Studies, MLitt in Middle East, Central Asia and Caucasus Security Studies
• University of Sydney, Master of International Security
• University of Groningen, Master of International Security
• University of Copenhagen, Master of Science in Security Risk Management
• University of Exeter, Master in Applied Security Studies
• University of Trento and Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Master in International Security Studies
• U.S. Air Force Academy, B.S. in Military & Strategic Studies (MSS)
• U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Master of Arts in Security Studies
• [1], [2]

Sources

• Williams, Paul (2008) Security Studies: An Introduction, Abingdon: Routledge