Ch 05 - Security in the Contemporary World12th Contemporary World Politics
Core Definition of Security
What is the most basic definition of 'Security' in political science?
What is the most basic definition of 'Security' in political science?
Freedom from Threats
- Basic Meaning: Security fundamentally implies freedom from threats.
- The Filter: Not every threat is considered a security issue; only those that threaten the 'core values' of a state or society.
- Threshold: The threat must be severe enough to damage these core values beyond repair if left unchecked.
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Analogy: The Four Villages
What does the 'Four Villages' story in the text illustrate about the international political system?
What does the 'Four Villages' story in the text illustrate about the international political system?
Microcosm of Global Politics
- The Story: Four villages (Kotabagh, Gewali, Kandali, Goppa) quarrel over resources and boundaries.
- The Lesson: It serves as a metaphor for the International System of sovereign states.
- Parallels:
- Claims based on being 'first settlers' versus having a large 'population size' mirror the historical and demographic arguments used by nation-states.
- The critical lack of a central enforcing authority (like an international police force) leads directly to insecurity, illustrating the condition of anarchy inherent in world politics.
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Traditional Security: External Threats
According to the 'Traditional' conception of security, what represents the greatest danger to a country?
According to the 'Traditional' conception of security, what represents the greatest danger to a country?
Military Threats from Abroad
- The Source: The greatest perceived danger stems from military threats originating from another sovereign country.
- The Target: Such threats directly endanger the core values of the state, specifically its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.
- The Victims: Military action targets not only soldiers but also ordinary citizens, who are often attacked to break public morale and support for the war.
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Also in this chapter
39 more cards to study in Prism
- 4Strategic Choices During War
- 5Distinction: Deterrence vs. Defence
- 6Balance of Power
- 7Alliance Building
- 8Traditional Security: Internal Dimension
- 9First World vs. Third World Security
- 10Disarmament vs. Arms Control
- 11Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)
- 12Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)
- 13Ottawa Treaty (1997)
- 14Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
- 15Visual Analysis: The Nuclear Club
- 16Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty
- 17SALT vs. START Treaties
- 18Confidence Building Measures (CBMs)
- 19Non-Traditional Security
- 20Narrow vs. Broad Human Security
- 21Global Security
- 22Defining Terrorism
- 23Visual Analysis: War and Terrorism
- 24Visual Analysis: The Terror Meter
- 25The Three Categories of Human Rights
- 26The Human Rights Intervention Debate
- 27Visual Analysis: The Invisible Poor
- 28Distinction: Refugees vs. Migrants
- 29Internally Displaced People (IDPs)
- 30The Correlation Between Conflict and Refugees
- 31The Vicious Cycle: Poverty, Population, and Conflict
- 32Health Epidemics as Non-Traditional Security Threats
- 33The Paradigm of Cooperative Security
- 34The Limitations of Cooperative Security
- 35The International Criminal Court (ICC)
- 36Visual Analysis: Taming Peace
- 37Visual Analysis: Expenditure Priorities
- 38India's Security Strategy: Core Components
- 39India's Security Strategy: Military Capabilities
- 40India's Security Strategy: International Norms
- 41India's Security Strategy: Internal Challenges
- 42India's Security Strategy: Economic Development
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12th Contemporary World Politics
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