Introduction
Last week, I asked people what they wanted to learn following Biden’s statement to “lower the temperature on politics”. The overwhelming response was to learn more about the politics of security. It makes sense to want to learn about the concept that shapes our behaviour, outlook, and understanding of our own identities and the role it plays when our emotions are being elicited in the pursuit of security by centralised power. This feels especially true when centralised power evokes these responses to justify State violence by placing the group that threatens centralised power beyond legislation. In a bizarre twist, it tends to be unevenly applied whereby those who wish to seize centralised power can have their actions minimised to individual opinions separate from the while those who wish to abolish it altogether are subjected to all sorts of colonial logic.
For better or worse, however, security studies is considered to be a large discipline within the traditional academic framework. Outside the traditional academic framework, I’d argue it’s even larger. We do not learn, nor are we taught, the effects such a concept has on our bodymindspirit and how we pass it down to the next generation as they develop their psyche.
Since it is such a large topic, I’ve decided to break it up and ease us into it. Let’s face it, there’s always the option to jump into a cold pool on a hot summer day but you still might shiver and have your teeth chatter as you take time to adjust to your new environment. Juxtapose this to easing yourself in; yes, it is slow, yes you still feel the cold each time you advance into the pool, but you also stay present and chat with loved ones who are already in the pool and can adjust to your new environment right away once your shoulders get in. We’ll take the slow road. You’re always welcomed to research on your own—there’s plenty of textbooks that you can catch up on.
As a reminder of where my position is in the traditional academic sense; I have two masters. One is in social work, the other is in research in international relations. My MRes dissertation analysed the concept of security, the politics of it, and reconceptualised a known event within the Sikh quom as a case study. I’m currently pursuing a PhD in Politics & International Relations, and my project sits across four different disciplines within this field in an attempt to integrate the knowledges available to us. Security studies is one of those fields. The other three are: trauma, silence, and (de)coloniality.
We’ll begin with an overview of security and its role in our everyday life and globally.
Definition of Security in International Relations
In the realm of international relations, security is a multifaceted concept that primarily purports a logic that revolves around the protection and preservation of a state's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the well-being of its citizens. This involves not only safeguarding against military threats but also addressing a wide array of what gets classed as “non-military threats” when it is controlled by supremacy culture and minimised to an individual issue despite also acknowledging structural oppressions that can affect national stability and safety.
Types of Security
1. Military Security: defined as protection against external military aggression and internal armed conflicts. Considering this, what does protection look like? What does military aggression look like? Who gets considered as ‘armed’, and when?
2. Economic Security: defined as ensuring access to resources, markets, and financial stability to support national prosperity. Considering this, how is national prosperity defined? (And yes, I am aware of the irony that IMF is the one who posted that blog—that’s partially why I still chose it to link here). And, if the definition of national prosperity is not an accurate reflection of the majority’s wealth, then who is it truly providing security for?
3. Environmental Security: defined as addressing environmental threats that can affect national survival and quality of life, such as climate change and natural disasters. Considering this, what does this mean for our current understanding of the trajectory of climate change and the rising temperatures?
4. Human Security: defined as focused on protecting individuals from violence, poverty, and human rights violations. Considering this, and knowing the perpetuation of colonial logic that decimates whole swathes of the global majority—who get’s to be considered ‘human’ in the first place? What is human security in the face of structural inequalities?
5. Cybersecurity: defined as protecting information systems and critical infrastructure from cyber threats. Considering this, which information systems are we seeking to protect? Created and informed by whose knowledge?
The Importance of Security for Nations
1. Sovereignty and Independence: Security ensures that nations can maintain their sovereignty and independence without external interference. What does this mean for nations who are repeatedly destabilised through intervention(s) that are designed by colonial logic? Or how destabilisation is deliberate when we consider sustainability initiatives and who it privileges in the transition? Or how it’s okay for one nation to destabilise in the lip service of peace (peace for whom?) but not another’s due to the lasting myth of the Cold War’s “communism” v. “democracy”. Ultimately, we must also ask who’s sovereignty and independence is deemed legitimate.
2. Political Stability: Security is crucial for maintaining political stability, which is necessary for effective governance and public confidence in the state. What does stability mean, then, in the context of a two-party system like the US or UK, for example? Could this give us insight on why these parties seem to emulate each other in the end and/or grand scheme? What does it mean when these systems still produce instability and (in)security?
