Course Description
The domestic sources of security policy, including the President; the National Security Council; the Departments of State, Defense, and Treasury; and the Congress. The nature of cooperation with allies to advance mutual security interests.
Athena Title
US National Security Policy
Prerequisite
INTL 3200 or INTL 3200E or INTL 3300
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Nations feel the need to defend themselves against foreign threats and internal subversion. This course exams the manner in which the United States seeks to maintain its security in an unsettled world. It examines both the foreign and domestic threats facing the nation and the specific measures adopted by government authorities to counter these threats, both defensively and offensively. The course will be a blend of theory, empirical research findings, ethical evaluations, and concrete case studies. Each student will be expected to take a mid-term examination and a final examination (each respectively worth 25 percent of the student's grade in the course), write a research paper (25 percent), and participate actively in classroom discussions (25 percent). Half of the material covered in the exams will come from the reading and half from lecture.
Topical Outline
Defining the National Interest Establishing a Threat Assessment The Constitutional Underpinnings of National Security The Legal and Cultural Framework of National Security Countering Threats from Overseas Countering Threats at Home Balancing Security with Civil Liberties Balancing War-Making and Diplomacy The Future of U.S. National Security
Syllabus