Security Studies: Classic to Post-Modern Approaches

Security Studies is the most comprehensive textbook available on security studies. It gives students a detailed overview of the major theoretical approaches, key themes and most significant issues within security studies.

Security studies have long enjoyed a privileged academic status within the International Relations discipline (IR), projected as the most promising subfield of IR. In this subfield, traditional accounts of security long dominated the field. However, since the 1990s the theoretical and conceptual tools of the traditional accounts have faced serious criticisms. Particularly since the late 1980s, there emerged a plethora of challenges to the traditional accounts of security ranging from the feminists to the con-structivist perspectives. These criticisms take on the rationalist, material and scientific security studies and challenge their various understandings. They also offer alternative analyses of security that signify the importance of ideas, culture and history along with material accounts. This paper will engage with two such alternative visions of security, namely the Third World security and constructivist security studies by largely focus-ing on the representative works of Ayoob and Wendt, respectively. After briefly describing the traditional realist formulation, the paper will assess the basic parameters, premises and challenges of these two alternatives and then provide some criticisms of these alternatives.

Lithuanian Annual Strategic Review, 2007

Studies are undergoing a true upheaval in Europe and have become an unlikely cradle of new theories, new ideas, and new methods for the entire International Relations discipline. Three European schools of security studies -Copenhagen, Paris, and Wales -have produced a serious challenge to the orthodox canons of the US security/strategic studies on the understanding and explanation of security problems, as well as the very nature of the "security" phenomenon itself. Despite the active international academic battles, security analysis is in a firm grasp of geopolitics in Lithuania. An occasional critical article has not been able to launch a serious alternative to the strong school of Lithuanian geopolitics. Such an alternative, however, is necessary and could potentially bring a fresh impulse to the Lithuanian security policy itself. This article discusses the contemporary state and the most significant trends in Security Studies. Particular attention is given to the analysis of differences between the traditional, American security studies, and the critical, European schools. The main aim of this article is to present the possibilities inherent in critical security studies, which could present a strong alternative to the rationalist approach.

British Journal of Criminology, 2016

This article provides an introduction to the Special Issue as a whole by situating the collection of essays in the wider context of advances and debates within security studies and allied security-related research. It draws particularly upon themes and trends within and between international relations and criminology and their convergence around the field of security studies. It goes on to consider possible lines of future development in security scholarship and concludes by elaborating upon some of the key thematic concerns that inform the subsequent articles.

Introduction to Security Studies, 2021

As one of the major coursework requirements for Masters in Security, Intelligence and Diplomacy, this paper explores Security Studies. It does so by putting the Liberian society into context. As an introductory course, it examines the traditional and contemporary approaches to security studies. After reviewing relevant theoretical frameworks or approaches, this paper supports the argument raised by prolific scholars about the lack of consensus in conceptualizing security studies. In the context of Liberia, it examines the Liberia security architecture as it relates to its responsibility and ability to deal with security threats. It advanced the argument that because Liberia is yet to be tested as far as security studies is concerned especially dealing with external threats, is it difficult to really determine or evaluate the ability of Liberia security architecture. Regarding internal threats, the paper maintained that Liberia's security architecture ability to deal with threats continues to be impeded by multiple challenges.

Security Studies is the most comprehensive textbook available on security studies. It gives students a detailed overview of the major theoretical approaches, key themes and most significant issues within security studies.

Polis

Security studies curriculum remains an important commitment to lecturers and academics. As the security process is becoming increasingly asymmetrical, the concept of security is constantly changing. Security is not considered only a military or diplomatic dimension, but a comprehensive process. State institutions are supposed to cooperate at local, national and international level to meet the needs of the population to mitigate and prevent security threats. Therefore, education and qualification of those dealing with security enables analysis, expertise, management and leadership. Security study programs are part of a dynamic trend in universities, colleges, military academies and other research institutions. They have transcended the traditional concept, as it was applied during the Cold War. It is encouraging, but also challenging, that the European University of Tirana is successfully developing advanced modules on security studies. These are programs where the field of security ...