W hat is S ecurity ? At its most basic, security implies freedom from threats. Human existence and the life of a country are full of threats. Does that mean that every single threat counts as a security threat?
Every time a person steps out of his or her house, there is some degree of threat to their existence and way of life. Our world would be saturated with security issues if we took such a broad view of what is threatening. Those who study security, therefore, generally say that only those things that threaten ‘core values’ should be regarded as being of interest in discussions of security. Whose core values though?
The core values of the country as a whole? The core values of ordinary women and men in the street? Do governments, on behalf of citizens, always have the same notion of core values as the ordinary citizen? Furthermore, when we speak of threats to core values, how intense should the threats be?
Surely there are big and small threats to virtually every value we hold dear. Can all those threats be brought into the understanding of security? Every time another country does something or fails to do something, this may damage the core values of one’s country. Every time a person is robbed in the streets, the security of ordinary people as they live their daily lives is harmed.
Yet, we would be paralysed if we took such an extensive view of security: everywhere we looked, the world would be full of dangers. So we are brought to a conclusion: security relates only to extremely dangerous threats— threats that could so endanger core values that those values would be damaged beyond repair if we did not do something to deal with the situation. Having said that, we must admit that security remains a slippery idea. For instance, have societies always had the same conception of security?
It would be surprising if they did because Who decides about my security? Some leaders and experts? Can’t I decide what is my security? Taming Peace Have you heard of ‘peacekeeping force’?
Do you think this is paradoxical term? © Ares, Cagle Cartoons Inc.