rethinking paradigms of global human security conference ... · rethinking paradigms of global...

Rethinking Paradigms of Global Human SecurityConference Report

Presented by the Globalization Research NetworkSeptember 20, 2002 _ Washington, DC

1

The Globalization Research Network

The Globalization Research Network (GRN) was established in Spring 2001 as a result of a grant from

Congress. The Network unites the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the University of South Florida, the

University of California at Los Angeles, and the George Washington University in a collective

arrangement that permits each to pursue globalization research in their own area of expertise. Each

university conducts research on their own "signature projects" and collaborates on research projects and

public education activities. As the centers become more established, the role of the consortium itself will

develop and perform an increasing number of activities to knit the efforts of the four universities together.

The ultimate purpose of the consortium is to coordinate the activities of the four centers. This will allow

researchers of complementary capability and interests to work together. It will also combine outreach

efforts by disseminating globalization data and research findings, and coordinating fund raising activities.

The Globalization Research Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa

The goal of the Globalization Research Center (GRC) at Hawaii is to identify and analyze the social,

political, economic, and cultural transformations that characterize globalization, with particular attention to

their impact on Asia and the Pacific. The Center’s signature projects are the Globalization Atlas and

Portal Project, the Globalization Research Center Curriculum Project, and GRC Health Projects.

Barry Gills, Director

The GW Center for the Study of Globalization

The GW Center for the Study of Globalization (GWCSG) was established to promote research and public

education on the various forces that are driving globalization with emphasis on Europe and the Middle

East. The GWCSG’s signature projects consider how globalization is changing the relationship between

markets at the local and international levels; how globalization is affecting the sustainability of

international financial markets; and how information technology affects globalization.

John Forrer, Director

The Globalization Research Center at the University of South Florida

2

The Globalization Research Center (GRC) at the University of South Florida studies the impact of

globalization within the geographic context of Latin America and the Caribbean. USF has developed core

projects in three areas of specialization in which the University currently has expertise: development,

water, and health.

Mark Amen, Director

The Globalization Research Center -- Africa at the University of California at Los Angeles

The overall aim of the Globalization Research Center -- Africa (GRC-A) is to engage in research on ways

global forces impact upon African societies; the ways in which African societies have impacts upon the

globalization process; and comparative, cross national and cross cultural comparisons of global

processes as they relate to Africa. GRC-A has supported four signature projects: African Globalization

Index Project, Conflict, Conflict Management and Democracy Project, Environment and Development

Project, and Gender and Health Project.

Ed Keller, Director

3

Table of Contents

A Message from the Executive Director ...........................................................................................................

Deane Neubauer

An Introduction to “Rethinking Paradigms of Global Human Security” .....................................................

Panel Summaries

Connected to the Global Village: Privacy, Protection and Publicness ................................................................

Health and Global Human Security.......................................................................................................................

The Environment and Global Human Security .....................................................................................................

Conflict, Conflict Management and Democracy ...................................................................................................

Concluding Thoughts: Reworking the Research and Policy Agenda..........................................................

What’s Next?.........................................................................................................................................................

Appendices

Conference Participants ........................................................................................................................................

Contact Information.............................................................................................................................................

4

A Message from the Executive Director

On September 20, 2002, the Globalization Research Network (GRN) hosted the “Rethinking Paradigms

of Global Human Security” conference in Washington, DC. This conference was designed to explore

various dimensions of the relationship between globalization and human security and to take first steps in

the identification of possible joint interests and projects among the member faculties of the four

institutions that comprise the Network: University of California at Los Angeles, the University of South

Florida, George Washington University and the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Never before has the need for comprehensive discussions on how globalization is increasing threats to

human security been so pressing. Globalization is increasing the frequency and intensity of our

connectedness with people, places, and forces around the world. Events occurring on the other side of

the globe are profoundly affecting our day-to-day lives in ways that would have been unimaginable less

than a generation ago.

Heightened levels of connectivity make us more vulnerable to threats to our personal security. However,

despite this, the concept of “global human security,” while declared to be of utmost importance, still lacks

clear definition, a distinctive research agenda, and concrete policy responses. Study into the concept of

“globalization” and the concept of “human security” warrant much attention each on their own; however

little effort has been accorded to examining the intricate and inexorable link between the two.

Therefore, the “Rethinking Paradigms of Global Human Security” conference convened leading

researchers from across the nation to discuss research and policy concerns that must be addressed in

order to make real progress in understanding how globalization is impacting human security. Panelists

from a variety of disciplines and areas of expertise presented cutting-edge research with an emphasis on

four critical areas: information technology, health, environment, and conflict, conflict management, and

democracy.

The following report identifies conference participants and summarizes the major discussion points that

were made. From the ongoing dialogue and plenary session, a broad range of meaning, dimension, and

approaches to global human security investigation was suggested, and panelists expressed a

commitment to longterm work.

As we look to the future, demand will grow for significant research and policy on global human security.

