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The Bay of Bengal (BoB) region is becoming increasingly important in international politics due to its strategic location as a transit route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The BoB is bordered by India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka, with a combined population of 1.7 billion and a GDP of $1.7 trillion. The region is a critical chokepoint for maritime shipping, with approximately 90,000 ships passing through the Malacca Strait each year. The BoB is also experiencing growth in the blue economy, with a focus on sectors such as fishing, offshore energy, shipping, and coastal tourism. However, the region faces challenges such as security issues, environmental vulnerabilities, political instability, and non-traditional maritime crimes. Piracy and armed robbery are prevalent in the BoB, and the region is a transit point for illicit trade, including narcotics and contraband. Irregular maritime migration is also a significant issue, driven by economic insecurity, conflict, and climate vulnerability. The BoB is highly susceptible to natural disasters and climate change, which affect ocean productivity, habitats, and biological processes. The region is marked by communal and ethnic conflicts, and there is a growing power rivalry between China and India. Regional organizations such as BIMSTEC have been established to address these issues, but their effectiveness has been limited. This special issue aims to explore the contestation for control in the BoB region, the role of regional organizations, and the [Extracted from the article]

The boundaries of partnership between states and civil society organisations (CSOs), as well as who is counted and who gets to set them, have been the subject of ongoing debate. This discussion has gained particular significance in light of the growing securitisation and tactical engagement of CSOs in conflict, violence, and security. The discussion has led to the development of a theoretical framework known as "strategic exclusion, co-option, and containment" (SECC). Nevertheless, it is worth noting that, the importance of normative inquiries notwithstanding, there exists a dearth of contextual and empirical understanding regarding the dynamics of state-CSO interactions. To address this gap, this study examines the interactions between states and Muslim community-based CSOs in the implementation of preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE). The research draws from an ethnographic study involving various actors, including policymakers, security agents, non-state P/CVE practitioners, civil society group members, P/CVE donor-agency programme managers, and P/CVE coalition networks and steering committee members. The study argues that in the context of P/CVE, where a "whole-of-society" approach is promoted, the state utilises Muslim community-based CSOs primarily as intelligence producers to advance its interests, thereby undermining their agency in P/CVE practices. Despite its framing as a human security perspective on violent extremism, the whole-of-society approach in P/CVE remains deeply rooted in state-security logic and the continuation of the Global War on Terror (GWOT) practices. This ultimately constricts the spaces of engagement between the state and civil society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of China combined with a growing "America First" approach to US foreign policy has generated a debate in Australia about the status of the alliance with the United States. This article contributes to this debate by exploring what a Plan B, for Australian security outside the alliance, might look like. It assesses existing scholarship on the subject, highlighting how recent arguments that Australia can "go it alone" are fundamentally flawed as they fail to address requirements to protect the economic and human security of Australians. The article goes on to examine why it is still necessary to consider a Plan B, and what Australia's core national interests are. It emphasises the importance of protecting the lives and livelihoods of Australians, as opposed to the pure focus on the territorial defence of Australia that has marked out much of the existing literature. This leads the article to conclude that, outside the US alliance, Australia would need to rely on a more holistic concept of security, and less on a military approach. It concludes by putting forward suggestions for how Australia could provide itself with security outside the US alliance, primarily through building resilience and adopting a form of neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite low productivity in Lebanon's agricultural economy, neglected for finance and service sectors, land and labor potential are very high. Literature on agrarian and food crises in Lebanon remains sparse in agrarian studies journals and retains a neoliberal developmentalist emphasis on food security rather than food sovereignty. Using the framework of food regime analysis, we analyze the historical developmental trajectory of the West-Beqaa village of Machgara, and how Lebanese family farmers are impacted by adverse incorporation into global capitalism. Placing farmer testimonies in the context of greater macro-historical chronologies, we see how reflections highlight patterns of commodification of land, labor and food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change, environmental degradation, and descent-based slavery are prevailing issues in Mauritania. The relationship between the three phenomena has rarely elicited investigation, in part due to the perception that chattel slavery is an institution of the past. Despite being the last country in the world to decree its abolition in 1981, Mauritania is alleged to have one of the highest incidences of slavery in the world today. This study explores the nexus between climate change and slavery in Mauritania. The paper seeks to elucidate how the environmental interactions of the Sahel have transformed slavery's manifestation in this multiethnic northwest African republic for more than a millennium. The author contributes to the rich literature on slavery in Mauritania by arguing that in the twenty-first century, the nexus converges on the issue of development, and that the prevalence of slavery degrades the country's precarious environment and contributes to its underdevelopment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considerable attention has focused on Ukraine as a divided country along ethno-cultural lines. But regional economic differences and trends over time are the primary drivers that influence citizens' wellbeing and likewise contribute to a sense of place. This article focuses on how Ukraine's economic development has unfolded across the country during a time of conflict and how these changes can be understood. Using the framework of state capacity, aggregate data reflective of human