Of Fears and Foes

Book excerpt: At the end of the deadliest century known to mankind, the world still finds itself mired in bloodshed. In addition to formal inter-state conflict, we see an increase in other forms of organized violence, including ethnic warfare, terrorism, civil conflict, and internationally necessitated police actions. Cornered by these powerful global forces, nation-states continue their quest for security. Theirs is a search plagued by futility since the very meaning of the word security is being eroded by the pace and tenor of change in an evolving international environment more complex and confusing than ever. The explanatory power of traditional notions of international security, which has provided a cornerstone for international relations theory as a whole, seems increasingly inadequate in helping to understand the makings of global security. A novel approach is needed--one that integrates discerning insights from the study of language, history, geography, religion, economics, and technology, with more traditional understandings of the workings of power on an international level and on an intranational scale. Of Fears and Foes presents just this kind of innovative thinking by some of the most creative scholars working on these issues today. Ciprut invites us to consider a fundamental reassessment of what constitutes security and insecurity in an emerging global environment.