Title: Human Security in Modern Politics
Summary: While national security “has traditionally referred to the security of a state (and international security to common security concerns among states), human security involves shifting the unit of analysis down to ordinary people” (Viotti & Kauppi, 2009, p 468). Some people state that the issue with the use of human security as an analytical concept is very difficult. The reason is that the concept of human security encompasses many different issues, including human rights, the environment, disease, poverty, freedom from fear, psychological well-being, and others. It is extremely difficult to say in what order these issues should be listed of importance, and the idea of human security itself can be very subjective depending on one’s experiences and opinions. However, others argue that advocates for human security “see concerns for human rights, welfare, and the overall human condition as frequently displaced by the defense and security concerns of states” (Viotti & Kauppi, 2009, p 468). Taking that into consideration, human security is not only a valid analytical concept for international security, it is also a useful tool for policy making and something that must be considered in order for international policy to be effective.
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Tags: Human Security human rights humanitarian intervention government war conflict united nations