Multidisciplinary minor gives insight into cybercrime, disasters and terrorism
Safety and security risks ranging from cybercrime to terrorism threats are a growing concern worldwide. Technological developments have made security issues increasingly complex. This is typically a topic for the multidisciplinary Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Universities (LDE) curriculum.
In the Security, Safety and Justice minor, a collaboration between Delft University of Technology and Leiden University, students learn to approach security issues from different disciplines. This gives them insight into the complexity of these issues and allows them to look at current security issues from different perspectives.
Nuance
Floor Stoelinga, who recently graduated in International Relations and Organisations at Leiden University, chose the Security, Safety and Justice minor: ‘I’m really interested in global security issues, so that’s why I took this minor. It helps you take a more nuanced and analytical look at the news headlines.’
‘With my background in political science, many of the topics covered in the minor were new to me, such as technological developments and risk analysis. Interacting with people from different educational backgrounds allowed me to develop a new way of thinking; it increases your analytical abilities. During the minor we worked with students from different academic backgrounds, which can be challenging at times but is also useful because it reflects the differences within society at large.’
Data protection
‘Personally, I found concerns about ethics and justice really interesting, such as thinking about the future challenges that will follow technological advancements like self-driving cars. When new technologies are developed, a whole set of challenges, such as data protection and privacy, arise.’
‘In the pursuit of security, many means appear to be justified, but this does not necessarily mean they meet the principles of democratic decisionmaking.’
‘I’m also really interested in policymaking and ethics relating to intelligence. We have to make choices around what can and cannot be allowed in efficient security policy, for example targeted data collection. In the pursuit of security, many means appear to be justified, but this does not necessarily mean they comply with the principles of democratic decisionmaking. This can lead to ethical conflicts.’
Text: Shivaani Harmsen
Main photo: an oil rig, Pexels.com / Zukiman Mahamad
This article was published in the magazine of Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Universities, a partnership between the three universities in Zuid-Holland. Read the full article here.