International relations and contemporary strategic issues. Diplomacy, security and defence.
General description:
The International Relations and Contemporary Strategic Issues minor, supported by the Interdisciplinary Centre on Strategic Issues (CIENS), aims to offer a multidisciplinary approach to international relations in their politico-strategic dimension. In a troubled geopolitical context, which has brought the balance of power between powers back to the fore, the aim is to offer both introductory and more in-depth courses, enabling students to familiarise themselves with strategic issues in the broadest sense – nuclear deterrence, cyberdefence, arms control and disarmament, strategic thinking, outer space, information warfare and AI, etc. – while benefiting from the twofold expertise of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Strategic Issues (CIENS). -It also benefits from the input of academics and practitioners specialising in these issues. As the ideal interface between fundamental academic research and strategic decision-making, CIENS also offers internship opportunities in the fields of diplomacy, security and defence, in particular with our partners (MEAE, CEA, DGRIS-MinArm, ANSSI).
Responsible for the minor :
Frédéric GLORIANT, Director of CIENS, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary History:
frederic.gloriant@ens.psl.eu
Useful contact:
Stéphanie BRAQUEHAIS, CIENS project manager:
stephanie.braquehais@ens.psl.eu
Tél. : +33 1 44 32 32 56
Target audience for the minor and expected prerequisites
Open to all, no pre-requisites.
The International Relations and Contemporary Strategic Issues minor is particularly relevant for students from the Ecole Normale Supérieure interested in careers in international relations, whether in the senior civil service – diplomacy, defence, security – or in research.
Pedagogical objectives of the minor and expected benefits for students’ professional integration
Since the multifaceted geopolitical crisis of 2014 to 2016 – marked by Russia’s annexation of Crimea, the migrant reception crisis and the wave of jihadist attacks in France and Europe, and finally, at the Euro-Atlantic level, the Brexit and the election of Trump – the balance of power between powers and strategic and nuclear issues have been brought back to the forefront of the European and international stage. The return of high-intensity warfare to the European continent since February 2022 with the Russo-Ukrainian war has only confirmed this turning point, and calls for a revival of strategic thinking in France and Europe.
In this troubled geopolitical context, the International Relations and Contemporary Strategic Issues minor, run by the Interdisciplinary Centre for Strategic Issues (CIENS), aims to offer a multidisciplinary approach to the political and strategic dimension of international relations. As the ideal interface between fundamental academic research and strategic decision-making, CIENS offers an original range of courses based on the combined contributions of academics and practitioners specialising in contemporary strategic issues, and a training-through-research approach. Drawing on the long-standing interest in these issues shown by eminent students of the Ecole Normale Supérieure – from Raymond Aron and Pierre Hassner to the many former students who have joined the Quai d’Orsay – the ultimate aim is to help bridge the gap that still too often separates the academic world from the world of strategic decision-making in France.
Comprising both introductory and more in-depth courses, the minor will enable students to familiarise themselves with contemporary strategic issues in the broadest sense of the term – nuclear deterrence, cyber defence, arms control and disarmament, strategic thinking, outer space, information warfare and AI, etc. – and to develop their knowledge and skills. The minor aims to:
provide students with an in-depth understanding of the principles, concepts and different approaches relating to international security, foreign and defence policy, and strategy ;
provide students with a practical understanding of the challenges and issues facing practitioners in these fields; and
acquire the ability to critically analyse defence and security policies and their effects on society.
CIENS also offers interesting internship opportunities in the fields of diplomacy, security and defence, particularly with our partners (MEAE, CEA, DGRIS-MinArm, ANSSI).
Lastly, the International Relations and Contemporary Strategic Issues minor opens the door to the very rich range of courses with an international scope that exist within the School’s Departments (in particular Geography & Territories; History; Social Sciences; Philosophy) and other Centres (CERES, CIEE), as well as to a whole range of courses offered by our three partner universities: Paris-Dauphine/PSL (Master Peace Studies), INALCO (Master R. I.), Panthéon-Assas (Masters R.I. and security-defence), via mutualisation agreements signed with CIENS.