security are adduced to illustrate and suggest reasons for these shifting patterns and the implications thereof for a postwar Ukraine. Findings suggest that the spatial realignment of Ukraine's economy has been and will continue to be a function of location, markets, and human capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates North Korea's climate diplomacy by analyzing a comprehensive dataset of 39 policy documents and 93,439 news articles through content and sentiment analysis. The research aims to provide insights into the country's climate diplomacy approach, framing, and priorities. The findings reveal that North Korea's climate diplomacy is primarily driven by materialistic interests, focusing on loss and damage reduction, access to climate finance, and technology transfers. The study highlights key themes in North Korea's climate change discourse, such as economic factors, human security, and a surprisingly non-ideological stance. The sentiment analysis also indicates a collaborative approach toward the international community and strong support for UNFCCC mechanisms. The results offer valuable and nuanced implications for future diplomatic efforts, suggesting potential avenues for collaboration and engagement with North Korea on climate change issues. Nonetheless, the study also identifies several barriers to diplomatic engagement, such as North Korea's reluctance to accept certain conditionalities associated with climate finance as well as its contentious focus on nuclear energy as a climate mitigation instrument. Overall, this research contributes to the growing literature on climate diplomacy and sheds new light on an underexplored aspect of North Korea's foreign policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southeast Asia’s coastal communities are the frontliners of climate change impacts. Traditional livelihoods and fish landings are already declining due to changes in sea temperatures and increasingly frequent extreme weather. A human security lens should be used to examine the consequences of climate change impacts on the marginalised communities that suffer directly from it. This study adapts a 2001 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change vulnerability assessment for human and food security and assessment of potential conflicts, merging it with a tool to assess community resilience and adaptability to threats, as a framework to analyse the predicament of Malaysia’s artisanal fishermen. A case study based on 16 years of ethnographic and participant observation in a fishing community that depends on the maritime boundary between Malaysia and Singapore is used to illustrate the above. This paper demonstrates how local knowledge and experience in overcoming change should be used for better climate change adaptation policies and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In December 2020, Singapore made global headlines by being the first country to approve the commercial sale of lab grown meat. This approval was part of an effort by the city state to intensify the development of novel foods on the island. This paper describes this recent growth of novel food companies in Singapore. Singapore's novel food policies ostensibly aim to create food security for its citizens. We argue that the embrace of the technology that surrounds novel foods also aligns with Singapore's vision of building a "smart nation." Although food is not a digital technology, the approaches to novel foods being taken in Singapore share many parallels with the rollout of digital technology. These parallels can be seen in the domains of standardization, regulation, intellectual property, data-gathering, and training. We anticipate that these shifts in procurement, regulation, consumption of foods, may ultimately challenge traditional food pathways and Singapore's food identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the need for a new research agenda in the study of intelligence. It argues that the current focus on state intelligence services overlooks the diverse actors and practices involved in intelligence today. The article emphasizes the expansion of intelligence beyond traditional state-centric concerns, with the involvement of non-state groups, private sector companies, and law enforcement agencies. It calls for a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to studying intelligence, connecting different fields of study and challenging the dominant Anglo-American perspective. The authors propose a research agenda that examines the social dynamics, practices, and effects of intelligence, challenging traditional boundaries in the field. [Extracted from the article]

Climate security, albeit highly contested, is moving beyond the discursive realm into policies and practices that implicate the control of land, water and forests. Through a systematic literature review this paper offers a typology of climate security practices. It observes a shift towards human security framing, offering potential for agrarian struggles. However, risks remain: the depoliticisation of scarcity, control-seeking over natural resources, a push for neoliberal approaches, a dominant focus on violent conflict, and knowledge politics. Alternative approaches are suggested, foregrounding place-specific alliances that address the politics of conflict and embrace plurality of knowledges, contributing to (agrarian) climate justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semiconductors play a major role in U.S. and international economic activity and in national security policymaking. They are tiny electronic devices based primarily on silicon or germanium, facilitating multiple industrial activities including systems foundational to U.S. technological competitiveness and national security. This industry is a key U.S. exporter with this product's design and manufacturing being a global enterprise with design, fabrication, assembly, testing, and packing distributed globally. Semiconductors are essential building blocks for emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, 5 G communications, and quantum computing. This article aspires to inform librarians and others about governmental and commercial literature produced on this subject. It aspires to enhance understanding of this topic and its intersections with economics, consumer goods, technology politics, and international security. (Platzer, Sutter, & Sargeant, 2020; Summary, 1–3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The text discusses two recent books that examine the rise of stabilization in UN peacekeeping and international interventions. The first book, "Stabilization and Human Security in UN Peace Operations" by Alexander Gilder, explores how UN peacekeeping can provide a holistic approach to ending armed conflicts and building peace. Gilder argues that while some peacekeeping practices align with a human security approach, the focus on stabilization and increased militarization often undermines this approach. The second book, "Stabilization as the New Normal in International Interventions: Low Expectations?" edited by Roberto Belloni and Francesco N. Moro, provides a broader analysis of stabilization across various actors and locations. The book highlights the negative implications of stabilization, such as its security-focused nature and retreat from human rights and democracy. Overall, both books offer critical appraisals of stabilization interventions and raise important questions about its effectiveness and future use. [Extracted from the article]

