Security and International Relations
I define ‘Security’ as freedom from fears, threats, insecurities, and complexes. Security is a core human value and its desire can be found in every single human being out in this world. Security is a wide and contested term as its meanings and use varies widely in our life. Human nature and society are filled with all sorts of insecurities. Even a small kid becomes insecure seeing his parents giving more attention to other siblings. Likewise, a state feels insecure or threatened when any of its rival states surpasses it in either military or economic domain.
Individuals desire security and this desire is well reflected in our society. As per the Social Contract Theory, this very society was formed as a result of feeling insecure and threatened by forces of nature. Humans feel threatened and insecure by other humans and take actions to feel safe and secure. These actions in turn reflect a human desire for security in society. The desire for security is because of social threats like physical threats (pain, injury, death), economic threats (seizure or destruction of property), threats to rights (imprisonment denial of normal civil liberties), and threats to position or status (demotion, public humiliation). Some of these threats are even irreversible i.e. loss of life, and limbs.
This is the desire for security that people want to live under the restrictions of a government, knowing that many government rules and regulations limit their freedom. Even people get threatened by state policies like those arising from domestic law-making and enforcement; those arising from direct political action by the state against individuals or groups; those arising from struggles over control of the state machinery; and those arising from the state’s external security policies.
One can find all sort of human activities that are associated with security. Humans use different tools and ways and protect themselves from threats and fears. Department of Police came into existence to provide security to individuals from other individuals. Different types of locks and passwords have been created to secure belongings of individuals. Individuals get insurance for their belongings and even for their life just to feel safe and secure.
But in International Relations, there are different approaches to understand security. The traditional approach to security is mainly focused on state security in military terms. On the other hand, contemporary approach to security is more about Individuals. The post-cold war world has encountered numerous changes. One of the critical change in outlook that occurred was in the customary importance of security. The conventional importance of security is state driven, it implies that the domain of the state should be ensured against any threatening assault. It can likewise be viewed as assurance from outside dangers. Then again, non-customary security is human driven. It implies that the individuals of a state ought to be shielded from hunger, sickness, destitution and common disasters.In 1994, UNDP HDR introduced a report as indicated by which seven things were added to the idea of security, these are close to home, natural, financial, political, network wellbeing and food security. The state ought to shield its individuals from these inside dangers.
Different International Relations theories have different approaches to Security. Realists, for instance, are not willing to come out of the traditional concept of state centric security. They stick to the narrow definition of security which refers to the protection of the country against external aggression. On the other hand, Neoliberals, don’t move toward the idea of security legitimately; rather they state that worldwide security can be kept up through fortifying the organizations, global law, democratization and political combination. Communism is another standard theory of IR. As per them, the meaning of security is dictated by the structure of worldwide free enterprise.
The Copenhagen school of thought is important to mention, it is built on the writing of Barry Buzan. In 1983, Barry Buzan, highlighted that the concept of security includes military, economic, social and environmental security. So this school of thought extends the concept of security beyond military aspects(Lasan). This school of thought talks about securitization. It conceptualizes security as a process of social construction of threat which includes securitizing actors who will declare that a particular threat is present which needs to be handled, this situation will be presented to the audience and if they accept it, the actors will have legitimacy to act against that threat. This is how an issue is securitized. This is another interesting way of defining security.
Security still remains a contested term becuase of its wider meaning and its concepts being underdeveloped. It is a core human value and humans associate all sort of activities to security. Despite being a contested term, securitization the factor that can change policies of states and individuals very easily.