Module 1.5 Sun Tzu

What factors and conditions explain patterns of peace and conflict in a global system of political, social, and economic actors competing for power, influence, and advantage? To answer this question, this course introduces graduate students to core concepts, paradigms, and seminal debates from security studies broadly defined. The purpose is to establish a foundation for investigating the causes and dynamics of conflict at the interstate, regional, and global levels of analysis. This perspective integrates theory and practice, enabling students to contextualize and assess the strategies actors employ to advance their interests as well the underlying structural and configurational constraints shaping how these actors make decisions.