Migration is often explained as either forced or economic. But what if people leave, as the state's ability to govern declines? I examine whether changes in a state's governance impact the number of asylum applicants from the country to Europe. I measure state fragility using the Fragile State Index (FSI) from the Fund for Peace (FFP). The dataset's granularity permits analysis of the relative importance of push factors. I use Eurostat data to measure the European Union's asylee applications. I control for conflict with the PRIO dataset. My findings suggest asylees may be leaving because of deteriorating security institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the combined impacts of COVID-19 and sanctions on Afghans in Iran. It draws on semi-structured interviews with Afghans and experts that were analyzed thematically using the human security framework. Findings indicate that Afghans without access to the internet and social media received no detailed and accurate information through national TV and radio. Patients with COVID-19 had difficulty accessing imported medicines, which were not affordable for Afghans with middle and lower economic backgrounds regardless of their immigration status. We argue that sanctions in combination with the COVID-19 pandemic have negatively affected the economic and health conditions of Afghans in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article uses the case of Zimbabwe to explore the interface between militarisation and state capacity, and through that critique the emancipatory potential of the human security concept. It argues that militarisation undermines state capacity to provide emancipatory security as envisioned in the human security concept. A militarised state is severely incapacitated and challenged to deliver emancipatory security because it lacks the functional capacity and legitimacy of a state that is capable of safeguarding the security of the individual. The Zimbabwean case shows how the nature of the struggle for the country's independence conditioned the political elite's siege mentality and concomitant predisposition to use militarisation to safeguard their interests while ignoring those of the broader citizenry. By underscoring the adverse effects of militarisation on state capacity and legitimacy, the Zimbabwean case reinforces critiques of the state-centric approach of the human security concept, which severely constraints the latter's emancipatory potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of globalization, no country is monocultural today. All countries are cultural mosaics since different ethnic groups have their own unique set of traditions. It is particularly important to appreciate and respect these traditions since they represent an integral part of our cultural heritage. Likewise, in many countries, the majority population is far greater than all the minorities combined, whereas, in others, the minority groups all together comprise a significantly large number. In this increasingly integrated yet fragmented world, many multi-ethnic countries face the challenges of preventing cultural conflicts between diverse groups and finding solutions. A fresh wave of persecution and violence against minority groups for their membership in a pluralistic society has escalated in many parts of the world, altering the climate of peaceful coexistence and democratic oversight. Such challenges are particularly pressing for marginalized, vulnerable groups. The article endeavors to foster a more holistic interpretation of the questions: why do some regions of the world experience major incidents of 'crimes against humanity' and gross human rights violations while others do not, and how do the 'us vs. them' politics, politicians, and other leaders subtly transform civilians into killers? The article also examines the triggering factors of major tragedies, particularly what sets off acts of ethnic cleansing or genocide. As such, exploring the demagogues' malicious mission to subvert justice, democratic success, and the rule of law, creating destructive cultures on the path to mass atrocities, is the additional emphasis of this piece. This entry's relevance depends on the quest for the conditions and prospects for conflict transformation, peacebuilding, and peaceful cohabitation across different cultural traditions in the changing socio-political and cultural milieu owing to contemporary global shifts to authoritarianism and illiberal populism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the concept of European strategic autonomy in the context of security and defense. It emphasizes the need for Europe to act independently in an interdependent world, particularly in traditional security fields where it has relied on US support. The COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the changing European political landscape, and the upcoming US presidential elections are identified as key factors driving the necessity for greater strategic autonomy. The article discusses the changing perception of Europe's security and the efforts being made to reduce dependence on Russian gas and oil. It also highlights the controversy and different interpretations surrounding the concept of European strategic autonomy. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of Europe investing in its own defense capabilities while maintaining a strong alliance with the US. [Extracted from the article]

