European Security

The unit focuses on European security after World War 2, in particular the period after the Cold War. This includes an examination of key European states’ perceptions and strategies in regard to vital security issues, as well as international organizations’ (NATO, EU, OSCE, etc.) and key non-European players’ (primarily the USA) role in European security. Central events and actors’ preferences and strategies will be discussed with the use of relevant International Relations theories.

Knowledge:
The candidate will attain
- thorough knowledge about the Cold War, with particular focus on the causes of the war, the role of Europe, the position of individual states and the reasons why the conflict ended.
- a thorough overview of the most important consequences of the end of the Cold War for Europe, both for states, organizations, security level etc.
- a thorough understanding of key security conflicts which have affected Europe after the Cold War, including an understanding of the views of external players on these conflicts.
- a thorough understanding of the background, the work and the significance today as well as the future plans/focus of the main European organizations discussed in this course.
- a thorough understanding of how key European organizations overlap, and especially how they operate in cooperation with the EU.
- a thorough overview of current European security, including an understanding of the strategies and prioritizing of important European states.
- thorough knowledge of fundamental theoretical perspectives on states and international organizations within the field of International Relations.

Skills:
The candidate will develop skills to
- be able to use key theories within the field of International Relations to explain the actions and strategies of states and organizations in Europe from 1945 until today as well as further ahead.
- be able to assess analytically how international organizations have contributed and continue to contribute to security in Europe.
- be able to examine the main traits in European security policy according to both chronological, geopolitical and thematic perspectives.
- be able to perform well during oral presentations in class, write good term papers and contribute considerably in debates concerning academic questions pertaining to the course.

Lectures and tutorials.
Assessment: 4-hour written exam. The students must pass the oral presentation in order to take the exam.