thursday july 30 th, 2015. defining security: ◦ “a relatively low probability of threat or...
TRANSCRIPT
Chapter 12: SecurityThursday July 30th, 2015
Defining Security:◦ “a relatively low probability of threat or damage to
citizens, government, territory, resources, wealth and even values such as culture or identity”
◦ Security, then, a wide ranging concept
Both security and insecurity can often be imagined and unclear◦ Canadian attitudes towards terrorism◦ American experiences with Boston Marathon attacks
and 9/11
Finding and Defining Security
Geopolitics: “Association between a state’s political relationships and its geographical location”
North America, previous to the modern age, considered relatively safe◦ Ease of travel, impact of computer, internet and
hackers suggests that this could be changing
Security can also be associated with natural resources
Security and Location
“Threats to physical place, person, or group or to important values felt by the community”◦ Individual or group
Variety of threats◦ Violence, military, economic, political, cultural,
environmental Universal insecurity versus local/regional insecurity
Conflict and an anarchic international order
Insecurity and the security dilemma◦ Finite resources in the world
On Insecurity
Is conflict natural?
Conflict and war aren’t synonymous in this case◦ War is actual fighting, conflict is everything but
Clausewitz: War is an extension of politics◦ Must be governed by rules◦ This definition, though, focuses on a response to
insecurity, not aggressiveness
Conflict and Society
Global Peace Index (pg 248)
Significant global divergence of experiences of terrorism around the world◦ Many states in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America
experience terrorism regularly◦ Other European, North American and Australasian
states have experienced it rarely Both 9/11 and fall attacks in Australia and Canada have
changed the interpretation of the threat (rightly or wrongly).
Illegitimate actors◦ Sometimes state-sponsored (…though what this
means is variable as well)
Terrorism
Terrorists are typically politically alienated◦ No trust in the system, no efficacy in the system◦ Only way to be heard and make change is violence
Terrorism can be difficult to stop◦ Can be effective method of changing systems
Responses of democratic states are often antithetical to the expectations of a democratic society◦ Judiciary will often uphold laws of questionable
constitutionality due to general fear of citizens and need to appear legitimate
Terrorism Cont…
Intervention in another state’s affairs to alieve suffering of that state’s citizens◦ What is defined as suffering can lead to abuses◦ The “humanitarianism” of Empire
Takes on a new urgency in aftermath of WW2
The Responsibility to Protect (2005)◦ The government and the individual in the eyes of the UN
What, though, is a legitimate intervention?◦ Certainly to avoid a genocide, but logistical issues◦ More imperialism?
Humanitarianism
Negotiation, Mediation and Arbitration◦ Hard to enforce decisions◦ Also, in the latter case, often no one’s happy
Peacekeeping◦ “Canadian invention”◦ Lightly armed individuals whose role is to ensure
maintenance of a ceasefire (usually ill-equipped to deal with fallout if fighting resumes)
◦ UN sanctioned – local is usually better
International governmental organizations are engaging peacekeeping more regularly.
Overcoming Conflict