69901 - Pan-European Security

Learning outcomes

Students are expected to learn the evolution of security dynamics in the pan-European space, particularly since the end of the Cold War. To achieve this aim the students will learn some of the main theoretical and conceptual tools necessary to study the security governance of the area; they will explore the characteristics and evolution of the main security organizations in the macro.-region (EU, NATO, OSCE, CSTO, SCO); and they will discuss the relationship among the main powers in the area (particularly, the EU, Russia and China) in a set of relevant dossier and crises.

Course contents

The course is organized in lectures (first parte of the course) and seminars (second part), as detailed in the following program. Lectures aim to introduce students to the core tenets of the discipline. Seminars aim to provide occasions for in-depth discussions of class materials and exercises. For the seminar section of the course, students will be divided in two groups. Students are required to carefully read the assigned material before the session and actively participate through presentations and debates.

 

                                        SCHEDULE

LECTURES

Wednesday, 21 February 2024 13:00 - 15:00 What is security?

 

Thursday, 22 February 2024 15:00 - 17:00 Security in the Pan-European Space

 

Wednesday, 28 February 2024 13:00 - 15:00 IR Grand Theories and Security Studies1

 

Thursday, 29 February 2024 15:00 - 17:00 IR Grand Theories and Security Studies2

 

Wednesday, 6 March 2024 13:00 - 15:00 The Governance of Securit(ization)

 

Thursday, 7 March 2024 15:00 - 17:00 The EU and European security 1

 

Wednesday, 13 March 2024 13:00 - 15:00 The EU and European security 2

 

Thursday, 14 March 2024 15:00 - 17:00 The EU and European security 3

 

Tuesday, 19 March 2024 (NB different day) 11:00-13:00 The Strategic implications of Emerging and Disruptive Technologies, with Prof. James Sperling.

 

Wednesday, 20 March 2024 13:00 - 15:00 The European union as an agent of securitization, with Prof. James Sperling.

 

Thursday, 21 March 2024 15:00 - 17:00 Eurasian Security Governance, with Prof.James Sperling.

 

Wednesday, 27 March 2024 13:00 - 15:00 NATO and its post-Cold War transformation 1

 

Wednesday, 3 April 2024. Discussion on Nato at 75.

Thursday, 4 April 2024 15:00 - 17:00 13:00 - 15:00 NATO‘s partnerships and its relation with Russia, with Prof Nicolò Fasola.

Tuesday, 9 April 2024 11:00 - 13:00 Global Russia: Statecraft and Foreign Policy Beyond the West, roundtable discussion with Prof Derek Averre (info here).

 

Wednesday, 10 April 2024 13:00 - 15:00 OSCE + Guest Lecture: The OSCE-A talk with Ambassador Baldi (OSCE)

 

Thursday, 11 April 2024, 15:00 - 17:00 Guest Lecture: "Combattentismo e terrorismo d'esportazione: i focolai jihadisti tra Balcani, Caucaso e Asia Centrale"(Fighting and Exporting Terrorism: Jihadist Hotbeds in the Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia), Prof Domenico Guzzo (University of Bologna)

 

SEMINARS

GROUP 1: Wednesday 13-15

GROUP 2: Thursday 15-17

If not otherwise clarified below

 

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 13:00 - 15:00

GROUP 1 -The Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Collective Security Treaty Organization

 

Thursday, 18 April 2024 15:00 - 17:00

GROUP 2 -The Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Collective Security Treaty Organization

 

Wednesday, 24 April 2024 13:00 - 15:00

NO CLASS

 

Thursday, 2 May 2024 15:00 - 17:00

GROUP 2 -Ontological Security in the West-Russia relations

 

Friday, 3 May 2024 (NB different day) 11:00 – 13:00

GROUP 1 -Ontological Security in the West-Russia relations

 

Wednesday, 8 May 2024 (NB different time) 11:00 - 13:00

ALL –GUEST LECTURE,Technological Change and Military Innovation: Challenges for European Security,Dr Andrea Gilli(Stanford University). (blended)

 

Wednesday, 8 May 2024 13:00 - 15:00

ALL_Class_ presentations and debates on NATO AND EU MISSIONS

 

07.05.24 (13:00-15:00)

ALL_Class EU’s counterterrorism, Prof Silvia D'Amato (Leiden University)

 

Thursday, 9 May 2024 15:00 - 17:00

ALL – GUEST LECTURE,The ‘emotive turn’ in International Relations and Russia’s foreign policy,Prof.Regina Heller

 

Wednesday, 15 May 2024 13:00 - 15:00

GROUP 1 -Bordering Practices and collective securitization

 

Thursday,16 May 2024 15:00 - 17:00

GROUP 2 -Bordering Practices and collective securitization

 

Wednesday, 22 May 2024 13:00 - 15:00

GROUP 1 –Roundtable – The future of European Security

 

Thursday, 23 May 2024 15:00 - 17:00

GROUP 2 -Roundtable – The future of European Security

 

 

COMPULSORY READING AND GUIDING QUESTIONS

What is security?

