MEB401 Security Theories and Methodology

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2016
Extent and Intensity
1/1. 10 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Petr Ocelík, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Lukáš Lehotský, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Břetislav Dančák, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Supplier department: Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Thu 17:00–18:30 M117
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The students will be familiarized with main theoretical approaches to energy security in international relations (IR). The aim of the Course is to provide an overview of intellectual history of energy security, to present various conceptualizations of this notion and to demonstrate definitional interconnections between its particular concepts and IR theories. The framework is set up by the presentation of “general security” conceptual issues and traditionalist vs. wideners/deepeners dispute in the beginning of the Course. Afterwards, the two dominant approaches to energy security, strategic and market approach, stemming from rationalist theories of (neo)realism and (neo)liberalism are scrutinized. Following lectures are focused on constructivist and critical approaches to energy security. Thus, students acquire a better understating of the topic, which allows them to use the concepts and the theories in an informed and creative way. The active participation of students in seminars is therefore considered as crucial.
Syllabus
  • 1) Course organization 2) Concept of security in international relations 3) Conceptualization of energy security I. 4) Conceptualization of energy security II. 5) Energy security in IR theories: realism I. 6) Energy security in IR theories: realism II. 7) Energy security in IR theories: liberalism I. 8) Energy security in IR theories: liberalism II. 9) Reading week 10) Energy security in IR theories: English school and culturalism 11) Energy security in IR theories: Copenhagen school 12) Energy security in IR theories: constructivism II. 13) Energy security in IR theories: critical approaches
Literature
  • The Routledge handbook of energy security. Edited by Benjamin K. Sovacool. New York: Routledge, 2011, xviii, 436. ISBN 9780203834602. info
  • KLARE, Michael T. Rising powers, shrinking planet : the new geopolitics of energy. 1st Holt paperback ed. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2009, 339 s. ISBN 9780805089219. info
  • BUZAN, Barry, Ole WAEVER and Jaap de WILDE. Bezpečnost : nový rámec pro analýzu. Translated by Ivo Lukáš. 1. vyd. Brno: Centrum strategických studií, 2005, 267 s. ISBN 8090333362. info
  • NYE, Joseph S. and Robert O. KEOHANE. Power and interdependence. 3rd ed. New York: Longman, 2001, xviii, 334. ISBN 0-321-04857-1. info
  • KLARE, Michael T. Resource wars : the new landscape of global conflict. 1st ed. New York: Metropolitan Books, 2001, 289 s. ISBN 0805055762. info
Teaching methods
lectures, 10 seminars (including preparation of position papers for each of them), each student is obliged to submit and present review on discussed issue, position papers and reviews improve the ability of students to summarize an issue and to evaluate it critically, midterm exam, final exam, readings serve to broaden and deepen the spectrum of knowledge students acquire during lectures
Assessment methods
The final grade is calculated as a composite evaluation consisting of following six parts: (1) attendance, (2) seminar activity, (3) position paper, (4) review, (5) midterm exam, (6) final exam.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2016, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2016/MEB401