Description
Book SynopsisThis concise text presents a focused, well-rounded, and clear-eyed introduction to the concept of human security. Questioning the utility of traditional national-security frameworks in the postCold War era, Paul Battersby and Joseph M. Siracusa argue that we must urgently reconsider the principle of state sovereignty in a global world where threats to humanity are beyond the capacity of any one nation to address through unilateral action. The authors highlight circumstances, actors, and influences beyond the traditional focus on state security, especially the role of international organizations and nongovernmental organizations. They also emphasize the importance of human rights, arguing for the development of an effective intervention capacity to protect individuals from state action as well as other security threats arising from conflict, poverty, disease, and environmental degradation. A welcome alternative to state-centric approaches to security, this balanced book will be a valuab
Trade ReviewThis wonderful book will provide both generalists and specialists a better understanding of the multidimensionality of issues related to human security. All government officials should give this work a careful read as they consider how their policies will enhance or inhibit the development of a more stable, secure world. -- Scott Kaufman, Francis Marion University
In a balanced, well-written synthesis, Battersby and Siracusa quite rightly point out that the quest for human security requires resolution of political, social, and economic injustices. Instructors will find this an excellent book to motivate students to think about human problems globally. -- Richard Dean Burns
Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Globalizing National Security: Envisioning Security beyond the Nation State Chapter 2: The Alchemy of Peace: Elementary Studies on Humans and Security Chapter 3: "Black Hawk Down": Mogadishu 1993 and the Costs of Intervention Chapter 4: Global Webs of Risk: Complex Security in a Globally Networked World Chapter 5: Human Rights and Human Security: Pragmatic Perspectives on Human Rights Chapter 6: Averting Nuclear Armageddon: Reality Checks and Nuclear Balances Chapter 7: Roadmaps and Roadblocks: Securing Humanity in the Twenty-first Century
