06-1-teachnote-mod1ex-regsec08R0002.pdf

Module 1

Seminar Exercise: Regional Security Challenges

Instructor Notes

This exercise concludes the first week of the program. Students will be divided into regional/language discussion groups to assess security challenges and prioritize them before presenting their findings to the rest of the seminar. A list of potential security challenges is provided as a basis for their discussion. A copy of the exercise is attached to these notes.

The aims of the exercise are as follows:

• To give students the opportunity to identify, prioritize and discuss the major security threats to their region.

• To help students become better acquainted and work with other members of their seminar.

The exercise is very straightforward. Students do not need to be issued with the exercise instructions before Friday 27 January. However, seminar leaders will have to decide on the composition of the regional/language discussion groups in advance. A maximum of four discussion groups is recommended.

The schedule allows 2.5 hours for the exercise. To an extent this is discretionary, but the exercise should take a minimum of 2 hours to complete. The following is a suggested timetable for a morning seminar:

0900 – 0910: Issue exercise, identify student discussion groups and allow individuals to read through the exercise instructions 0910 – 1005: Student discussion groups examine the list security challenges and prioritize them for the relevant region.

1005 – 1015: Break 1015 – 1115: Presentation (10 minutes maximum) and discussion of group findings 1115 – 1130: Seminar administration - Module 2 readings, schedule etc.

Seminar Exercise : Regional Security Challenges

The Dean of the College of International and Security Studies recently tasked a faculty team, composed of professors from various backgrounds and countries, to identify the major security challenges for North America, Europe and Eurasia over the next five years. After much discussion and argument, the faculty team emerged with the following list, in order of priority.

The priority was decided on the basis of the relative severity that the threat posed to peace and stability.

State failure in the region or neighboring regions.

The resumption of current “frozen conflicts”.

Violent revolution caused by the mismanagement of political change.

A terrorist attack on an urban area using Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).

Corruption among political leaders and government officials.

An infectious disease pandemic

Armed conflict caused by separatism.

Economic and political stagnation within the European Union.

The failure of globalization to alleviate poverty.

Transnational crime, including trafficking in people, drugs and arms.

Uncontrolled, illegal migration.

Energy and water supply shortages.

The failure of military reform and transformation measures.

Demographic shifts – “brain drain”, ageing populations etc.

Poor border security management.

Poor regional economic performance.

A global currency crisis.

Do You Agree With the Marshall Center Faculty’s Assessment?

If Not, Why Not? What Threats Might be Missing from the List?

The Exercise The aims of this exercise are to give you the opportunity to identify, prioritize and discuss the major security threats to your region.

• Working in regional and language teams, study the list of security issues above and decide on your own priorities. You will be required to identify your top five threats only.

• Identify any security issues that are not on the faculty list that you believe are relevant to your region.

• Be prepared to make a short presentation of your findings, giving the reasons for your choices and priorities to other teams in the seminar. You will also need to identify disagreements within your regional team and the reasons for these.

• Be ready to question and discuss the findings from other regional teams.

Discussion teams will be based loosely on the regions represented in the seminar. Depending on the mix of countries or languages, the seminar leader may place you in a regional team other than your own.