Monday, December 12, 2016

Reflection on Security Essay


 Post by Chirusha de Mel

In my security essay I argued that global security should be correlated with human security, in order to protect individuals from disease, hunger, unemployment, crime, social conflict, political repression, and environmental hazards. While some individuals may disagree, and believe that global security is inversely proportional to human security.  As stated in my essay, there are daily worries people can have, and it is critical to be aware that there are people in our state who are dying of hunger, crime, diseases, etc. In order to prevent that from happening it is important that states should see this as a global issue. For example, there are more people dying of malnutrition, homicides, and cancer than the 9/11 terrorist attack. I am not saying terrorists’ attacks are not vital to protect individuals, but it is equally important to find ways to protect human security. For example, the number of individuals who die from poverty are much higher than the people who get killed from terrorists’ attacks. Global security and human security should mean the “freedom from fear” and the “freedom from want.” [1]
However, if I were to make changes to my argument, I would discuss more on security as a speech act. There is a possibility that security might harm the pursuit of ending world hunger, which means we would have to get the defense department involved. Security as a speech act suggests that security expands beyond military sector, and is the, “move that takes politics beyond established rules of the game.” In Security and the Smokeless War, Ally Butler defines security issues as those staged as perceived threats to the survival of a highly valued referent object.  Butler also makes it clear that in order for a security issue to become an act of securitization, an existential threat must be recognized through a speech act. [2]In sum, I would only add how security is a speech act. After learning about the different types of security.
 I would still argue that global security should be interconnected with human security. One can argue that having the right for health care or basic needs would take a lower priority when the collective lives of people are in danger in the hands of terrorists. In this sense, global security means providing security for the people, and not about focusing on human security.




[1] "Franklin D. Roosevelt, The "Four Freedoms" Address to Congress." Franklin D. Roosevelt, The "Four Freedoms" Address to Congress. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.

[2] Butler, Ally. Security and the “Smokeless War.” Web. 11 Dec. 2016.

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