![Sample our Politics & International Relations journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5947/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Politics-International-Relations.jpg"})
Abstract
Colleges and universities continue to expand their curricula to include cybersecurity as an explicit course of study in political science. But what is taught in a course on cybersecurity? Are syllabi deep dives into technology, broad romps through contemporary policy debates, or do they reflect a more varied disposition? Studying the syllabi of an area of study, especially one as immature at cybersecurity, can reveal a great deal about the assumptions and practices of scholars. This paper reviews two dozen syllabi to identify key literature in the field, generate an overview of best practices on teaching cyber conflict across academic institutions, help identify potential gaps in current course offerings, and assist faculty in identifying core concepts and readings. We found that few courses use the same literature, such that there is tremendous intellectual and disciplinary diversity in course content. Of the top 13 readings across the surveyed syllabi, all but two were published in the last seven years. The state of play in cybersecurity education is to emphasize recent scholarship, largely found outside the top-tier journals in political science and related disciplines. Highlighting these findings, this paper explores some additional materials and resources which can complement a still sparse canon of cybersecurity literature.
Notes
1 The most recent version available, online or by other means. Many of the syllabi collected are a few years old, but only these older versions were available at the time of collection.
2 Our analysis combined graduate and undergraduate courses.
3 The syllabi that were found but did not match the selection criteria can also be found in the reference list.
4 It is unclear to what degree the sample of course syllabi differs from the general population.
5 We were unable to measure the evolution of syllabi over time because of the lack of multiple available versions. The only significant exception is George Mason University’s course on “Cyber Warfare.” While the 2015 syllabus by Michael Robinson emphasizes practical learning and Russian and Chinese threat actors, the 2018 syllabus by Brian M. Mazanec favors group interactions and a wider overview of threat actors as well as ethical and legal considerations. Given the time gap, differences in instructors, and teaching methods, it is fair to consider the 2018 syllabus a brand-new course rather than a mere evolution of its 2015 counterpart.
6 Additionally, Axelrod’s course at the University of Michigan and Malevesti’s course at Tufts University have a class on non-state actors.
7 Other than actors using cyberspace as a medium to recruit terrorists or spread their message.
8 For instance, the cybersecurity course at Charles University lists Myriam Dunn Cavelty’s “Cyber-Terror-looming Threat or Phantom Menace? The Framing of the US Cyber-Threat Debate.”
9 Two other topics which received repeated attention on several syllabi include “critical infrastructure protection” and “attribution.”
10 Tim Stevens at King’s College lists more general critical security studies, and Jeff Taliaferro/Ming Chow at Tufts University also lists more general reading on analogies (for the class on cyber analogies).
11 We did not consider the recommended reading listed on the syllabi.
12 The Wikipedia page of Tor can also be found on the syllabus of “Technology, Security and Conflict to the Cyber Age” at Harvard.
13 Tufts University course on “An Introduction to Power and Conflict in Cyberspace” also lists several interesting sources, including a Cross-Site Scripting (CSS) tutorial by Chris Eng.
14 A notable exception is Tim Stevens’ course at King’s College. The syllabus offers several reading suggestions on critical security studies research methods and methodologies (recommended but not required reading) for the first week of the course (five books).
15 Equally, Gorwa and Smeets review all cyber conflict articles published in a top-100 political science journal between 1990 and 2018 and find that the literature has yet to fully tap into the potential methodological insights of political science.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Trey Herr
Trey Herr is the Director of the Cyber Statecraft Initiative under the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council. His team works on the role of the technology industry in geopolitics, cyber conflict, the security of the internet, cyber safety, and growing a more capable cybersecurity policy workforce. Previously, he was a Senior Security Strategist with Microsoft handling cloud computing and supply chain security policy as well as a fellow with the Belfer Cybersecurity Project at Harvard Kennedy School and a non-resident fellow with the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. He holds a PhD in Political Science and BS in Musical Theatre and Political Science.
Arthur P. B. Laudrain
Arthur P. B. Laudrain is a Rotary Foundation Global Scholar for Peace at the University of Oxford and Consultant for National Cyber Capabilities at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. His research was featured on BBC Science Focus, Lawfare, The Military Balance+, the Council on Foreign Relations and NATO CyCon US, among others. Arthur holds an MA in International Peace and Security from King’s College London and an LLM in Public International Law from Leiden Law School.
Max Smeets
Max Smeets is a senior researcher at the Center for Security Studies (CSS). He is also an Affiliate at Stanford University Center for International Security and Cooperation and Research Associate at the Centre for Technology & Global Affairs, University of Oxford. Max was a College Lecturer in Politics at Keble College, University of Oxford, and Research Affiliate of the Oxford Cyber Studies Program. He was also a Carnegie Visiting Scholar at Columbia University SIPA and a Doctoral Visiting Scholar at Sciences Po CERI. He holds an undergraduate degree from University College Roosevelt, Utrecht University, and an MPhil in International Relations from the University of Oxford, Brasenose College. Max has a diverse professional background, having worked for financial, political, and nongovernmental organizations. More information at maxsmeets.com