Security, at least in the (post-)industrial societies of the second half of the XXème century, has become a complete obsession, especially signalled by the saturation of language with the word security. For thirty years on, indeed, the word “security” proliferated, giving rise to new expressions/concepts such as “individual security,” “human security,” “ontological security,” “societal security,” “food security,” “computing security”… that came in addition to already established ones such as “national security” or “social security”.

From the 1990s onwards, the concept of security itself became especially controversial and essentially contested. In the academic world, discussions about concepts of security contributed to the emergence and progressive empowerment (autonomisation) of a field of study now known as “security studies” to which many researchers coming from various disciplinary backgrounds converged.

With this in mind, the main objective of this course is to provide the students with a conceptual grid that could help them to understand the contemporary realities of security and to decipher the discourses on security — be they academic discourses that construct security as an object of knowledge, or discourses by “security experts” when they seek to elaborate and implement security policies by simply taking security for granted.

In this purpose, the course is divided in two sections. After the introductory class, a first set of six classes will offer students a non-exhaustive, yet rather complete overview of the different “approaches” to and theorizations of security when developed as an object of knowledge by those intending to study security. A second set of three thematic classes will focus on three major contemporary sites of materialization and transformation of ‘security’ : ‘Security, Economy, Capital’,‘Security, Border, Migration’,‘Security, Development, Climate change’.

Course overview:
Session 1 – General Introduction

SECTION 1 – THEORIZATIONS
Session 2 – Security in the Realist and Liberal theorizations of IR
Session 3 – Peace Studies and Critical Security Studies
Session 4 – Securitization Theory and Sociological approaches to Security

SECTION 2 – CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES
Session 5 – Security, Liberty, Economy
Session 6 – Security, Border, Migration
Session 7 – Security, Development, Climate Change
Session 8 – Conclusion

At the start of each class, students will be asked to present the readings listed in the syllabus. These presentations will be followed by an in-depth discussion which will be the occasion for the students to connect the conceptual discussion to the pragmatic realities of security as they experience it in the daily life. After a short break, I will then lecture with the double aim of grasping the most crucial elements discussed in class and establishing the continuities from one class to the other.

Students will be graded on the basis of a presentation in class (25%) and final essai due at the end of the semester (75%).

Final grades will be rounded (+/- 0,5 pts) depending on the students overall participation in class.

Attendance and Participation: Attendance is mandatory. Active participation to the discussions during the course is important. Beyond my own lecture, it is expected that students fully engage in the dynamic of the course.