STV4225B ¨C Strategy and Security Policy

Course content

The aim of the course is to study how the military tool of statecraft is used today, its effects, constraints, and dynamics in the foreign policy of especially Western states. Moreover, the course concentrates on the role of strategic thinking (conditions, constraints, effects) and the employment of military force as a tool for Western states in three types of security policy: great power politics, asymmetric warfare, and coercive diplomacy.

The course will analyze the post-cold war period only, emphasizing the role of NATO and the UNSC. It will acquaint the student with conventional weapons (land, sea, and air power) as well as WMDs. Understanding and analyzing strategic thinking requires knowledge of the military tool as well as of the main political actors that deploy it.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

The student will:

• obtain knowledge of international, especially European, security policy
• be well acquainted with strategy studies of war
• become familiar with the national security and defence policies of the European great powers and modern warfare (technology and types of war)
• understand the requirements of strategy versus political "caveats" many European states impose

Skills

The student will:

• learn to analyze European international security policy from the vantagepoint of strategic requirements.
• become familiar with the security policy of major states and of NATO
• learn about the UN security council and the ad bellum rules of international law
• provide analytical skills at understanding the strategic dynamic of international politicism aspecially in the security and defence field

Competences

The student will:

• become conversant with a major field of European politics which is of great importance to Norway

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

Students enrolled in other Master`s Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.?Guest student on master courses at the Department of Political Science - Faculty of Social Sciences (uio.no)

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

Apply for guest student status if you are admitted to another Master`s programme.

For incoming students

All Master`s courses in Political Science must be registered manually by the Department, they will not appear in Studentweb. Contact your international coordinator at UiO.

Recommended previous knowledge

Bachelor`s degree in Political Science or similar.

Teaching

10 lectures.

Compulsory activity: term paper

In the event of illness or other valid reasons, you can apply for postponement of compulsory activity.

Apply for valid absence from or need for postponement of compulsory activity

Examination

3-hour school exam.

Examination support material

Usage of a dictionary during the examination is allowed, subject to prior inspection by SV-info.?See guidelines for further details.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.