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Conceptualization of security in the Twenty-First century

Introduction
Security is a core value of life and has always been a high-priority issue for both
nations and people. Without security, humans can grow but cannot flourish.

Definition of security by Hobbes

As the 17th century English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, reminds us: in the
absence of security, “there is place for industry because the fruit thereof is
uncertain… no arts, no letters, no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear,
and danger of violent death; and the life man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and
short.”

The desire for security is so overwhelming that for many leading international
relations experts the anarchic structure of the international system was the key to
understanding world politics. Consequently, the debate on military and non-
military means to security relative to other states has held a central place in IR
scholarship for much of the 20th century.

There are four principal assumptions which underlie the security concept:
➢ security of what,
➢ for what,
➢ from what,
➢ and by what means?

These assumptions further lead to divergent views regarding the nature and scope
of security. The reason being that there has never been a clear consensus on how to
define security. Rather it has become a contested concept between peace- and
power-research.

Security under theoretical paradigms in IR

Security is a diverse concept and has to be studied from different angles before it
can be properly understood. Yet, scholarly views on the concept of security are tied
to three major theoretical paradigms in the IR literature: realism, neoliberalism,
and constructivism.

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Realist view of security

➢ Realist scholars maintain a traditional view of security, focusing on
the nation state and national interests.
➢ Stressing the importance of military capabilities, realists consider
states to be the principal actors in the international arena.
➢ This points to an important difference concerning the role of states.
Defensive realists like Kenneth Waltz assert that the anarchical
structure of the international system encourages states to undertake
defensive and reserved policies to maintain global order.
➢ In contrast, offensive realists, such as John J Mearsheimer, regard
states as security or power maximisers.

According to John Mearsheimer, “uncertainty about the intentions of other

states is unavoidable, which means that states can never be sure that other
states do not have offensive intentions to go along with their offensive
capabilities.” Having a pessimistic worldview, for realists, the world is
condemned to a state of perpetual competition and there is no such thing as
status quo.

Yet, both defensive and offensive realists think of power in terms of military
strength. Realism has been a predominant player in the study of international
relations during the cold-war period. But the realist school of thought makes
a problematic assumption that states are undifferentiated units seeking to
optimise their utility.

Neoliberal view of security

o Neoliberal international relations theorists allow a broader
understanding of security, going beyond military issues and states as
primary actors.
o They stress the importance of free markets in economic growth and
worldwide interconnectedness in the economic sphere. Their view of
international relations is much more optimistic than the realist
perspective because they see states as rational utility maximisers.

Constructivist view of security

➢ In a highly significant shift from the first two approaches, the

constructivist school thinks of security as socially constructed, along
with capabilities and threats.

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➢ Constructivism emerged in the early 1990s as a major challenge to the

traditional paradigms of international relations.
➢ Constructivist scholars argue that perceptions of security vary
significantly among actors in the international arena. Consequently, it
is not the state that the level of level of analysis, but society as a group
of people sharing a common identity.

Based on these three approaches, Helga Haftendorn, a notable German political

scientist, distinguished between three notions of security, depending on their
proposed solutions to meet the perceived challenges. In her view, each concept of
security corresponds to specific threats and values: the paradigm of nations can be
traced back to Hobbes’ pessimistic view of human nature and his belief in an
absolutist and autocratic form of government.

SECURITY IN CONTEMPORARY ERA

“Security is about the ability of state and society to maintain its
independence, identity and functional integrity”.
(Barry Buzan)
Six Major Catalysts Of Change
a. New ideas about international relations
b. Emergence of new threats and perceptions of threats
c. Shift in the distribution of power and new international leadership
d. New Warfare (including technological changes that bring it about)
e. Domestic political change (including regime security and not
necessarily
f. democratization)
g. Advocacy by international institutions

Changing Security Discourses

National Security (NS)

was the security concept which is the protection of a state’s sovereignty and
territorial integrity from external military attack in the 1940s, reason being
Technological change/New warfare. Main National, Institutional and epistemic
advocates in Asia were US, SEATO, and Five Power Defence Arrangements.

In the 1960s Comprehensive Security

started due to Domestic politics and regime legitimation. Non-traditional security
(NTS) is protection of a state’s institutions and governing capacity from non-
military threats.
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Comprehensive security (East Asia):

NS + NTS. Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, ASEAN, ASEAN-ISIS were main
advocates.

Common/Cooperative Security in 1970s/1980s

due to Ideational prior, institutions; Common Security is security with (as opposed
to security against) a potential or actual adversary realized through transparency,
mutual confidence and conflict resolution measures and mechanisms.

Cooperative Security:
Asia-Pacific rendering (localization) of common security (minus human rights)
Human Security in 1990s-2000s whose main catalysts were Ideational prior,
institutions, domestic political changeNon-Traditional Security in 1990s-2000s due
to New Threats and main advocates were China, ASEAN Plus Three,

Expanding nature of the concept

a. Conventional modes
i. They were mostly threats limited to border security and of
military nature.
b. Emerging modes & threats
i. Cyber threats
ii. Economic threats
iii. Terrorism
iv. Global warming

National security and its modern facets

c. Military
d. Economic power
e. Democratic values
f. Sociopolitical stability

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Human security (UNDP)-HDI United Nations Development Program

Seven aspects of human security

i. Economic
ii. Food
iii. Health
iv. Environmental
v. Personal
vi. Community
vii. Political
Basic ideals of liberalism

Security in Pakistani perspective

Major threats
viii. NSA-criminal
1. Separatism
ix. Espionage
x. Economic collapse
xi. Disease
xii. Natural disasters
xiii. Terrorism

Major institutions

xiv. Pakistan Army

xv. Intelligence Agencies
xvi. NACTA
xvii. Disaster MANAGEMENT AUTHORITIES

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g. Security policy

An integrated security system

h. Intelligence
i. Preparedness
j. Up gradation of infrastructure
k. Border and internal security
l. Contribution to regional & international security

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