European security

Security definitions and the main dilemmas

Dr. Arūnas Molis22 April, 2014

Tallinn

Content:

Changing understanding of security

Most relevant security concerns

Secure-insecure regions

Security according Europeans

When do you feel secure?

Approaches towards security

Traditional (rational, conventional):

Security is a state of order which could be reached by eliminating threats using military and non-military instruments

Post-modern:

Security is socially constructed and gets its meaning only in a certain social context

What kind of security?

Global or international security (global poverty, terrorism)

National security (weapons of mass destruction)

Security of each individual person (safety of food, water, etc.)

What is changing security understanding?

Military conflicts The growth of new powers (states,

NGO’s, interests groups, terrorists, etc.)

Climate change Population or energy caused stress Instable global economic system Weakness of democratic institutions Increased reliance on critical infrastructures Global poverty

“Hard”, “soft” and “human” security

Hard security military and state-centered involves the use of force

Soft security Non-military and not necessarily state-centric Protection of the system and its users from harm, in

gentle and unobtrusive ways Non-violance, convincement, social control

Human security security of individuals and the communities in which

they live Elimination of life-threatening risks that emanate from

poverty, natural disasters Extension of rule-governed as opposed to war-based

security

What is at stake?

Munich security conference

Main topics on the 2011 agenda:

Implications of the Financial Crisis on Global Stability and Security

Non-proliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament: What’s Next?

Cyber Security

What’s happening in the Arab World?

Global and Regional Security Challenges

Main topics on the 2014 agenda:

Rebooting Trust? Freedom vs. Security in Cyberspace

The Future of European Defence

The Middle East Peace Process

The Syrian Catastrophe

A Transatlantic Renaissance?

Global Power and Regional Stability: A Focus on CEE

Energy and Climate Security

What Season is next for the Middle East?

Global peace index 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU59B77VugQ

Security in Europe – what really matters?

Europeans on security

Different perception of security by different countries in Europe

Members of NATO

Countries pursuing policy of non-alignment

Countries annexed by USSR

Members of Warsaw Treaty Organization

Perception of threats by country

What do our documents say?

“Official” threats to European security

According to ESS (2003)

Terrorism (religious extremism, pressure of modernization, alienation of young people)

Proliferation of WMD (biological, chemical, radiological materials)

Regional conflicts (Kashmir, Great Lake region, Korean peninsula, Middle East)

State Failure (Somalia, Liberia, Afghanistan)

Organized crime (trafficking in drugs, women, illegal migrants, weapons)

“New” threats

cyber attacks energy supply

disruptions climate change piracy

Questions?