Understanding Global Security

Book excerpt: Fully revised and updated, this fifth edition of Understanding Global Security considers the variety of ways in which peoples’ lives are threatened and / or secured in contemporary global politics. The traditional focus of security studies - war, deterrence and terrorism - are analyzed alongside non-military security issues such as famine, crime, disease, disasters, environmental degradation and human rights abuses to provide a comprehensive survey of how and why people are killed in the contemporary world. Key concepts of International Relations and globalization are defined and explained, prominent political thinkers and activists are profiled in short biographies and the human impact of the various security threats considered graphically illustrated in ‘top ten’ tables. Hence, this textbook introduces students to the full range of security issues in a clear and concise format that is easy to follow. Specific updates include: A refresh of the evolving theoretical literature on security including more analysis of feminist and post-colonial thought Key recent international political developments- such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the withdrawal of the US from Afghanistan - are appraised and incorporated A new section on hybrid warfare is included in Chapter 2, misogynistic terror is profiled in Chapter 3, whilst gun-smuggling and cybercrime are considered in more depth in Chapter 10 Chapter 5 features analysis of the rise of ‘genocide diplomacy’ The rise of private legal challenges to governments for failing to implement commitments to the Paris 2015 Climate Change Accords is reviewed and analysed Greater evaluation of global governance, in the face of populist nationalist challenges to international cooperation, is offered User-friendly and easy to follow, this textbook is designed to make a complex subject accessible to all. Key features include: ‘Top ten tables’ highlighting the most destructive events or forms of death in those areas throughout history Boxed descriptions elaborating key concepts in the fields of security and International Relations ‘Biographical boxes’ of key individuals who have shaped security politics Further reading and websites at the end of each chapter guiding you towards classic texts and the most up-to-date information on the various topics Glossary of political terminology This highly acclaimed and popular academic text will continue to be essential reading for everyone interested in security.