Guiding questions:

• What does “security” mean?
• How has the concept evolved?
• How have security studies evolved?

  Reading:

  Paul D. Williams, “Introduction”, in Security studies: an introduction / edited by Paul D. Williams and Matt McDonald. - 3. Ed London ; New York : Routledge, 2023 [available here (under preview book) https://www.routledge.com/Security-Studies-An-Introduction/Williams-McDonald/p/book/9781032162737]

  Munich Security Report 2024 (read the Execuritve Summary): https://securityconference.org/en/publications/munich-security-report-2024/

 

Security in the Pan-European Space

Guiding questions:

• How has European security evolved?
• What are the main European security actors?

  Reading:

  David J. Galbreath, Jocelyn Mawdsley, Laura Chappell (eds) Contemporary European Security, Routledge 2019, Chapters 1, 2.

 

IR Grand Theories and Security Studies 1

Guiding questions:

• What are the main features of a realist approach to security?
• What are the main differences between different realist approaches to security?
• What are the main features of a liberal approach to security?
• What are the main differences between different liberal approaches to security?

Reading:

Paul D. Williams and Matt McDonald (eds) Security studies: an introduction - 3. Ed London ; New York : Routledge, 2018; Chapters “Realism” and “Liberalism” [previous book edition in the course material]

 

IR Grand Theories and Security Studies 2

Guiding questions:

• What are the main features of a constructivist approach to security?
• What are the main differences between different constructivist approaches to security?
• What are the main features of a critical approach to security?
• What are the main differences between different critical approaches to security?

Reading:

Paul D. Williams and Matt McDonald (eds) Security studies: an introduction - 3. Ed London ; New York : Routledge, 2018; Chapters “Constructivism”, “Critical Theory” [previous book edition in the course material]

David J. Galbreath, Jocelyn Mawdsley, Laura Chappell (eds) Contemporary European Security, Routledge 2019, Chapter 3.

The Governance of Securit(ization)

Guiding questions:

• What does security governance mean?
• How does securitization work?
• What are the main differences between different constructivist approaches to security?
• What are the main features of a critical approach to security?
• What are the main differences between different critical approaches to security?

Reading:

Mark Webber , “Security Governance”, in James Sperling (ed) Handbook of Governance and Security, Edward Elgar, Northampton USA, 2014, pp. 17-40. [course material]

Stępka M. (2022) The Copenhagen School and Beyond. A Closer Look at Securitisation Theory. In: Identifying Security Logics in the EU Policy Discourse. IMISCOE Research Series. Springer, Cham. Available online: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93035-6_2

 

The EU and European security 1

Guiding questions:

• How has the EU integration process shaped European security?
• How has the historical legacy influenced the EU’s security profile?
• How has the EU’s foreign and security policy evolved?

Reading:

Keukeleire, S. & T. Delreux, The Foreign Policy of the European Union, 3rd edition, Bloomsbury, 2022, Chapter 1. [Course material]

 David J. Galbreath, Jocelyn Mawdsley, Laura Chappell (eds) Contemporary European Security, Routledge 2019, Chapters 6 and 7.

[non compulsory background reading on, respectively, institutions and policies of the EU: Keukeleire, S. & T. Delreux, Chapters 2, 3 and 4]

 

The EU and European security 2

Guiding questions:

• Is there an EU’s Grand Strategy?
• How has the EU’s strategy evolved in the internal and external domains?

Reading:

S. Economides and J. Sperling, EU Security Strategies. Extending the EU system of Security Governance, Routledge, 2018, chapters 1 (Sperling) and 7 (Cottey) [course material]

 

The EU and European security 3

Guiding questions:

• What is EU’s Strategic Sovereignty
• How can it be accomplished? With which problems?

Reading:

EU’S Strategic Compass: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/03/21/a-strategic-compass-for-a-stronger-eu-security-and-defence-in-the-next-decade/

Daniel Fiott, Strategic autonomy: towards ‘European sovereignty’ in defence? EUISS Brief Issue 2018 - https://www.iss.europa.eu/sites/default/files/EUISSFiles/Brief%2012__Strategic%20Autonomy.pdf

European Parliament, Briefing EU Strategic Autonomy - https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2022/733589/EPRS_BRI(2022)733589_EN.pdf

 

Guest Lecture: The European union as an agent of securitization, with Prof. James Sperling.

TBD

 

Guest Lecture: The Strategic implications of Emerging and Disruptive Technologies, with Prof. James Sperling.

TBD

 

NATO and its post-Cold War transformation 1

Guiding Questions

• How has NATO’s evolved?
• What have been NATO’s role during the Cold War and afterwards?
• Reading:

The North Atlantic Treaty, Official Text, Washington D.C., April 4, 1949, http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/official_texts_17120.htm

James Sperling, “NATO and the transatlantic community, 1949-2019, in David J. Galbreath, Jocelyn Mawdsley, Laura Chappell (eds) Contemporary European Security, Routledge 2019, chapter 4.

Andrew Cottey, “NATO”, in James Sperling (ed) Handbook of Governance and Security, Edward Elgar, Northampton USA, 2014, pp. 638-655.

