International Relations Essay 2 ONLY ONTIME
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The Globalization of World Politics (6e)
15. International and global security
Baylis, Smith & Owens
Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 6e
The concept of security
• Security is a contested concept • It implies freedom from threats to core
values for both individuals and groups • There is disagreement about whether
the main focus should be on individual, national, international, or global security
• During the Cold War the focus was for the most part trained on national security, and the military capabilities required to deal with current threats
Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 6e
The concept of security
• A number of contemporary writers have aimed to expand the conception of security
• Political, economic, societal, and environmental, as well as military aspects have been deemed important factors
• An important question is whether national and international security can be compatible
• Some would prefer that more attention should be directed towards societal security
Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 6e
The concept of security
• A stress on national and international security may be less appropriate because of the emergence of an embryonic global society in the post-cold war era
• The broad process of globalization brings new risks and dangers, including international terrorism, a breakdown of the global monetary system, global warming, cyber conflict, and the dangers of nuclear accidents
Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 6e
the traditional approach to national security
• From the treaties of Westphalia, states have been regarded as the most powerful actors in a ‘self-help’ world
• Many thinkers have been pessimistic about the implications of state sovereignty
• All states need to balance the power of other states to prevent any one from achieving overall hegemony
Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 6e
the traditional approach to national security
• Neo-realists argue that national security is largely the result of the structure of the international system
• The structure of anarchy is seen as highly durable
• Liberal institutionalists place a greater emphasis on international institutions, and argue that they play a crucial role in enhancing security
Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 6e
Alternative approaches
• Constructivist theorists argue that the fundamental structures of international politics are social rather than strictly material
• Changes in the nature of social interaction between states can bring a fundamental shift towards greater international security
• A security community such as NATO is an example of shared knowledge in which states trust one another to resolve disputes without war
Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 6e
Alternative approaches
• Critical theorists focus their attention on the way existing relationships and institutions emerge and what might be done to change them
• States should not be the centre of analysis because of their diversity in character and because they are often part of the problem of insecurity in the international system
• Gender offers a fundamentally different view of the nature of international security
Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 6e
Globalization and the return of geopolitics?
• There is an ongoing debate about whether globalization and geopolitics are compatible in a changing world
• Critics argue that geopolitics has to do with national and imperial control of the space and resources, whereas globalization has to do with the free flow of goods, capital and ideas
Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 6e
Globalization and the return of geopolitics?
• Others reject the idea that there is opposition between the two concepts
• The recent pivot in US strategic priorities towards the Pacific is an indication that such geopolitical analysis is still an important element in strategic thinking
Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 6e
Globalization and the return of geopolitics?
• Different views of globalization and geopolitics give rise to different conclusions about world order
• Globalization can thus be imagined as bringing greater peace and security
• For others, it can lead to greater fragmentation and conflict as the status quo is challenged
Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 6e
Case study 1: The Democratic Rep. of Congo
• It is estimated that 6 million people have lost their lives in what is sometimes called ‘Africa’s world war’ (1996-2013)
• In 1996, the conflict in Rwanda spilled over into the Congo (Zaire)
• Rwandan forces eventually invaded the Congo with the aim to depose the existing government
• The new Kabila government fell out with its backers, leading to a wider conflict
Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 6e
Case study 1: The Democratic Rep. of Congo
• Many neighbouring countries were involved in the resulting power struggle
• The country was also riven by internal conflicts based on ethnic division
• Child soldiers and the use of rape as an instrument of war has also characterized the conflict
• The conflict highlights the use of a broader definition of security and the importance of new ideas relating to ‘human’ and ‘societal’ security
