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Exploring Human Security: Current Themes and Practical Dimensions

This text delves into the concept of human security, discussing its non-state-based nature, empowerment of individuals, and varied dimensions. It examines issues such as norms, violence, and arms, and questions the effectiveness of current intervention practices. The analysis also compares the approaches of Canadian Human Security Report and other experts, highlighting statistical choices and recommendations for policy changes.

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Exploring Human Security: Current Themes and Practical Dimensions

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  1. WHAT IS HUMAN SECURITY? 1)‘I was young and travelled alone, not knowing the road: I felt rich when I found a comrade. Man is man’s delight.’ 2) ‘Homo homini lupus’

  2. HUMAN SECURITY… • Is not state-based or purely military • Makes the human being the measure of problems and goal of solutions • Automatically multiplies dimensions • Brings in non-state actors on all sides • Should also empower the individual (but can be ‘top-down’)

  3. H.S. AS THEME OF CURRENT STUDY AND POLICY • Used mainly by the North about the South (What is our own equivalent??) • Argument for intervention - qualifying sovereignty (‘responsibility to protect’,UN 2005) • Can include protecting life and quality of life (human and political rights) • An approach to analysing life risks and resource priorities (eg E Sköns)

  4. SOME ISSUES • Which norms? Variable factors of life and death, subjective differences • Focus on violence (many types) or other causes of suffering + death? • Include arms issues (which?) + laws of war? • ‘Humanitarian ops’ with h.content and methods, or h. goals? • Risk of forgetting ‘human’ issues of traditional war and defence

  5. SOME PRACTICAL DETAILS • Is the human security rationale the strongest for intervening - but why are so few operations guided by it? • Should an h. op. just ‘heal’, or reform? • Other tools and methods? What is the North’s overall aim and impact? • How much individual self-help??

  6. AFTER THE BREAK • We are focussing on different ways that independent experts can define and document human security - to illustrate the breadth, the intellectual interest, but also the ambiguity and possible confusion surrounding the concept

  7. THE CANADIAN ‘HUMAN SECURITY REPORT’ • Brainchild of Andy Mack, originally at Univ of British Columbia in Vancouver • Used very reputable conflict data (from Uppsala, cf www.ucdp.uu.se) + stressed decline in conflicts + deaths • Criticism of conclusions; inspired Brzoska and Sköns bits in SIPRI YB07

  8. NOW COMPARE MACK AND SKÖNS APPROACHES • First, any similarities???

  9. CHOICE OF STATISTICS • Which ones do they base their analysis on? Taken from where? • Compare/contrast the treatment and priority each of them gives to - armed conflict - terrorism - problems of development

  10. Lessons/Recommendations • What audience are these reports addressing? What actions or policy changes would each of them logically point to?

  11. Your Assessment • Which of the two treatments do you find personally more sympathetic and convincing? • Which is more useful as a guide for governments + institutions? • And which for ordinary people? • Do you find something missing in both?

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