New Security Theory

Author: Barry Buzan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-02-01
Features: Barry Buzan, Ole W?ver led the European Constructivist Security Studies—Copenhagen School—became the most prominent school in Western security studies due to its proposal of the complex security theory and the securitization theory. This school studies who and under what conditions can securitize through the social constructivist approach. They argue that security is merely a special type of politics, opposing the idealized interpretation of security, and propose that security should not be extended but should move towards "de-securitization." This book is an important theoretical document of social constructivism in international relations and also the most classic work in Western security studies after the Cold War. The New Security Studies demonstrates the unique thinking of the Copenhagen School on security issues. One of the core concepts of this book is the controversial "securitization" and "de-securitization," which may only apply to the so-called "mature anarchy" and "mature states," showing a certain degree of foresight. Nevertheless, the security theory of the Copenhagen School still has great inspirational value for broadening the perspective of security studies, as it demonstrates that security ultimately boils down to human security.