GEOG3049

Dr Alan Ingram
Unit value: 0.5 units   Year: 3   Term: 2

Course description
This course uses geographical approaches to develop a critical understanding of security. Examining key theoretical, political and ethical issues, it considers how security is enacted across a range of sites and scales; the drivers and effects of security practices; and the ways in which they are experienced, questioned and contested.

Aims
1) To develop a critical understanding of security using geographical approaches; 2) To further this understanding via reflection on theoretical debates, empirical examples and personal experience; and 3) To enable students to interpret and interrogate security-related phenomena.  Intended learning outcomes 1) Sound knowledge of key theoretical, political and ethical issues and debates surrounding security; 2) Ability to use geographical thinking to enhance the critical analysis of security; and 3) In depth understanding of a specific topic gained in the preparation of a course paper.  Course content The course draws on concepts, theories and debates in political geography and geopolitics. It considers how things (e.g. cities, states, terrorism, disease, populations, money) become the object of security practices and the implications of this for different people and places. Students are encouraged to reflect on examples from their own experience and from popular culture as well as academic and policy texts, and will develop and share ideas and case studies in classes and online. You will select one topic on which to write your course paper, formulating the question in consultation with the course tutor.

Method of Teaching One hour lecture and one hour class/workshop per week. Classes and workshops will focus on individual and group learning, which will be shared online. Participation in classes and production of group work is compulsory for course completion.  Form of Assessment Course paper (50%) and two hour written exam (50%).  Pre-requisites and Relationships to other Courses Students who have not taken GEOG2019 Political Geography and Geopolitics are advised to do extra work in preparation for this course.

Suggested Reading
Gregory D Pred A eds (2007) Violent Geographies: Fear, Terror and Political Violence Abingdon: Routledge
Ingram A Dodds K eds (2009) Spaces of Security and Insecurity: Geographies of the War on Terror Farnham: Ashgate
Graham S (2010) Cities Under Siege: The New Military Urbanism London: Verso