In recent years, Nigeria's security architecture has deteriorated due to conflicts and acts of violent extremism by non-state actors in possession of SALWs. Therefore, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons have resulted in armed conflicts, the displacement of people, organized crimes, and acts of terrorism, thereby undermining the peace, development, and human security of Nigerians, and by extension, Africa. The easy accessibility, destructiveness, simplicity and usability of the SALWs have made them appealing and a preferred choice for organized criminal groups and violent extremists resulting in huge human security challenges for Nigeria. In this context, the study examines the impact of the proliferation of SALWs and the peace, security, and development of Nigeria. The main interests are to first understand the intersectionality between the proliferation of SALWs and human security, and secondly to unpack the causes, channels, and casualties of the proliferation of SALWs in Nigeria. The author will also discuss the pattern and strategy of governmental response(s) to the proliferation of SALWs. The study recommends the adoption of a grand-national strategy comprising of governance-security nexus as a panacea to stem the tide of the illegal proliferation of SALWs in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The February 2022 UNDP Special Report (SR) on Human Security, "New threats to human security in the Anthropocene: Demanding greater solidarity" marked a welcome return by the UN body to the field in which, in 1994, it had provided the seminal text. The SR stimulated a great deal of academic and policy debate, featuring prominently in the HDCA Human Security Thematic Group's sessions at the 2022 HDCA Antwerp conference. Conversations between the UNDP HDRO and HDCA led to the 2023 Human Security Policy Forum published in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities. The papers produced in this forum have emphasised a broadening of the human security discourse and policy prescription to consider the SR's additional focus on the Anthropocene, agency, and solidarity. Several of the papers have also drawn attention to the interconnectivity of threats and spillover between them. While there is consensus among the papers on these issues, they are limited in the extent to which they address how such foci also lead to contestation, how they are situated in the wider policy discourse, and how they might best be operationalised. This paper revisits these discussions, adding additional insight on these points of reference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the fight against ideological warfare of the Islamic State (ISIS) would not be possible without an effective counter ground operation led by the Kurds, these unique players in regional stability have contributed to the mitigation, and in some cases the elimination of Islamist extremist ideology, conducing to the human security of the region. Viewing these actions within a pro-democracy approach, this paper will demonstrate why the international community, led by the United States and EU, needs to, indeed ought to consider the Kurdish de facto autonomous region model as an element for stability. The resulting outcome could help contribute to the regional security of the Middle East, and also prevent the perpetration of any future atrocities against the Kurds and other minorities. Through a collective case study and a qualitative set of data, this paper will evaluate the de facto autonomous governance experience of the Kurds, its impact, and its potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the economic impact of severe natural disasters in Africa using the generalised synthetic control method. In other words, it assesses how gross domestic product (GDP) would have been affected, had severe natural disasters not occurred. Moreover, it explores the determinants of the destructiveness of the impact of natural disasters, focusing on the role played by capital. We find that severe natural disasters induce a significant and continuous reduction of GDP many years after the event. Indeed, economic losses caused by disasters depend on the level of capital (human capital, employment and capital stock) and aspects of governance quality (political stability and absence of violence). In other words, negative synergies are apparent because while capital stock, employment and human capital unconditionally reduce the macroeconomic impact of natural disasters, the corresponding conditional or interactive effects with political stability are also negative. Policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyse the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and its potential to unleash the development of women in Africa. The envisaged benefits of the AfCFTA include increased trade diversification, regional integration, enhanced human security, increased foreign direct investment and technological advancement. Despite optimism about the prospects of the agreement as a local innovation spearheaded by the African Union, pessimists raise questions about the extent of stakeholder engagement. The agreement must be gender-responsive to enhance outcomes for women cross-border traders. The paper concludes that the lack of gender sensitivity confirms the need to address the specific needs of African women, especially those involved in informal cross-border trade. Hence, for AfCFTA, the policy focus should be on ensuring the formalisation of women who participate in informal trade, thus helping increase access to markets, information and growth opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Saudi-led coalition of states initiated an on-going-armed conflict in Yemen on 26 March 2015. Meanwhile, Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Though no two armed conflicts are exactly alike, there is reason to compare US media coverage of the two because: (1) civilians have been victims of both conflicts; (2) both conflicts have undermined food security; (3) the US has provided military support to a party to each of the conflicts; and (4) the conflict in Yemen is in the Global South whereas the conflict in Ukraine is in the Global North. This article comparatively analyses US media coverage of the conflicts in Yemen and Ukraine, via New York Times headlines, by documenting the number of stories and their placement; assessing the types of media frames used; reviewing headlines for attribution of responsibility; and conducting a content analysis to identify the descriptive and normative terminology used. We find extensive biases in coverage and framing, rooted in peripheralism, culturalism and differential geopolitical US positioning. This results in reduced coverage of the war in Yemen, shielded in neutral language and lacking responsibility attribution—serving to devalue the suffering of victims and condemning the crisis to be functionally forgotten. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines whether increased intelligence capacity improves global security, a key assumption in intelligence theory. Using the partial least squares structural equation modelling method, the research statistically analyzes data from the U.S. International Intelligence Behaviour dataset and Global Terrorism Database. Grounded in intelligence studies and international relations theory, the study integrates a constructivist human security framework. Surprisingly, the results show a significant correlation between increased intelligence capacity and the degree of terrorism, suggesting intelligence may undermine rather than enhance human security. This finding challenges traditional assumptions, though it must be viewed cautiously due to potential endogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iraq adds to the poor track record of externally promoted security assistance in conflict-affected and fragile contexts. By taking a long-term perspective, this article examines and problematizes the shift in paradigms from Security Sector Reforms (SSR) as a pillar of the liberal statebuilding intervention in Iraq to Security Force Assistance (SFA) as the remedy that the post-interventionist turn endorsed since the 2010s. In discussing this shift, the article also shows that in successive phases of externally promoted security assistance, different notions of security prevailed. As the intervention unfolded, human security instead of guiding SSR was quickly put to the side, as donors' security (2003–2008) and later regime's security (2009–mid 2014) prevailed. The late 2014–2019 prevalence of SFA in Iraq was instead characterized by the disjuncture of security assistance from other governance aspects in the country while it later became part of a tense geopolitical context (2020–2023). Overall, Iraq proves to be a laboratory for testing out concepts relating to security whereby external actors and factors are key to explaining the shift in security assistance, while internal local needs for security are largely ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Rohingya refugees rehabilitated in Bangladesh present a unique case bearing human and environmental security cross complications. Forced to flee from Myanmar due to military atrocities and ethnic violence, they took refuge in neighboring Bangladesh from 2017 onwards. These refugees are standing at the crossroads of converting from Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMNs) to potential climate refugees in the near future due to their rehabilitation in the environmentally sensitive island of Bhasan Char, which is regularly ravaged by cyclones, sea level rise and other climate challenges. This paper argues that Bangladesh is a case study of paradoxical human settlement. On the one hand, the host country is giving refuge to conflict victims while, at the same time, it is triggering climate-induced displacement within their own country. From conflict-ridden areas to climate-sensitive zones, such rehabilitation of refugees invites deeper crises and calls for immediate policy attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on qualitative approach comprising interviews and relevant archival materials to examine how oil theft in Nigeria's Niger Delta has degraded the environment with dire consequences on environmental and socio-economic sustainability as well as human security. The purpose of this paper is to interrogate the unexplored dimensions of the linkage between oil theft, environmental degradation and human insecurity in the face of apparent state nonchalance and weakness. Specifically, the primary data were generated from the interview of twenty-six key informants, who were purposively selected as well as four focus group discussions (FGDs). The complementary secondary data were extracted from journals, books, government documents and web-based materials. The paper finds that the operations of oil thieves and artisanal refiners have worsened environmental challenges and aggravated human insecurity in the region. The implications include among others, the emasculation of the local economy due to the destruction of traditional means of livelihoods, deepening impoverishment, and heightened prospects of restiveness with negative impacts on Nigerian economy. This paper recommends strengthening the surveillance and response capacity of relevant state institutions, legitimising artisanal refining, and developing sustainable welfare packages to cushion socio-economic deprivations being suffered by oil-bearing communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on essentially two critical challenges Zimbabwe has faced in the past and in the present - democratisation deficiency and deepening poverty, this article argues for political and economic reconciliation as measures to enhance human security that has proved elusive for many years now. This is significant in transforming 'jeopardised' relations between the government and the citizens because of persistent political and economic challenges in the country. Zimbabwe's political and economic crises can be resolved if holistic and earnest efforts are made to deal with inherent political and economic challenges that have had an impact on the security of the people and the state. The article used interviews and document analysis to assert that in the case of Zimbabwe, political and economic reforms are integral, and undertaking them can significantly transform relationships, which is an indispensable ingredient of human and national development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

East Asia (including the sub regions of Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia) has been viewed as ranking among the most dangerous or conflictual regions on the planet, enduring colonial and Cold War legacies and several potential flashpoints. Regional international security governance has focused on nonintervention and conflict management, whereas domestic governance has focused on national security, development, and unity under tight central government control. Laos is a paradigmatic case of East Asian security policy prioritization. Its authoritarian government focuses, primarily, on traditional state-centric conceptualizations of security, and top-down, macroeconomic models and mega-projects to develop the country out of insecurity. This research project uses a qualitative approach consisting of literature review, document analysis, and limited interviews in the field. The conclusions are that, while by some measurements Lao governmental policymaking has been successful in achieving stated security objectives, in terms of nontraditional security (NTS) and human security considerations, these policies may not only be considered insufficient, but could also be counter-productive, storing up challenges for the future. Hence, the final section contains policy prescription for a more sustainable security situation in the Lao PDR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I argue that rigorous attempts to grasp the challenges unique to transdisciplinary projects in the Global South (TPGSs) require an understanding of the target state’s politicaleconomic dynamics, which can undermine TPGSs. In this regard, I harness social-conflict theory to examine how and why Cambodia’s political-economic dynamics affected my own transdisciplinary project, which addressed dam-induced problems in the northeast of the country from 2018 to 2021. The present paper’s findings clarify the relationships among various nonacademic TPGS stakeholders—a topic that has attracted little attention from transdisciplinarians but that can significantly shape TPGS outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The book "Terrorism, democracy, and human security: a communication model" by Ronald Crelinsten explores the interconnected nature of terrorism and counterterrorism. The book provides a comprehensive conceptual framework that examines the terrorism-counterterrorism nexus and its impact on governance, both domestically and internationally. Crelinsten's definition of terrorism focuses on the act itself rather than motive or perpetrator-based explanations, allowing for a holistic approach that includes the state as both a perpetrator and target of terrorism. The book also explores the role of various nodes of governance, such as territory, economics, social issues, politics, criminal justice, and the military, in shaping the response to terrorism. Overall, the book offers a comprehensive analysis of the communicative nature of terrorism and counterterrorism and its implications for policy at national and international levels. [Extracted from the article]