3. Economic Prosperity: A secure environment attracts investments, fosters economic growth, and ensures the smooth functioning of markets and trade. What does this mean when the highly connected, but hyper-individualised nations are so reliant upon each other while refusing to build plural futures that are rooted in care for one another? As much as we hate to recall it, and we should hold it in mind still, during the WHO’s designation of the pandemic in 2020 the global market saw declining supplies and a diminutive infrastructure for the creation and distribution of medications. Indeed, there continues to be a shortage of ADHD medication from the US to the UK—and the NHS being socialised care is not the red herring that can be cited here as capitalism and the pursuit of hoarding wealth seems to be the culprit considering the US’s lack of ‘socialised care’. In fact, Brexit has exacerbated these shortages. Considering diabetic medication is also on the list of shortages, and the fact that as of 2023 the US has the highest price for insulin globally—a price cap of $35 for folks who have a particular health insurance does not seem like a country that truly cares about its people.
Which brings us to…
4. Human Development: Security underpins the well-being of citizens, enabling human development and the provision of essential services such as health, education, and social welfare.
I think you’re getting the hint, now, if I didn’t provide clarity before. And, if you’re not, consider seeking me as a steward to develop your critical lens. And, no. This isn’t said tongue-in-cheek.
5. Global Order: International security frameworks and cooperation help to manage conflicts, reduce the risk of war, and promote global peace and stability.
Why learn the Politics of Security?
Learning the politics of security is essential for understanding how our current paradigm has convinced us it operates where nations and international actors navigate threats and challenges to their stability and existence “for the greater good” of its citizens. This logic encompasses a broad spectrum of sociological issues that have far-reaching implications for individuals, societies, and the global community—our nonhuman kin, included.
Relevance to Everyday Life
Keeping the above concepts and questions in mind, the following is a brief normative overview of how we are convinced of the logic of security and why we should trust centralised power in bequeathing it to us despite evidence that centralised power will assert its needs over it’s citizens time and again. See if you can identify the value questions in each reasoning below:
1. Personal Safety: The politics of security directly affect policies related to crime prevention, counter-terrorism, and emergency preparedness, influencing the safety and well-being of individuals.
2. Economic Stability: Security policies impact economic conditions, including job security, market stability, and access to essential goods and services.
3. Social Services: Effective security measures ensure the uninterrupted delivery of critical social services such as healthcare, education, and public utilities.
4. Civil Liberties: Studying security politics helps in balancing the need for security with the protection of civil liberties and human rights.
5. Digital Life: With the increasing reliance on digital technologies, understanding cybersecurity policies is crucial for protecting personal data and privacy.
Impact on Global Stability and Peace
Now identify the value questions on the macro scale:
1. Conflict Prevention and Resolution: Understanding the politics of security aids in the development of strategies to prevent and resolve conflicts, reducing the likelihood of war and violence.
2. International Cooperation: Security studies promote cooperation among nations through alliances, treaties, and international organizations like the United Nations and NATO.
3. Non-Proliferation: Studying security helps in controlling the spread of weapons of mass destruction, contributing to global safety.
4. Humanitarian Efforts: Security policies are crucial for the success of humanitarian missions, ensuring aid reaches those in need in conflict zones or disaster-stricken areas.
5. Global Governance: Insights from security studies inform global governance structures and policies, enhancing the capability to address transnational threats like terrorism, climate change, and pandemics.
Overview of the Series
I’ll level with you, learning the politics of security is not more vital than understanding how to be there for each other, how to root our practices into care. But/and/also, learning it deepens our understanding of the colonial logic and the way it operates convincing us that we are in need of centralised power, and that the nation is the only entity that is capable of addressing the challenges that affect us, humans and non-human alike.
Final notes
Whenever I revisit this series, I’ll next provide the normative overview of national security to introduce you to the logic first. The reason being: we must acquaint ourselves with the logic as it is presented so we may know it deeply and intimately in the way it functions. Of course, you might notice different patterns than I do since we are shaped by our experiences alongside who we surround ourselves with and what our values are.
In case you’d like to see how previous events can be understood, how values play a role in the way we perceive an event, and what ‘level’ of analysis we view a thing e.g. meta (adjective) v. meta (noun); you can purchase my MRes Dissertation here.
I hope this nurtures your curiosity about your responsibility toward liberated futures if nothing else.