Tuition requirements to validate the minor / structuring of the minor
Validating the minor implies validating a total of 30 ECTS of teaching.
The 30 ECTS to be validated break down as follows:
12 ECTS for the CIENS introductory courses ;
9 ECTS for the CIENS in-depth course, which will include the completion of an individual or group tutored research project;
9 ECTS for the opening course on international issues, by choosing, from a list updated each year, courses offered by the departments and other centres of the ENS, as well as by the CIENS partner universities (Dauphine, INALCO, Paris II).
Details of the courses included in the minor are given below.
An internship of at least 2 months and ideally 6 months in a partner institution working on international issues and/or politico-strategic questions is highly recommended, but not compulsory (for example, in France, MEAE, Ministry of the Armed Forces / DGRIS, CEA-DAM, ANSSI; organisations européennes et internationales ; ONG et think tanks on international relations etc.).
List (indicative, non-exhaustive) of courses offered in the minor (if the minor project is accepted, this list will be added to at the start of each new academic year)
CIENS introductory courses: 12 ECTS
Two courses to be validated from among the following 4 (each representing 6 ECTS, 12 2-hour sessions):
Why deterrence? Introduction to contemporary nuclear and strategic issues (S1)
History of nuclear deterrence (S1)
Theories and sociology of international relations (S1)
What is strategy? Theory, concepts and practice to be confirmed
CIENS Advanced Track: 9 ECTS
Three courses to be validated within the following offer (each in-depth course represents 3 ECTS, 6 sessions of 2h):
Introduction to cyber conflictuality: New conflicts in other theatres, or new theatres for the same conflicts? (S2)
Cyber conflictuality (in-depth) to be confirmed
Space and strategic competition(s) (S2)
European nuclear trajectories – research seminar (S2)
Art, culture and war to be confirmed
[What will become of the course on arms control and disarmament and of the research seminar on AI?] [discussion in progress]
PSL-Week in March, ‘Major contemporary nuclear and strategic issues’
NB: recommended for students who have not taken the introductory courses “Why deterrence?” or “History of nuclear deterrence”; as PSL-Weeks generally entitle students to 2 ECTS, additional research work will be required to obtain 3 ECTS.
PSL-Week in November , ‘Outer Space, Cyber & Hybrid Warfare: New Areas of Conflict’.
NB: recommended for students who have not taken the “Initiation to Cyber Conflictuality” or “Space and Strategic Competition(s)” courses; as PSL-Weeks generally entitle students to 2 ECTS, additional research work will be required to obtain 3 ECTS.
The in-depth course will also include the compulsory completion of an individual or group tutored research project, the theme of which will be related to one of the in-depth courses chosen from the list above.
This tutored project is likely to take a variety of forms (mini-dissertation, essay, field survey, operational note, group project, student seminar, etc.), which will be determined by a dialogue between the student and one of the CIENS teacher-researchers.
The tutored project may also give rise to “researcher/practitioner” co-supervision, i.e. involving a teacher-researcher from CIENS and a practitioner of international and strategic issues, in keeping with the CIENS vocation.
- Un parcours d’ouverture sur les questions internationales :
9 ECTS
Two to three courses to be validated, on international issues in the broadest sense, given by ENS departments, other ENS centres and CIENS partner university courses (Paris-Dauphine, Master Peace Studies; Paris II-Panthéon-Assas, Master Relations internationales et Sécurité & Défense; INALCO, Master Relations internationales).
