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29 - Human Security

from Part III - Issues in Public Policy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 November 2020

By
Des Gasper
Edited by
Enrica Chiappero-Martinetti ,
Siddiqur Osmani  and
Mozaffar Qizilbash
Enrica Chiappero-Martinetti
Affiliation:
University of Pavia
Siddiqur Osmani
Affiliation:
Ulster University
Mozaffar Qizilbash
Affiliation:
University of York
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Summary

We can speak of human security analysis as a facet of human development analysis. In practice, it has sometimes become a broader version, a distillation of the full perspective underlying the United Nations, not only that of its development wing. The perspective emphasizes a global scale and the species level as well as the individual level. It combines a stress on reasoned human freedoms, from capability theory; commitment to human dignity, from human rights; concern with prioritizing, from basic needs theory and economics; dialogue with national security and military agencies; and focus on the vulnerabilities of ordinary people in an interconnected globe. The concept of ‘insecurity’ helps bring out essential subjective dimensions, of fear, emotions and perceptions, and a richer picture of human beings than only capability and reasoned choice. The chapter presents an overview of uses of human security thinking in explorations of ‘being human’ in various fields. Section 2 looks at interpretations of the concept; Section 3 examines the relation to human development and capabilities thinking; Section 4 looks at diverse ways of framing and doing analyses; Section 5 indicates lines of application, including on violent conflict, crime and ‘citizen security’, on psychological insecurity, and on environmental change and more.

Keywords

securityvulnerabilitybasic needsdignityinterconnectednessthreats‘downside risks’‘personal security’psychological insecurityenvironmental security
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of the Capability Approach , pp. 576 - 600
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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