This conference was a first step in bringing to the forefront the most innovative efforts currently being

undertaken at leading academic institutions in a variety of disciplines, and seriously considering how to

comprehensively coordinate these efforts in order to enact real, significant change.

5

We look forward to continued enhancement of this initiative, as well as making a substantial contribution

to all new developments in the globalization debate.

Deane Neubauer

Executive Director, Globalization Research Network

6

An Introduction to “Rethinking Paradigms of Global Human Security”

While globalization has heightened the levels on which individuals can interact with each other around the

world, it also presents increased opportunities for our sense of personal security to be threatened.

Investigating and responding to human security from the framework of globalization gives a broad

perspective with which to examine the human condition in this day and age.

The “Rethinking Paradigms of Global Human Security” conference was held to help raise awareness of

how personal security has been increasingly threatened due to global-scale connectivity; and how these

problems must be addressed using global-scale approaches. Researchers from the universities

comprising the Globalization Research Network hail from diverse academic backgrounds. They met in

Washington, DC to focus this expertise on the four chief forces affecting global human security:

Information Technology: Information technology has been one of the principle driving forces

of increased global connectivity. It has many positive aspects, such as the worldwide spread

of knowledge. But it also exposes users to fresh vulnerabilities — raising elaborate questions

about the consequences of global information sharing.

Health: Globalization is also associated with the increased movement and interaction of

goods and people across the planet at ever greater speeds. A great deal of attention has

been paid to the economic, political, and technological dimensions of globalization. Of equal

importance is to consider how heightened levels of connectivity are impacting the state of

human health. In this age of globalization we have witnessed the unprecedented spread of

communicable disease across borders, an expansion so great that it even has the potential to

threaten national security.

Environment: A truly worldwide system, the environment does not recognize national

boundaries. Therefore, ongoing changes to the ecology and climate of the world, irrespective

of the source of those changes, may affect the entire human population. Serious fluctuations

in weather patterns, the availability of food and potable water, and sustainability of natural

resources pose real challenges for governance. As a result, they have the potential threaten

human security.

Conflict, Conflict Management, and Democracy: Emerging and new global human security

threats also have severe potential ramifications for worldwide conflict, development, and

democracy. Taking account of this fact requires establishing wider definitions of “security” that

7

are more inclusive than those that have been framed by nation states in the past, and

recognize the involvement of a wider range of actors than in the old “security system.”

Participants also discussed where the greatest research and policy efforts will be required in the future,

and forged preliminary plans for establishing joint research projects. Finally, serious consideration was

given to how these collaborative efforts could be expanded to involve other partners, and how the work

could be of use to international organizations such as the United Nations.

8

Connected to the Global Village: Privacy, Protection and Publicness

Globalization has increased human connectivity through widespread information networks. At the same

time, this heightened level of connectivity poses new risks and vulnerabilities, and raises complex

questions about the very nature, and future, of global information sharing.

This panel considered prominent issues surrounding globalization and digital age security concerns:

threats to national security, critical infrastructure and personal privacy. They also considered the broad

range of impacts that IT advances will have on the world – from creating and deepening the digital divide

to expanding and enriching information exchange capacities of individuals.

Technological challenges to the nation state

New advances in information technology (IT) have both positive and negative aspects, suggested several

panelists.

According to David Lassner, among the negative aspects of IT is the fact that modern technology

undeniably undermines many of the traditional governing capacities of nation states. “Moore’s Law”

continues unabated, meaning that the power of computers doubles every 18 months – far faster than it is

possible for governments to keep up through regulation. The Internet, for instance, does not respect or

acknowledge national boundaries, making regulation a difficult endeavor.

However, positive aspects about new technology are that it provides information about threats to nation

states, and also enables expanded communication between citizens and their governments. Advances in

information sharing technologies provide increased communications power on multiple levels.

Threats to infrastructure

The generally slow response from national governments to the pace of technological change also means

that many cyber-security threats have yet to be sufficiently planned for. Particularly vulnerable are

technological critical infrastructures – services so vital that their incapacitation would debilitate a society’s

entire way of life. Stephanie Bryant detailed at length the threats to security and economic stability that

exist today from breeches in IT security. For instance, worldwide damage caused by worms and viruses

in 1999 alone totaled $1.6 trillion. Today’s greatest fear is the impact that a “blended” worm and virus

combination could wreak across the globe.

Digital Divide

9

And while the world becomes increasingly dependent upon information technologies, the “digital divide”

between those who have access and those who do not is becoming more stark. National governments,

suggested Folu Ogundimu, are only sluggishly coming to terms with inequalities associated with

technological advances and dependencies. For example, in sub-Saharan Africa the telecommunications

industry has in recent years developed largely free from state regulation. Private companies have thus

put the cost of telephones out of many users’ reach, thereby widening the gap between those who can

benefit from IT advances, and those who cannot afford to do so.

