Class 1: Introduction to International Security

Key Concepts:

• Definition of International Security:
  • No consensus on the meaning or impact of international security.
  • Security is a powerful political tool, justifying significant resource mobilization.

Modern Politics and Security:

• Security claims justify political, social, economic actions.
• Budget exceeds $3 trillion for security.
• Beyond Military:
  • Security extends to social, economic, and environmental domains.
  • Ambiguity in what constitutes a threat.

Security Studies:

• Contested Concept:
  • Different perspectives on what is a threat.
  • Ownership of firearms as an example of differing security perceptions.

From Modern State to Cold War

Security and the Modern State:

• Emergence of security related to the state's rise.
• Thomas Hobbes: Security as a precondition for civil life.
• Centralization of state power justified by security needs.

External Vision of Security:

• Focus on military threats due to domestic safety improvements.
• Developments in policing and state surveillance.

Security Studies During Cold War:

• Deterrence and Arms Control:
  • Nuclear weapons and alliance theories dominated discussion.
• Security studies perceived as needing expansion beyond military focus.

Security Studies: Last 3 Decades

Critique of Mainstream Security:

• Security of state vs. security of individuals.
• Examples like Libya show international intervention in state failings.

Broadening Security Focus:

• Barry Buzan's Four Sectors: Military, political, environmental, economic security.
• Emphasis on protecting individuals over states.

Securitization Theory:

• Security issues as "speech acts."
• Classification of security issues depends on social acceptance.

United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

Role and Authority:

• Legal Hierarchy:
  • Only international body with authority over all member states.
  • Can classify issues as international security matters.

Challenges and Criticism:

• Inconsistency in interventions (e.g., Libya vs. Syria).
• Hegemony:
  • P5's control and veto power.

Security and Sanctions:

Sanctions Evolution:

• From comprehensive to targeted sanctions.
• Legal basis in UN Charter, Art. 41.

Targeted vs. Comprehensive Sanctions:

• Criticism of comprehensive sanctions for humanitarian impact.
• Targeted sanctions aim at specific individuals or entities.

Humanitarian Exemptions:

• Efforts to mitigate adverse effects of sanctions.
• Cases of mistaken sanctioning.

Future of Collective Security

Collective Security vs. Defence:

• League of Nations' failure and lessons.
• UN and NATO differences in collective security dynamics.

Non-Proliferation Regime:

• NPT and IAEA:
  • Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
  • Role of IAEA in monitoring nuclear use.

Disarmament and Reintegration:

• Unfinished discussion due to time constraints.

Private Military Companies (PMCs)

Mercenaries to PMCs:

• Evolution from mercenaries to PMCs in modern conflicts.
• Legal Frameworks:
  • UN conventions and Geneva protocols.

Challenges in Regulation:

• Issues with definitions and state responsibility.
• Rise and regulation of PMCs like Blackwater and Wagner Group.

Transnational Crime and Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity Developments:

• Cyberspace as critical infrastructure.
• Security Measures:
  • NSA and surveillance controversies post-Snowden.

Internet Control:

• Filtering and censorship by states for various reasons.
• Role of private companies in cybersecurity.

Cybercrime and Warfare:

• Increasing crime rates with more digital users.
• States developing cyber warfare doctrines.

Health in International Security

Health as Security Threat:

• Historical framing of health as an international security issue.
• US and WHO Initiatives:
  • US incorporates health in national security strategy.
  • WHO's global health security initiatives.

Technologization of War

Autonomous Weapons Systems:

• Debate over the use and regulation of drones and AI in warfare.
• Ethical and legal considerations surrounding lethal autonomous weapons.

Organized Crime and International Security

Understanding TOC:

• Definition and misconceptions about transnational organized crime.
• Evolution of crime networks and global police cooperation.

Policing and Security:

• Multiple levels of policing from local to global.
• INTERPOL's role in international law enforcement coordination.