Peacetimes or wartimes : peacekeeping from a global-human security perspective

Abstract

This thesis is a two part study of security and peacekeeping. The end of the Cold War, dissolution of the Soviet Union and globalization have set the stage for a radical transformation of the nature and perception of the term security. Recent events, including the Gulf War, the exposed racism and violence of peacekeepers in Somalia, the attack on Mohammed Aideed in Somalia, and NATO bombings in the former Yugoslavia have fostered a new and tarnished perception of peacekeeping. This at a time when more UN peacekeeping missions have been established in the past five years than in its first 35 years. Firstly, it is my contention and premise that a paradigm shift is occurring in terms of global security issues. An objective and subjective transformation of a state-centric security system (which I call the traditional security paradigm) to a global and people centered security system (which I call the global-human security paradigm) is underway. And secondly, to best understand and utilize generic 'peacekeeping'(which includes peacekeeping, preventive diplomacy, enforcement, peacemaking and peacebuilding) it must be evaluated from the perspective of the global-human security paradigm and in particular from an international critical theory which is based on Gramscian critical theory. International critical theory clearly outlines whose security and what security is to be protected. Thus criteria for evaluating peacekeeping are established. The thesis concludes with a sweeping overview of the global policy implications needed for a people-centred security as derived from the study.