Prospectus

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Algorithmic Security Politics

Course
2021-2022

Description

From regulating biometric borders to powering killer unmanned drones and autonomous weapons, artificial intelligence is in the process of revolutionizing the global politics of international security. The aim of this course is to answer two main questions: First, what exactly are these current developments? Distinguishing fact from fiction, it aims at providing students an empirical account of these technological developments and their impact on contemporary politics of security. Second, when not only humans, but also technologies make the decisions, how can we theorize agency, consciousness and responsibility? The course thus introduces students to new developments in theories of political science and international relations and their dialogue with adjacent fields such as science and technologies studies and critical data studies.

Course Objectives

At the end of the program, students will have acquired, cognitive and non-cognitive skills which contribute to their personal development and professional life: experimenting with rational, sensory and emotional forms of knowledge production, critical media literacy and thinking through concrete creative practice; experience of failure as a condition for innovation and development of collaborative and leadership skills in a professional environment.

Mode of Instruction

Seminars.

Assessment Method

Students are assessed on: 1. Participation: production of experiments, participation to class debates on readings and participation to peer feedback 2. Final seminar paper: critical assessment of the student’s own practice-based experiments, successes and failures on the basis of the conceptual and theoretical debates in the seminar.

Literature

tba

Registration

See 'Practical Information'

This course is earmarked for the specializations PLJ, NECD and IP

Timetable

Timetable

Contact

f.ragazzi@fsw.leidenuniv.nl