The global museum sector is in a process of redefining and expanding its work areas. A main reason for this is cultural heritage as a growing issue in human security, and protection as a transnational cross-sectoral topic. Based on interviews this article examines how museum actors experience the sector's role within the nexus of cultural heritage and human security in armed conflict. The article addresses the sector as a dynamic network of transnational organisations navigating in geopolitical and -cultural agendas arguing that this new role is not institutionalised and largely depends on individual interest and political agendas. This results in a disparity in allocation of protection responses and funding where the major Euro-American museums are frontrunners in understanding and performing the new role while the museum sector as a whole lacks an international system. Consequently, heritage protection in general should be incorporated in international humanitarian strategies and stabilisation work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in the intersections of environmental issues, peace and conflict has surged in recent years. Research on the topic has developed along separate research streams, which broadened the knowledge base considerably, but hardly interact across disciplinary, methodological, epistemological and ontological silos. Our forum addresses this gap by bringing into conversation six research streams on the environment, peace and conflict: environmental change and human security, climate change and armed conflict, environmental peacebuilding, political ecology, securitisation of the environment, and decolonizing environmental security. For each research stream, we outline core findings, potentials for mutual enrichment with other streams, and prospects for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The book "Contemporary Issues on Governance and Security in Africa" explores the convergence of governance, conflict, and security in Africa. It argues that while there is a significant amount of research on conventional security threats, there is a lack of focus on emerging threats to human security. The book examines the shrinking of African states, the resurgence of conflict over water and land, and the correlation between conflict, security, and development. It also discusses the role of non-state actors in conflicts, the challenges of achieving democratic states, and the impact of natural resources on security and governance. The book highlights the need to address issues such as youth marginalization, military coups, xenophobia, and violence against women. It also explores the link between climate change and conflict. While the book provides a fresh perspective on these issues, it could benefit from more diverse case studies and colonial experiences. [Extracted from the article]

Japan is one of the richest democracies of Asia, a pillar of the international liberal order in the region, and a strongly pacifist nation with the only anti-war constitution in the world. It is also one of three major countries which have elected to incorporate human security principles as intrinsic components of foreign policy. However, its implementation of human security principles in some areas, especially refugee policy, belies its rhetorical commitments; it boasts the lowest number of refugees among all industrialised nations. What explains this discrepancy? Through a comparative study of the Indochinese and the Rohingya refugee crises, this study aims to offer a corrective and a supplement to Sarah Tanke's work (2021) by arguing that despite Japanese officials' championing of a human security narrative in the international arena, the gap between declaration and implementation, especially regarding the human security of displaced persons in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, points to their instrumental use of such a narrative to avoid international censure and free ride on the international asylum regime. It further investigates the domestic political, social and psychological factors modulating this behaviour, and argues for a broader role for international pressure in order to bring about policy change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the cooperation and coordination mechanisms established by Turkey, the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) to ensure Syrians' human security in Turkey. Focusing empirically on security governance processes and practices that have been applied to increase the human security of Syrians in Turkey since 2011. To this end, policies on burden sharing, freedom from fear, and freedom from want regarding Syrians in Turkey are presented. To identify the security needs of Syrians in Turkey and develop solutions adjusted to their needs, the UN and the EU cooperate with the public authorities in Turkey on policy-making processes and provide input for the institutionalisation of Turkey's asylum system. This study argues that in theory, the actors, who set the security agenda, can create joint policies by focusing on human security and that in practice, this has produced policy implications regarding the human security of Syrians in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the realm of security, intelligence remains a critical component. This is because the role of intelligence in statecraft is crucial in providing intelligence information in the advancement of state, national and human security. When the intelligence service of a nation has fault-lines, this critical role can be severely hampered and undermined. However, given the nature of intelligence work any assessment of intelligence services and their role is bedevilled by several factors which makes it difficult even at the best of times for the public to appreciate it. Considering the above, the central question is: How do we make reasonable and grounded conclusions on the efficacy and effectiveness of the South African civilian intelligence service, the State Security Agency? In this article, an argument is advanced that given the current political environment in South Africa, peripheral factors such