PSC 247 - Human (In)Security in a Comparative Perspective

Course Units: 1

With a focus on “the daily lives of ordinary people”, the recent tradition of Human Security redefines safety as “freedom from fear and freedom from want.” At the interface of security, development, and Human Rights grounding democratization, Human Security adopts the perspective of the common citizen, calling for collaboration between states and international and grassroots organizations to prevent and eliminate obstacles undermining people’s autonomy, rights, and development. This course aims, first, to provide students with a solid conceptual and applied knowledge of Human Security. Second, by learning about the deep-seated conditions that hinder people’s safety from fear and from want, students will gain a thicker perspective on the structural challenges for peace and democracy around the world through the eyes of the people on the ground.