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Cybersecurity in the Political Domain: Internal and External Dimensions

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Cybersecurity in the Political Domain: Internal and External Dimensions

This course examines cybersecurity through the lens of international relations and political science, analysing how cyber threats have become a defining force in global affairs. Students explore the political, legal, ethical, and technological dimensions of cyber operations — from election interference and disinformation campaigns to state-sponsored attacks and cyber warfare — applying theoretical frameworks from international relations to interpret the behaviour of both state and non-state actors in cyberspace. The course also addresses the implications of emerging technologies such as AI and quantum computing for the evolving threat landscape, and examines the role of international diplomacy, governance, and regulation in building collective cyber resilience. Graduates will be equipped to assess complex cyber incidents from a strategic, multidisciplinary perspective and contribute to policy-making at the intersection of security, democracy, and digital governance.

Main Topics
  • Cyber Threats, Cyber Resilience, and Cyber Politics
  • Cyber Threats to Democracy – Institutions, Disinformation, and Social Impact
  • State and Non-State Actors in Cyberspace
  • Cyber Threats to Social and Cultural Dimensions:
  • Cybersecurity in World Politics – Geopolitics and National Strategies
  • Cybersecurity and International Relations Theories
  • Impact of Cyber Threats and Attacks
  • International Law and Ethics in Cyberspace
  • Cyber Crisis Simulation – Strategic Response and Diplomacy in Action

The General Competences that students should have acquired include:

  • Capacity for critical thinking and self-reflection
  • Ability to search for, process, and analyze information from a variety of sources
  • Ability to apply knowledge in practice
  • Capacity to generate new research ideas and approaches
  • Decision-making skills in complex and unpredictable situations
  • Teamwork and collaboration in interdisciplinary and international settings
  • Ability to communicate effectively in academic, professional, and public contexts
  • Capacity to act with social, professional, and ethical responsibility
  • Appreciation of diversity and multicultural perspectives
  • Ability to engage in lifelong learning and adapt to emerging challenges
  • Creative problem solving in strategic and operational cyber contexts

Based on the above, upon completion of the course, students are expected to be able to:

  • Apply theoretical frameworks from International Relations (e.g., realism, constructivism, liberalism) to interpret state and non-state behavior in cyberspace.
  • Assess complex cyber incidents using political, legal, and ethical criteria, including norms of sovereignty, proportionality, and human rights.
  • Design and communicate effective strategic responses to cyber threats, integrating technical, legal, and diplomatic considerations.
  • Engage in scenario-based problem solving and simulations that reflect real-world cyber crises and policy challenges.

Upon completion of this course, the students will be able to:

  • Critically analyze the core concepts of cybersecurity, cyber resilience, and cyber politics within contemporary international relations.
  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the political, legal, ethical, and technological dimensions of cyber threats and responses.
  • Evaluate the implications of cyber operations for national security, democratic institutions, international diplomacy, and global governance.
  • Understand the evolving role of emerging technologies (e.g., AI, quantum computing) in reshaping the cyber threat landscape.
  • Evaluate the impact of AI systems on data protection, including risks of profiling, bias, and lack of transparency, and identify regulatory and ethical controls.
  • Explore key categories of PETs (e.g., anonymization, differential privacy, encryption) and assess their role in reducing data exposure and regulatory risks.
  • Design strategies to promote privacy literacy and cultivate a culture of data protection across diverse organizational contexts.
  • Understand the function of cyber insurance in mitigating financial consequences of data breaches, and its integration into broader risk management frameworks.
  • Analyze how personal data is used in digital advertising ecosystems and evaluate regulatory constraints on tracking technologies, cookies, and profiling under the GDPR and ePrivacy rules.

Students will be able to:

  • Exercise autonomy in managing complex policy analysis tasks related to cybersecurity in the political domain.
  • Collaborate effectively in diverse teams, demonstrating leadership, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills in simulated high-stakes situations.
  • Communicate clearly and persuasively to academic, policy, and public audiences on cybersecurity topics.
  • Reflect critically on the ethical and societal implications of cybersecurity strategies and technologies.