as 'the politics around intelligence' and 'intelligence around politics' have created a picture of dysfunction which is not grounded in reality. This analytical article is grounded in autoethnography given the positionality of the author as a former insider and also draws from primary and secondary desktop material. The theoretical underpinning/ungirding this work is institutional autonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Everyday life in the Arctic has become increasingly digitalized. The academic discussion around it focuses on three aspects: digital infrastructures and access; digital promises; and digitalization risks and challenges to human security. The existing critical research on e-governance in the Arctic has been done in the North American and European Arctic, while digital governance in the Russian Arctic has mostly remained beyond the scope of research. In this article, we aim to fill the gap by demonstrating how Russian Arctic infrastructural geography affects digital governance in the region. To achieve this goal, we used a mixed methods approach. First, to grasp the structural differences between Arctic and non-Arctic Russia, we analyzed open data from the Russian e-procurement system concerning the share of contracts with local suppliers, the percentage of terminated contracts, and indicators of contract time sensitivity. Second, to explore the mechanics of e-procurement in the Arctic, we gathered interviews with procurers working in state organizations in three remote settlements in different parts of the Russian Arctic: The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Krasnoyarsk Krai, and Arkhangelsk region. By combining these data, we produce a detailed picture of e-procurement across the differentiated Russian Arctic infrastructural geography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stronger integration and coordination among Humanitarian, Development and Peacebuilding actors (hereafter, the Triple Nexus), is gaining traction in the international development debate. However, there is a sense of deep unease among some civil society organisations that adding peace into humanitarian work may compromise their impartiality. This paper will address some of civil society's reservations on the Triple Nexus by reframing peace around human security, steering away from traditional conceptions of militarised security. It will also provide examples of how peace can be realised as part of an integrated Triple Nexus approach. Finally, adaptive peacebuilding will be explored to exemplify how being agile is key to delivering on the Triple Nexus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper responds to the UNDP 2022 Special Report on Human Security in the Anthropocene (hereafter 'UNDP Special Report', UNDP 2022), and HDCA Human Security Thematic Group's sessions at the 2022 HDCA Antwerp conference, focused on interrogating the 'soul' of the human security concept. In order to facilitate the practical implementation of human security principles, I offer six integrative suggestions for a convergent view that reinforces human security's emancipatory critical and transformative potential, substantiating the UNDP Special Report's demand for greater solidarity: i) recalling the Stockholm Conference's agenda for global solidarity; ii) drawing on emancipatory legacies of established social movements; iii) applying differentiated measures to address vulnerability; iv) learning from indigenous and local insights on 'coordination' that emphasize relationality; v) decentralizing policy and practice; and, vi) An integrative perspective deepening the 'humane' interpretation of human security, taking on the Ogata-Sen recommendations for integrated policies, jointly emphasizing survival, livelihood and dignity. Keywords: Human security; Anthropocene; human development; UNDP Special Report 2022; Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment; Ogata-Sen Commission on Human Security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The idea of "human security" is gaining a new round of attention in the academic and policy agenda, as a new era of global changes is affecting people's core capabilities. In this Policy Forum the "human security lens" engages with human development and the capability approach. It presents different perspectives of genuine action-oriented human security, and it aims to provide valuable insights for policy issues and recommendations in the current context of interlinked threats. This Policy Forum aims to help relaunching the debate on policy interventions for human security within the capability approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2022 Special Report on Human Security "calls for greater solidarity across borders and a new approach to development; one that allows people to live free from want, fear, anxiety and indignity". This paper analyses the notion of "freedom from want" and argues that human "want", understood from one cultural perspective/worldview, has created the market society with its GDP growth narrative. Such "want" could become the very reason for perceived insecurity, anxiety and indignity, if the "want" is not only to meet the basic human needs, but rather to meet desires artificially fuelled by a market society with its increasingly sophisticated tools, such as digital technology which implicitly manipulate our "wants" and rationalise them within the GDP-growth narrative. This paper proposes a policy shift from focusing on GDP growth to a new paradigm of human flourishment which allows for a "good life" for all (wo)mankind by capitalising on the concept of relational wellbeing. Relational wellbeing advocates for deep connections between humans, and between humans and nature, thereby achieving a greater global solidarity between people and a new mindset towards nature. The next generation of human security shall go beyond the aim of making people secure, and rather focus on how to enable humanity to flourish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2022 UNDP Special Report on human security marks an overdue return to this focus in Human Development Reports work. It adds solidarity to the established headline strategies for human security, namely protection and empowerment. While it does not theorise solidarity far, nor connect much to relevant literatures, nor explore implications in detail, it provides an opening of doors. We comment first on the Report's general significance. It presents itself as a rethinking of human security; it reflects also a rethinking of human development in the Anthropocene and a re-articulation of the core rationale of the United Nations system. Second, we consider how the report presents solidarity: as a required commitment to others, globally; as implication of interconnectedness; and as a required response to uncertainty. Third, we note that the report is only a beginning; it is not yet connected to generations of solidarity