The purpose and perspectives of security studies: Educating security experts

Abstract

Studying and practicing security requires systemic knowledge of politics, law and history. An all-encompassing truth about security (of the state, society, individual, world order, etc.) is arrived at gradually and discursively: first, by analyzing the causes/reasons of existing or potential specific security risks or threats, second, by analyzing the factors affecting their social or individual reception, and, finally, by controlling i.e. managing security issues in order to address or anticipate them. The ability to gain such knowledge and skills presupposes an education of security experts underpinned by knowledge of the philosophy of politics and law, sociology and psychology, political science and ecology, continually mediated by content from security management studies. Unless it rests upon interdisciplinary study conceived in this way, the security profession serves no purpose and amounts to pre-military training and short first-aid or martial arts courses.

Keywords

• security
• knowledge
• skills
• politics
• history