Browning, Christopher S. and McDonald, Matt (2013) The future of critical security studies : ethics and the politics of security. European Journal of International Relations, Volume 19 (Number 2). pp. 235-255. doi:10.1177/1354066111419538 ISSN 1354-0661.

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Abstract

‘Critical security studies’ has come to occupy a prominent place within the lexicon of International Relations and security studies over the past two decades. While disagreement exists about the boundaries of this sub-discipline or indeed some of its central commitments, in this article we argue that we can indeed talk about a ‘critical security studies’ project orienting around three central themes. The first is a fundamental critique of traditional (realist) approaches to security; the second is a concern with the politics of security — the question of what security does politically; while the third is with the ethics of security — the question of what progressive practices look like regarding security. We suggest that it is the latter two of these concerns with the politics and ethics of security that ultimately define the ‘critical security studies’ project. Taking the so-called Welsh School and Copenhagen School frameworks as archetypal examples of ‘critical security studies’ (and its limits), in this article we argue that despite its promises, scholarship in this tradition has generally fallen short of providing us with a sophisticated, convincing account of either the politics or the ethics of security. At stake in the failure to provide such an account is the fundamental question of whether we need a ‘critical security studies’ at all.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	J Political Science > JZ International relations
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Politics and International Studies
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Security, International -- Research, Security, International -- Moral and ethical aspects, Security, International -- Political aspects
Journal or Publication Title:	European Journal of International Relations
Publisher:	Sage Publications Ltd.
ISSN:	1354-0661
Official Date:	June 2013
Dates:	Date Event June 2013 ["eprint_fieldopt_dates_date_type_available" not defined]
Volume:	Volume 19
Number:	Number 2
Page Range:	pp. 235-255
DOI:	10.1177/1354066111419538
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access

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