Hi there, welcome to this course on security studies. My name is Bibi van den Berg. >> And my name is Ruth Prins. We work at the institute of Security and Global Affairs of Leiden University in the Netherlands. >> In this course, we will introduce you to the broad theme of security in a complex world. Why is this an interesting topic to study? >> Well at first, a very obvious answer is that security has become one of the key areas of interests in our current times. It is a key area of interest for politicians, world leaders, who worry about national security, and war and peace. It is also a key area of interest for policy makers and regulators, who are faced with questions of designing, implementing and using all sorts of measures to meet security challenges we face in the world today. Security is also an area of interest for the media, who cover a wide variety of harms, including natural disasters, acts of war and the myriad of security risks these give rise to. And finally it's an area for individuals. For you and me. Security's one of the most fundamental needs we have as human beings. Without security, we would not be able to live happy and peaceful lives. >> So the first reason why it's interesting to study security, is because it's an area that receives a lot of attention in today's world. A second reason why it's interesting to look into the topic of security, is because security issues have become increasingly complex, in our modern times. For one, many security issues today are global in their scale or impact. Think of the consequences of war, for instance. Even though war is usually regional and involves a limited amount of countries, the consequences of local wars can have a global impact. Refugees may spread across the entire world, thus making it a global security issue. Moreover, security issues often have a global scale or impact due to a number of trends that emerged in the late 20th Century. For example the rise of globalization, increased mobility and the development of modern technologies. The complexity of modern day security challenges is one of the key topics we will discuss in this course. >> Security is a topic with urgency and complexity. So, plenty of reasons to dive into it using this course. So, what does the course look like, and how does it work? >> Well, first of all, there are movie clips in which Ruth and I will guide you through some of the main building blocks for understanding security challenges in the modern world. We will explain how you can study such issues in an academic way. Second, there are movie clips by guest lecturers. Often times these are professionals working somewhere in the large field of security. These experts will explain for instance, how security issues are addressed in the daily reality of their jobs. >> And third, there are all sorts of assignments. Sometimes, between video clips you'll be asked to write down your thoughts and ideas on a topic. Other times, you'll be asked to take a quiz or answer a question. And finally, attached to this course there's a forum. You can use the forum for social interaction with your fellow students, to share ideas, or to ask questions. >> We hope you'll enjoy this course and wish you good luck with your studies. Let's get started. >> Yes, let's.