Indicative and non-exhaustive list of courses that can be validated as part of this opening programme:
Département Géographie & Territoires :
Géopolitique des mobilités, Hervé Amiot, S1, 6 ECTS
Géopolitique des marchés financiers, Maude Sainteville, S1, 6 ECTS – 21 heures
Ukraine : géographie politique d’un pays en guerre, Hervé Amiot, S2, 6 ECTS
Théorie et pratique du risque, Peter Burgess, 1er semestre, 6 ECTS
Département d’Histoire
L’Histoire transnationale et globale. Actualités des historiographies transnationales impériales & globales, Hélène Blais, Charlotte Guichard, Rahul Markovits, Pierre Salmon, David Schreiber, Stéphane Van Damme, Blaise Wilfert, séminaire, S1-S2, 6 ECTS
Les mondes coloniaux, XIXe-XXe siècles, Hélène Blais, S1, 6 ECTS, 24h
Se souvenir de la guerre en Europe depuis 1945, David Schreiber, S2, 6 ECTS, 24h
L’âge des révolutions : vers une histoire globale, Rahul Markovits, S2, 6 ECTS
Département de Sciences Sociales / Droit
Socio-histoire de l’intégration européenne, Blaise Wilfert, S2, 24h, 6 ECTS,
Droit institutionnel de l’Union européenne, Jean-Baptiste Roche, S1, 6 ECTS,
Droit international public, Raphaëlle Nollez-Goldbach, S2, 6 ECTS
Négociations internationales, Raphaëlle Nollez-Goldbach, S2, 6 ECTS
Département de Philosophie
L’épreuve du politique, Marc Crépon, S1, 6 ECTS
Civilisation, genèse d’une notion politique. Philosophie, histoire et sciences sociales, XIXe-XXe siècle, Anthony Dekhil, S2, 6 ECTS
Centre de formation sur l’environnement et la société (CERES)
Géopolitique de l’environnement, Julien Bueb et Julien Fosse, S1, 6 ECTS, 24h
Négociations climatiques, géopolitique du climat, Béatrice Cointe et Alessandra Giannini, S1, 6 ECTS, 24h
Centre interdisciplinaire d’études européennes
Penser l’Europe, séminaire transdisciplinaire du CIEE, qui pourra prendre différentes formes, et notamment celle d’une PSL-Week, 24h, 6 ECTS, Stéphane Van Damme et Blaise Wilfert, S2
Introduction à l’Union européenne par le terrain de recherche à Bruxelles, S1 et S2, 6 ECTS
Programme d’études démocratiques de l’ENS
Chaire de pratique : Géopolitique, Philippe Étienne, S2, (6 ECTS ??)
In addition, as part of the pooling agreements operated by CIENS, students from the Ecole Normale Supérieure (pupils, students and international selections) may take courses taught at partner universities.
These courses can be integrated into the opening course of the minor. Enrolment is via CIENS.Contact : stephanie.braquehais@ens.psl.eu.
Paris-Dauphine, part of PSL (Masters in International Affairs and Development, specialising in Peace Studies):
S1 :
- Politique comparée
- « State Building »
- « Sociologie des conflits »
- « Gestion de crises »
- « Justice transitionnelle »
S2 :
- Traitement juridique des conflits armés
- Project management in tensed political contexts
- Genre, conflits armés, post-conflit
- Économie politique des guerres civiles / Political economy of civil wars
- Économie des migrations internationales
- « Les crises environnementales du XXIe siècle »
- « Sociologie des conflits (2) »
- « Hezbollah: Reinventing the Relationship Between Islam, Armed Struggle, and Politics »
- « Lebanon: Consociational Politics, Civil War, and Resistance”
- « Risks, data, disasters »
INALCO (Master Relations internationales) :
Asie
- Approches aréales des relations internationales : Asies 1 (Asie de l’Est), S1
- Approches aréales des relations internationales : Asies 2 (Asie du Sud), S2
- Approches aréales des relations internationales : Asies 3 (Asie du Sud-Est), S1
Russie/PECO
- Approches aréales des relations internationales : Russie et Pays d’Europe centrale et orientale 1 (Russie), S1
- Approches aréales des relations internationales : Russie et Pays d’Europe centrale et orientale 2 (Caucase), S2
- Approches aréales des relations internationales : Russie et Pays d’Europe centrale et orientale 3 (PECO), S1
Moyen-Orient et Afriques
- Approches aréales des relations internationales : Afriques 1, S1
- Approches aréales des relations internationales : Afriques 2, S2
- Approches aréales des relations internationales : Afriques 3, S1
à Paris II – Panthéon-Assas (Master Relations internationales / Sécurité et Défense) :
Politique étrangère de la France. L
Politique étrangère des États-Unis (en anglais).
Système onusien.