POL 557A - The Politics of Cybersecurity

This course provides an introduction to the politics of cybersecurity in the U.S. as well as the European Union (EU). Starting with a discussion of key concepts of cybersecurity, the class continues to analyze how U.S. and EU cybersecurity policy making differ. Recently, both the U.S. and EU passed new cybersecurity legislation laying different emphasis on privacy protection, crime prevention and the involvement of tech businesses in the policy process through public private partnerships. Why are the U.S. and Europe applying different approaches to cybersecurity policy? The goal of the course is to answer this question by comparing the institutions, actors and process of cybersecurity policy making in the U.S. and the EU. While both follow different approaches to cybersecurity policy as such, they agree on the need of enhanced international cooperation on the issue. The course ends with a unit on the current state of cybersecurity cooperation across the Atlantic and the implications of the politics of cybersecurity on the future of transatlantic relationship.