thinking and practice nor to present-day streams. Fourthly, we review policy implications proposed in the Report and suggest areas for next-stage attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universal healthcare, encompassing coverage, generosity, and equity in health benefits and services, directly enhances human security. Expanding universal healthcare is becoming increasingly important amidst heightening, interrelated threats to human security. Developing countries are likely to bear greater impacts from these threats, but have healthcare systems that are inadequately prepared for the same. To strengthen healthcare universalism, policymakers must aim for the joint advancement of coverage, generosity, and equity as policy outputs. Building universal systems is necessarily a long-term effort, and each country's pathway will depend on its specific policy architecture and opportunities for reform. Policymakers must seek to create the right policy trajectories for expanding universalism over time, taking into account that approaches that incentivise coalition building across social groups can help sustain political support for future expansion. Prioritising unified systems that provide the same benefits to everyone can help mitigate inequities, strengthen resilience, and ensure the long-term sustainability of the system. Global trends and experiences of many developing countries demonstrate that progress on healthcare universalism is achievable at all levels of development, and is among the most important strategies today for advancing human security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite evidence of the interconnections between the environment, security, and development in a maritime context, and the acute impact this relationship has on the human security of coastal populations, they remain siloed policy areas and underrepresented in the academic literature. This article zooms in on the western Indian Ocean as an example of a region where environmental dynamics intersect with other stressors, such as poverty, disenfranchisement, and a limited maritime security capability, to drive and prolong criminal disorder and violence. After providing some regional context, I explore how climate change, marine environmental degradation, and resource exploitation are linked to occurrences of maritime insecurity by drawing on fisheries crime and piracy. Next, I critically analyse how regional states have built capacity to improve resilience against environmental factors that contribute to increasing maritime insecurity. I conceptualise this under three headings: environmental governance, enforcement and monitoring, and building resilience. This analysis reveals that despite increasing governance arrangements and a shift in the rhetoric towards regionalism, significant gaps remain in terms of physical, technical and human capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community leaders in Colombia have historically suffered processes of microaggressions and intimidation that threaten the free exercise of their voice in the processes of production of knowledge and in the participation of the planning of their territories. In this article, we explore the case study of the Network of Community Researchers (NCR), also known in Spanish as Red de Investigadores Comunitarios, promoted by the University of Antioquia, Colombia. The NCR is a commitment to the co-production of knowledge about human security from below between community researchers and academics. This article analyses the contribution of the NCR to the human security of Medellin and a specific collection of capabilities for epistemic liberation of community researchers: the capability to be recognised as a producer of valid knowledge, to do through communicative openness, to learn from collective knowledge and to transform through collective action. The expansion of these four capabilities evidence processes of resistance and hermeneutic insurrection of some community leaders and activists who participate in the NCR. The analysis shows the contribution of the NCR to facilitate and generate a safe space in which community researchers communicate knowledge and practices and share experiences, risks, struggles, fears and collective dreams of transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change can undermine human, national and planetary security in various ways. While scholars harve explored the human security implications of climate change and climate security discourses in Australia, systematic scientific assessments of climate change and national security are scarce. I address this knowledge gap by analysing whether climate change impacts the national security of Australia before 2050, focussing particularly on climate-related threats within Australia and on countries of high strategic importance for Australia. The results indicate that climate change will very likely undermine Australia's national security by disrupting critical infrastructure, by challenging the capacity of the defence force, by increasing the risk of domestic political instability in Australia's immediate region, by reducing the capabilities of partner countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and by interrupting important supply chains. These impacts will matter most if several large-scale disasters co-occur or if Australia becomes involved in a major international conflict. By contrast, international wars, large-scale migration, and adverse impacts on key international partners are only minor climate-related risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on health security has focused on how many different political, economic, social, and health-related factors affect disease containment within states. However, largely missing from this scholarship is an examination of the role public health intelligence plays in limiting the spread of disease. Thus, this study focuses on the effect epidemiological intelligence fusion centers have on disease prevalence. We conduct a case study analysis of the Dominican Republic's use of epidemiological intelligence fusion centers during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide policy recommendations for other states to follow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Exploring Betty A. Reardon's perspective on peace education: looking back, looking forward" is a book edited by Dale T. Snauwaert that examines the work of Betty A. Reardon in peace education, theory, and human rights. The book is divided into three parts, focusing on Reardon's theoretical foundations of peace and human rights, the role of feminism and gender in peacebuilding, and Reardon's real-world practices for addressing justice issues. The book provides a comprehensive understanding of Reardon's scholarship and its potential for promoting peace. It is a valuable resource for scholars, researchers, and academically inclined practitioners. [Extracted from the article]