SRAS: Warsaw - Security and Society in the Information Age

Digitalization has led to innovation in nearly every aspect of society. It has also exposed numerous new risks to the individual and state. Security and Society in the Information Age is a study abroad program that explores both the possibilities and hazards of our new era.

Discussions of new media often focus on its powers to encourage internationalism and civic engagement, stemming from its placement of mass communications infrastructure directly into the hands of society at large. This paradigm shift has been felt around the world and particularly within young democracies of Central and Eastern Europe, where new media have played a significant role in the region's rapid social development and international integration.

With new possibilities, however, come new risks. New media has helped not only dissidents to organize, but also terrorist cells. States have integrated information technology into foreign policy and even military strategy. The free movement of information has made retaining classified information essential to state security a major problem. Although solid cybersecurity policies are now needed by all states, most politicians and officials do not understand cybersecurity.

This program is for students of sociology, political science, journalism, and computer science who are interested in better understanding the new "Society 2.0" in which we are now living. Students will gain a powerful understanding of the role new technology is playing in the world, and can play in their careers in government, political activism, journalism, or academia.