Security and Security Complex: Operational Concepts

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Luis Tomé
 

Professor at Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa (UAL). Visiting Professor at the
Portuguese War College (IESM) and the Instituto de Defesa Nacional (IDN).
Scientific Coordinator of OBSERVARE and Deputy Director of JANUS.NET
PhD in International Relations by Coimbra’s University.

Abstract

Security is one of the most ambiguous, contested, and debated ideas in the conceptual framework of international relations. The "traditional" perspective has been severely contested as new approaches develop, and the concept of security has been reworked in all its fundamental components and dimensions, from object and reference to range and security instruments. Likewise, the discussion over the definition and characterization of international security systems, namely regarding competitive security, common security, cooperative security, collective security, and security community, continues to be very lively. Starting from these debates, and in the light of the current international situation, we propose operational concepts of security and of security complex.


Keywords

Security; Security Complex; International Relations; Theory; Concepts


How to cite this article

Tomé, Luís (2010) "Security and security complex: operational concepts". JANUS.NET e-journal of International Relations, N.º 1, Autumn 2010. Consulted [online] on date of the last visit, janus.ual.pt/janus.net/en/arquivo_en/en_vol1_n1/en_vol1_n1_art3.html


Article received in August 2010 and accepted for publication in August 2010