Cybersecurity as a Social Science

Cybersecurity is typically conceived as a technical topic. In reality, the topic is multidisciplinary and some aspects of the topic are best understood through a social science lens. This course addresses the social, political, legal, criminological, and economic dimensions of cybersecurity through a social science framework. Students are introduced to a human factors approach to understanding cybersecurity threats. Attention is given to the social factors that contribute to cyber incidents and the political and legal mechanisms that are developed to control the behaviors of those who create risks cybersecurity incidents. The class also explores how cybersecurity is studied by social scientists in psychology, political science, criminology, economics, sociology, international studies, and other social science disciplines.

1. Compare how basic psychological, sociological, criminological, political, economic, and
   legal theories and models explain cybersecurity
2. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of those theories in understanding the connections
   between human behaviors and cybersecurity
3. Define key concepts including cybersecurity, cybercrime, cyber criminology, cyber law,
   digital forensics, human factors, cyber policy, cyber risk, cyber threats, and cyberwar.
4. Identify how professionals in various cybersecurity careers apply these multidisciplinary
   concepts in their daily routines
5. Describe how hypotheses and research questions are formed in studies addressing
   cybersecurity through a social science lens
6. Describe how data are collected, measured, and analyzed in studies addressing
   cybersecurity through a social science lens
7. Identify how marginalized groups have confronted challenges and concerns related to
   cybersecurity as well as how these groups have contributed to our understanding about
   the topic.
8. Explain how the application of social science theories, principles, and research strategies
   have contributed to our understanding of cybersecurity at the societal level

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