CONCEPTUALIZATION OF SECURITY IN 21ST CENTURY

Security possesses a significant place in the discipline of International

Relations. Scholars have spared undue time and energy in conceptualizing
and operationalizing the security. No other concept is highly debated than this
one. But, it is still a largely contested and controversial term. There is no
universal consensus on what constitutes the security, what threatens it, how it
can be achieved and who can guarantee it.
What Is Security?
Thomas Hobbs: Without Security, there is no place for industry…no arts, no
letters, no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of
violent death.
Joseph Nye: security is the dominant concern for states; that force is the
major instrument; that govt preserves their unity as they interact with one
another; security is achieved once threats to security can be prevented or at
least managed.
Security & IR Theories

Realism — a dominating theory in IR — holds a narrow view of security and regards

state as a referent object. For realists, states live under constant threat due to
anarchy – absence of central authority in international arena. Anarchy creates an
unsafe environment due to which states cannot trust any other actor for its security.
States need to act on their own for survival. Balance of power and military buildup
are prudent ways to enhance security.

Liberalism doesn’t agree with the assertion that state is the only supreme referent
object. It argues that state is a mean to ensure security and prosperity of human
beings. Therefore, not balance of power but international organizations, free market
economy and economic interdependence are the ways to guarantee security of not
only individual but also of international order.

Marxism takes a very different position about security and criticises both theories. It
believes that an individual needs many things other than mere security. Social justice
is the most cherished among those.

Capitalism has established an unjust, class-based society wherein minority

bourgeoisie rules over and exploits majority proletariats. Emancipation is the only
way to attain security. That emancipation will be achieved by establishment of a
classless society through the forceful overthrow of capitalism.

Feminism as a theory of IR brings an interesting twist in the concept of security. It

emphasises that security is infused with the male-dominated gender assumptions.
Feminists outrightly reject realism and claim that traditional theories have failed to
express women’s concerns irrespective of the fact that it is the women who suffer the
most during conflict and war. Cynthia Enloe, a prominent scholar of feminism,
questions traditional theories about suggesting and advocating the military solution
which brings suffering, pain and agony in the lives of more than half of the world’s
population. She claims that by giving preference to state as a unitary actor,
traditional theories actually produce such mindset that sets state against state.
Therefore, feminists promote the idea of integrating women into socioeconomic and
political fabric of international order. They believe this is the efficient way to ensure
inclusive security.

For critical security studies, as Ken Booth famously claimed, security is what elite
make of it. Scholars belonging to this camp are outspoken of elite class of every
society. They reject the idea of considering state a sacred and supreme entity whose
existence is more important. Instead, they blame state as harbinger of insecurity
because such an idea divides humanity into ‘we’ vs. ‘they’ and ‘foreign’ vs.
‘domestic’. Besides, they also discard the military means to achieve security and
prefer emancipation of an individual from physical and human constraints. According
to Ken Booth, “War and threat of war is one of those constraints, together with
poverty, poor education, political oppression, and so on.”

21st Century Security Concepts

Traditionally, states were solely responsible for the security – territory, life, liberty,
property, and to wage war for the defence.
In recent times, wing to Media, Scientific & Technological advancement, and the rise
of Militant NSA, the concept of security has changed.
Hard Security Concepts Soft Security Concepts
Hard Sec. Concepts
1. Nuclear security : Nuclear Proliferation, Missiles, WMD, Biological Weapons,
Chemical Weapons.

2. Weaponisation of Space : States sending satellites in Space- Surveillance of

Geography and enemy Country

3. Cyber security : Shift from human Dependency to Technology, one software

or programme is enough for defence.
4. Digitization of economy: Free Lancer

5. Collective state security : States Form Alliances with other states- No

individual security of States.
6. Non-State actors & Security: MNC (Apple, Samsung etc) & IGOs Like SCO,
ASEAN—these are considered more powerful in terms of state security today.
 States, today, are not scared of other states, but scared of militant non state
actors –no direct confrontation.
7. Regionalization: regionally connected states are more secure today.

8. Change of power centres & Security: Transition of power Centre ( From

West To Asia ) or Multi-polarity has changes the concept of Security Widely.
Rise of Asian Powers, re-emergence of Russia etc.

Soft Security Concepts

The concept of inter. Security has moved the focus from states and towards
individuals which emphasises human rights, safety from violence, and sustainable
development.
UNDP Human Development Report 1944 enlists 7 dimensions of Human Security
Economic security Food Security
Health Security community security
Environmental security political security
Personal security

Other Sec. concepts

Human Rights, Food & Bio-Medical, Refugees & Immigration, Sec of Ethnic
Religious Minorities, Gender Security, protection of Privacy, etc.