Advanced International Security
Course Number: 84-720
This course provides a graduate-level overview of major theories, debates, and empirical research in international security. It examines the causes, dynamics, and consequences of war, focusing on how states manage security, use military power, and respond to threats in the international system. Drawing on scholarship in political science and related disciplines, the course explores how strategic interaction, technological change, and organizational factors shape patterns of conflict and cooperation.
Topics include alliance politics, the balance of power, arms races, and the security dilemma, as well as conventional warfare and military doctrine, air power and coercion, nuclear weapons and deterrence, logistics and communications, insurgency and counterinsurgency, terrorism, and intelligence. Through engagement with foundational texts and contemporary research, students will critically evaluate competing theoretical perspectives and apply them to historical and contemporary security challenges.
The course aims to develop students’ ability to analyze strategic behavior, assess security institutions, and contribute to scholarly and policy debates on war and international security.
Academic Year: 2026-2027
Semester(s): Fall
Units: 12
Location(s): Pittsburgh
