Towards a holistic approach to security€¦ · a holistic approach. • If we can´t define security, it is difficult to speak and communicate in the same level and terms within

When in Gothenburg

Towards a holistic approach to security

Eleonora Escalante MBA-MEng, Strategic Corporate Advisory Services

© 2017-2018 Eleonora Escalante-all rights reserved 120 June 2018

What is security?

When in Gothenburg… What is security?


© 2017-2018 Eleonora Escalante-all rights reserved 20 June 2018

Origin of the word security….

2

https://support.office.com/es-ES/article/b89770f1-deb1-4a19-94ef-342aa15a4689


© 2017-2018 Eleonora Escalante-all rights reserved 20 June 2018 3


What is security?Security is…. Well guess what again? There are many different ways to think about security.

The term “security” has several decades of being redefined in the context of policy agendas

of nation states. And in the context of individual human priorities.

• This means who is the

referent object, or who is

supposed to feel secure.

• Would it be the individual?,

and if so, would it be some,

most or all of them?

• Or would it be the state, the

international system, and so

on?

Security

for

whom?

Security

for which

Values?

• Since security is not an

absolute value, it needs to be

balanced against other key

values, such as economic

welfare, liberty, territorial

integrity, environmental

conservation etc.

• Security is shifting to give

high priority to topics as

poverty, trade, economics,

human rights, transnational

crimes and environment.





What is security?Security is…. Well guess what? There are many different ways to think about security.

Security has to be defined in the context

of international relations and

diplomacy.

Security is being redefined in the context

of policy agendas of nation states.

Security is shifting to give high priority to

topics as poverty, trade, economics, human

rights, transnational crimes and

environment.

The characterization of security as “the absence of threats”

seems to encapsulate the essence or the central idea of the

notion of security (Wolfers).

Security as a “low probability of damage to acquired

Values (Baldwin)” The traditional security paradigm refers

to a realist construct of security in which

the referent object of security is the

state.

The objective of human security is to

safeguard the vital core of all human lives

from critical pervasive threats, in a way

that is consistent with long-term human

fulfillment.





What is security?

Realism

School

Liberalism

SchoolConstructivism

School

Security is…. Well guess what? There are many different ways to think about security.

From the approach of the

Liberalism School, security

should involve five

interdependent

dimensions: military,

political, economic,

environmental and societal

security


Social Constructivism

security as an inherently

subjective value and a

relational dimension where

identities matter.


Realism School, security and

power are measured in

militaristic capabilities within

an international system.

Security has to be defined in

the context of international

relations and diplomacy.

Therefore Security is National

Security.

The referent

object of

security is

the state

The referent

object of

security is still

the state but

analyzed under

5 dimensions.

Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/310495076_What_is_Security

The referent

object of

security is

the

relational

dimension of

the state

taking

multiple

dimensions

into account.


https://www.researchgate.net/publication/310495076_What_is_Security




In 2015, Brooks published an interesting paper “What is security: Definition through knowledge

categorization?. He mapped the universe of security courses offered in universities and he

categorized the concept in several levels and categories…

What is Security?

Associate Professor at ECU,

Australia.

Security Science Post-graduate

Course Coordinator at Edith

Cowan University





What is security?

“Sustainable Human Security

integrates four pillars reflecting

what we know today about

human security, human

development, human dignity

and human sustainability. .

The pillars of sustainable

human security are embedded

into the political, economic,

social, and environmental

responsibility to build capacity

through a human rights based

approach and sustainable

capacity approach”.

Finally, the perspective from Mark Tavanto called my attention. He has defined human security in

relation to four interrelated pillars related to Freedom: Freedom from fear, from shame, from want

and from vulnerabilities….Freedom from Fear is

about human survival

and the protection of

individuals and

communities from

natural and man-made

disasters along other

situations of violence and

conflicts

Freedom from Want is

about human development

and includes freedom from

want often visible in

extreme poverty, recurring

poverty and systemic

poverty situations

Freedom from Shame is

about human dignity and the

recognition of the

fundamental human rights of

every individual, including

respect and protection of all

aspects of diversity

Freedom from

Vulnerability is about human

sustainability and the

protection of people from

short and long-term natural

disasters, especially through

the reduction of man-made

threats in nature

Source: http://www.weinstitute.org/human-security.html


http://www.weinstitute.org/human-security.html




During the last 20 years the need for IT, digital and cyber security has risen too.

Can we define what is security after reading these slides?

Thank you!

What is Security?

• It is important to rethink the notion of security from

a holistic approach.

• If we can´t define security, it is difficult to speak and

communicate in the same level and terms within

nations and stakeholders.

• Who is the subject of security? Why?

• Under what school of thought is it defined?

• What are the threats or vulnerabilities to security?

• What is the role of the government in relation to

security? What levels of security?

• Can we return to define security as simply as to

know that we can live, interact, have children

and work in a place which is safe to our families

and us to make our dreams come true?


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Towards a holistic approach to security€¦ · a holistic approach. • If we can´t define security, it is difficult to speak and communicate in the same level and terms within