Political Science 144
Chapter 23: Human Security
Moving away from focus on military security
What is human security?
- Traditionally security focused on protection of sovereignty and territorial integrity of
states now focus on individual
- Dangers to human safety and survival = poverty, disease, environmental stress, human
rights abuse and armed conflict
- Traced back to Human Development Report of 1994 by UN economic, food, health,
environmental, personal, community and political security
- “Individual freedoms and rights matter a great deal, but people are restricted in what
they can do with that freedom if they are poor, ill, illiterate, discriminated against,
threatened by violent conflict or denied a political voice”
The concept of human security has been influenced by 4 developments:
1. the rejection of economic growth as the main indicator of development and the
accompanying notion of ‘human development’ as empowerment of people
2. the rising incidence of internal conflicts
3. the impact of globalisation in spreading transnational dangers such as terrorism and
pandemics
4. post-cold war emphasis on human rights and humanitarian intervention
Criticism of human security concept:
1. too broad to be analytically meaningful or to serve as the basis for policy-making
2. creating false expectations about assistance to victims of violence which the
international community cannot deliver
3. ignores the role of the state in providing security for the people
Conceptions of human security:
1. Freedom from fear protect people from violent conflicts through measures such as a
ban on landmines and child soldiers
2. Freedom from want broad notion involving the reduction of threats to the well-being
of the people such as poverty and disease
A vicious interaction conflict and underdevelopment
Armed conflicts underdevelopment
and violence
Heightened Indirect impact:
vulnerability to economic
civil war, terrorism disruption, disease,
and ecological ecological damage
stress
1
Chapter 23: Human Security
Moving away from focus on military security
What is human security?
- Traditionally security focused on protection of sovereignty and territorial integrity of
states now focus on individual
- Dangers to human safety and survival = poverty, disease, environmental stress, human
rights abuse and armed conflict
- Traced back to Human Development Report of 1994 by UN economic, food, health,
environmental, personal, community and political security
- “Individual freedoms and rights matter a great deal, but people are restricted in what
they can do with that freedom if they are poor, ill, illiterate, discriminated against,
threatened by violent conflict or denied a political voice”
The concept of human security has been influenced by 4 developments:
1. the rejection of economic growth as the main indicator of development and the
accompanying notion of ‘human development’ as empowerment of people
2. the rising incidence of internal conflicts
3. the impact of globalisation in spreading transnational dangers such as terrorism and
pandemics
4. post-cold war emphasis on human rights and humanitarian intervention
Criticism of human security concept:
1. too broad to be analytically meaningful or to serve as the basis for policy-making
2. creating false expectations about assistance to victims of violence which the
international community cannot deliver
3. ignores the role of the state in providing security for the people
Conceptions of human security:
1. Freedom from fear protect people from violent conflicts through measures such as a
ban on landmines and child soldiers
2. Freedom from want broad notion involving the reduction of threats to the well-being
of the people such as poverty and disease
A vicious interaction conflict and underdevelopment
Armed conflicts underdevelopment
and violence
Heightened Indirect impact:
vulnerability to economic
civil war, terrorism disruption, disease,
and ecological ecological damage
stress
1
