Long Question

“Security is contested concept” this means that there is no exact definition of security in international
world. According to international theories k.booth; “security is something that is absence of life-threat”

The concept of security is redefined with the passage of time. Initially, there is only military dimension of
security. State’s security is only to secure their territory but later on the non-traditional aspects also
came in to focus that is human security, environmental security, health security.

Different international theorist explain it differently like the realism explain security as the security of
state and to ensure this security they emphasis on power maximization and arm race.

For example:

1. In contemporary era: the defense spending of biggest powers like United States and Russia are
spending in military. Their budget for defense is far more then education, health and economy.
2. India focused more on its defense missile program and military might rather than its poverty
issue along with health, population and other problems.

However looking to liberalist perspective, they mainly focus on individual rather than state. For
liberalist, individual security is far important then state security. For liberalist, the economic
interdependence reduce the chances of war between state thus promote peace and security.

For example:

1. During contemporary era, the coronavirus pandemic emerge in which every state is focusing on
individual security rather than arms build and military might.
2. China and United States along with many other countries go in economic interdependency so
that they can ensure peace and security with each other and in world.
3. For china the meaning of security is economy rather than military so china focus more on its
economy rather military.

However the theorist of constructivism argue that anarchy is what state make of it. They believe that
society is human constructed. Security and threat for individual and state is what they perceive and
believe.

For example;

1. The nuclear weapon program of North Korea is security threat for United States but not the
nuclear weapons of china and Russia.
2. Pakistan nuclear program is security threat for India that creates security dilemma for India but
not for Saudi Arabia and Iran

Analysis:
In contemporary era the theory of realism is applied for security that mainly focused on military means
to ensure the state security. Despite the fact that in many organization in international world the
cooperation, justice and human rights are dominate but traditional dimension of security still prevail.

For example in united nation; the human justice and security is mainly focused but what about the
Kashmir issue which is not focus because of India strong position then Pakistan and Kashmir citizens.
United nation serve the big powers united nation from which it gets its aid. Thus the core concept of
realism is still focus on traditional dimension for security. Realism is mainly practiced in contemporary
world in the cover of liberalism. Thus still traditional interest is first priority for states then non-
traditional threat come.

In first world countries, after traditional security, the shift is move toward climate change and health
security. United States, china and other develop security are more concern about their climate change
and global warming. For example united nation general assembly conference over climate change in
2019. Now United States, Australia, Japan, and China is focusing more of human health to fight the
deadly disease but it is not in priority for third world states.

Looking to George Floyd case, in United States human security is far important but in third world
countries like Pakistan and India, many people killed brutally every day but this reaction does not
emerge like the one in United States. So for them the human security is important factors in their
security domain.

While for under develop countries like the middle east countries Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq they have
more security issue related to terrorist organization and border threat.

Short Questions
Question 1
In my opinion, the neo realism explained the both traditional and non-traditional
security
Question 2
“Subdue your enemy without fighting a war” this is statement given sun zu, a Chinese philosopher.
Previously the war is fought based on military means but now the nature of warfare is change. Now
guerrilla warfare, chemical and biological warfare and hybrid warfare mainly emerged through which
the major goal and interest is achieved without fighting the direct war in battlefield. The goal, aims of
war is same but method and ways of finance is changing with passage of time like now a day’s terrorist,
insurgents are use to defeated enemy rather than direct intervention. In today contemporary world,
this philosophy of war is used, countries go in cooperation with each other to defeat other rather than
full-fled war.

For example:

1. China is using the economy as a tools to dominate in world. United States feel threaten from
china’s economic power. United states make the policy of containing china through trade war
and alliances rather than direct war. Thus trade war is going on between china and United
States.
2. The coronavirus pandemic that is happening currently in world may also be the biological
weapon use by countries. United States blame china for corona virus while china blame United
States so technological innovations are also use to achieve the political aim without fighting.
3. Agents and mercenaries are use now a day’s to create unrest and insurgencies in countries like
kalbusshan Yadav in Pakistan.
4.