Human Security: Conflict, Displacement and Peace Building

In recent years, 'human security' problems and issues have gained increasing attention on global and regional security agendas as essential priorities alongside more traditional or military (or 'national') security concerns. The traditional definition of security premised on military defence of a territory puts human security and social factors at the periphery. Advocates for a human security approach argue that to insist on a narrower state-centric security paradigm at the expense of human security would leave the concept of security bereft of any practical meaning in many real-world circumstances. What is human security, and what kinds of security issues, problems or conflicts can it be applied to? How do human security perspectives generate different approaches and policies to traditional security thinking? In what ways does a human security approach provide innovative perspectives to address sources of insecurity more holistically? This course will critically examine the human security concept and a range of key human security issues in the Asian region, including intra-state and ethnic conflict, post-conflict peace building, displaced persons and refugees, landmines and small arms, the protection of children in conflict, and poverty and human development.