 

NATO and its post-Cold War transformation 2

Guiding Questions

• What are NATO’s core tasks?
• What are NATO’s Partnership and what are they for?

Reading

Marten, K. NATO enlargement: evaluating its consequences in Russia. Int Polit 57, 401–426 (2020). [course's material]

Ozawa, M. (2021). "Adapting NATO-Russia Dialogue." NDC Policy Brief, no. 12/2021. Rome: NATO Defense College (NDC), https://www.ndc.nato.int/download/downloads.php?icode=702 .

Hope, I. (ed.) (2018). "Projecting Stability: Elixir or Snake Oil?" NDC Research Paper, no. 1. Rome: NATO Defense College (NDC), NDC - News- New NDC Research Paper Series <i>Projecting Stability: Elixir or Snake Oil?</i> (nato.int) [https://www.ndc.nato.int/news/news.php?icode=1242] .

 

Nato at 75

1. Sara Bjerg Moller, NATO at 75: The Perils of Empty Promises, Survival, 2023 - Attached

2. Maria Mälksoo, NATO's new front: deterrence moves eastward, International Affairs, Volume 100, Issue 2, March 2024, Pages 531–547, https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiae008 [https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiae004]

3. Stéfanie von Hlatky, Émile Lambert-Deslandes, The Ukraine War and nuclear sharing in NATO, International Affairs, Volume 100, Issue 2, March 2024, Pages 509–530, https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiae001

 

Guest Lecture: Nato - Russia Relations, with Dr Nicolò Fasola

 

 

The OSCE

Guiding questions

• What are the main characteristics of the OSCE?
• What type of strengths and weaknesses it has?

Reading

D.J. Galbreath (2019), “The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe”, in David J. Galbreath, Jocelyn Mawdsley, Laura Chappell (eds) Contemporary European Security, Routledge 2019, Chapter 5.

OSCE Factsheet: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2021/696190/EPRS_BRI(2021)696190_EN.pdf

Presentation: The OSCE and the War in Ukraine

Debate: The end of a Pan-European security organization? The faith of the OSCE

 

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Collective Security Treaty Organization

Guiding questions

• What are the main characteristics of the two organizations?
• What type of strengths and weaknesses they have?
• What do they tell us about Russia’s security policy

Reading

Yulia Nikitina, “Russia's Regionalism Projects in Eurasia” in Mai'a Cross, ‎Ireneusz Pawel Karolewski, European-Russian Power Relations in Turbulent Times, Ann Arbour University of Michigan Press, 2021. available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3998/mpub.10202357.11?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents

SCO Factsheet: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2015/564368/EPRS_BRI(2015)564368_EN.pdf

CSTO Factsheet: https://evnreport.com/understanding-the-region/fact-sheet-what-is-the-collective-security-treaty-organization/

Presentations:

• The SCO, the CSTO organizations and the Ukraine war
• China-Russia relations

 

Ontological Securityand conflicts

Guiding questions

• What do we mean by ontological security?
• How is it related to the Ukraine war?
• Does the concept help us understanding the current West-Russia relations?

Reading

Dina Moulioukova & Roger E. Kanet (2021) Ontological security: a framework for the analysis of Russia’s view of the world, Global Affairs, 7:5, 831-853, DOI: 10.1080/23340460.2021.2000173 [https://doi.org/10.1080/23340460.2021.2000173]

 

Vincent Della Sala (2023) Ontological security, crisis and political myth: the Ukraine war and the European Union, Journal of European Integration - pre-print [Course’s material]

Presentazioni student: Case studies on ontological security at work on conflict and cooperation:

• The Balkans
• The Southern Caucasus
• Central Asia

 

GUEST LECTURE, Technological Change and Military Innovation: Challenges for European Security, Dr Andrea Gilli

TBD

 

NATO and EU Missions

Guiding questions:

• What have been the main EU Missions? with which characteristics?
• How has PESCO evolved?
• How has the relation between the EU and NATO evolved?

Reading: TBD

Presentation: The State of the Art of PESCO

Presentation: EU Missions. Case studies

Presentation: NATO-EU relations

 

GUEST LECTURE, The 'emotive turn' in International Relations and Russia's foreign policy, Dr Regina Heller

Reading

Regina Heller (2024), "Important, not impotent: Russia and the exercise of agency through the war in Ukraine", Global Discourse, 14(1), 180-190 [course material].

 

Bordering Practices and collective securitization

Guiding Questions

• How can we conceptualize bordering practices?
• What is the relationship between bordering and security?

Reading

Michela Ceccorulli, “Back to Schengen: the collective securitisation of the EU free-border area”, West European Politics, 42(2), 2019 – available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01402382.2018.1510196

Giorgio Grappi & Sonia Lucarelli (2022) Bordering power Europe? The mobility-bordering nexus in and by the European Union, Journal of Contemporary European Studies, 30:2, 207-219 [course’s material]

Presentations:

• EU’s collective securitization of China
• The EU, anti-terrorism and the internal-external security nexus

The future of European Security. - Roundtable

Office hours

See the website of Sonia Lucarelli