International security (IS) is one of the core subfields in the study of international politics. Its principal focus is on organized politically driven violence, interstate warfare, as well as related issues like arms control, deterrence, coercive diplomacy, evolution of technology and military strategy, civil-military relations, alliance politics. All of these topics have been at the center of attention for scholars working in this subfield. The focus has expanded in recent decades to include civil wars, insurgencies, terrorism, mass murder, and interventions, as such violence has become more prominent and as it has begun to have important repercussions for interstate relations.
The subfield is related to and draws part of its inspiration from history, but it has become more adapted to organizing knowledge around generalized theories, drawing inspiration from economics as well. In addition, a particularly important tradition in the subfield focuses on decision-making, which connects the subfield to cognitive science. Students aiming to have careers in the national security bureaucracy or international organizations, as well as those who have a general interest in the study of war and peace would benefit from taking courses that focus on various issues in international security at Lehigh.
