With the collapse of the Cold War era traditional definitions of
security have increasingly emerged as woefully inadequate in
explaining the myriad of challenges facing the international
community in the twenty-first century. These new global security
challenges, often referred to as “soft” security issues, cannot be
resolved or addressed through the development of conventional
military power and include such disparate phenomena as: global
population growth, environmental degradation, migration/refugee
flows, transnational organized crime, transnational terrorism,
resource scarcity, arms proliferation and the rise of private
military companies, and infectious disease. Course requirements will
include regular attendance, participation, several short essays, and
a group presentation. Additional assignments will depend on the size
of the class.