Individual privacy

Another aspect of technological advances considered by panelists was that of threats to individual

privacy. Lance Hoffman described the massive variety of equipment legally available today for the

purpose of monitoring people’s movement and communications. This opens more opportunities for

individuals to fall victim to fraud, considering our increased dependence on electronic sharing of even the

most sensitive information. David Lassner suggested that privacy reveals IT innovation to be a double-

edged sword. For every step taken to secure something by technology, there is an opposite step that may

not be desirable. For instance, large firms such as Nordstrom and Amazon request personal information

in their online commerce. While this certainly improves customer service, such exposure makes the

individual user more vulnerable to invasions of personal privacy.

Suggested action items

“Connected to the Global Village” panelists called for energies to be devoted to the following:

• Invest research efforts into establishing best practices for cyber-security standards, thus ensuring

that a blueprint exists for all societies to be as prepared as they possibly can be for threats to

their technological structures. This will involve identifying the security implications of emergent

technologies, and measuring cyber-security awareness among corporations and governing

authorities.

• Investigate how the increasing dependence on IT of countries across the world is impacting upon

their laws and intellectual property rights. When this investigation is complete, use its findings to

compile comprehensive indices of threats to human security emanating from contemporary

technological change.

10

Panelists

Stephanie Bryant

Advisory Council Professor, School of Accounting, University of South Florida

Presentation: “Anticipating and Dealing with Cyberattacks Against the Global Information Technology

Infrastructure””

David Lassner

Chief Information Officer and Information Technology Officer, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Presentation: “Real Life with Global Networks on the IT Frontier”

Lance Hoffman

Professor, Department of Computer Science, The George Washington University

Presentation: “Computer-based challenges for governance and globalization”

Folu Ogundimu

Research Associate, Globalization Research Center – Africa, University of California at Los Angeles; and

Associate Professor, School of Journalism, College of Communication Arts and Sciences, Michigan State

University

Presentation: “Regulatory commissions, the reform agenda, and ICT development in Sub-Sahara Africa”

John Forrer (moderator)

Director, GW Center for the Study Globalization, The George Washington University

11

Health and Global Human Security

The increased movement of people, goods and services that often characterizes globalization

intentionally or inadvertently affects local health conditions through the spread of communicable diseases

across borders.

This introduction to new, and possibly devastating, disease worldwide can have significant consequences

for social stability and the individual’s sense of personal security. There has been considerable debate

concerning the economic, political, and technological dimensions of globalization, but little concerning its

impact upon human health and security.

Panelists considered how globalization affects the health of individuals and communities, including the

threats to nation states caused by the globalization of health problems. They also suggested that

globalization can, in fact, be beneficial to health, and that global solutions must respect cultural specificity.

Furthermore, they debated the difference between health threats to national security that are the result of

globalization, and others that are merely worldwide in scale.

Defining health threats to national security

Both Andrew Price-Smith and Dean Jamison stated that little work has actually been done on what

does or does not constitute a health threat to national security as a direct result of global integration.

Dean Jamison argued that people often mistake global problems in health for health problems that are a

result of globalization. For instance, the two great epidemics of the 20th Century – influenza and

HIV/AIDS – were caused by worldwide integration. However, considering the historical antecedents of

HIV/AIDS, is the disease necessarily an instance of globalization?

Jamison maintained that it is primarily the movement of people that relates to the globalization of health

problems. While these problems are very real, they also typically affect very few people, as the West Nile

virus in the United States demonstrates. Therefore, the political leadership of developed countries has, on

the whole, not been wrong to pay little attention to such health threats as issues of national security.

However, Andrew Price-Smith suggested that modern South Africa is evidence that the globalization of

health problems can affect the stability and security of nation states. HIV/AIDS was spread throughout

sub-Saharan Africa via peacekeeping troops and freight truck drivers crossing international boundaries.

As a result, South Africa now has almost half a million children orphaned by AIDS, who will likely

contribute to a significant increase in criminal activity and political fragmentation.

12

Benefits and outlook of globalization and health

Dean Jamison also suggested that globalization can create a sense of community between developed

and developing countries that will hopefully engage the European Union and United States in the health

problems of the Third World. He rejected the notion that worldwide health problems today are insoluble.

Health technologies exist to intervene in the health concerns of Third World countries, even for those at

very low income levels.

Likewise, Veronica Miller suggested that to reduce the global spread of HIV/AIDS would actually be

quite simple – we already have the necessary technology and medication. However, the real barriers to

this reduction are organizational, as the different agencies that are involved are traditionally

compartmentalized in their outlook. To combat HIV/AIDS, it is necessary for all concerned governments

and other organizations to firstly make a detailed plan of action, and then facilitate extensive cooperation

between themselves to avoid unnecessary duplication and ensure the most effective outcome.

Cultural sensitivity in action

Charles Mueller has extensive experience of counseling native Hawaiians with HIV/AIDS. The example

of Hawaii reveals that care for those carrying HIV/AIDS is most effective when it takes the culture of those

being treated into serious consideration. Therefore, although it is necessary for all organizations

concerned with health to collaborate globally to optimize efficiency, scientific knowledge always must be

translated into local application for success.


“Health and Global Human Security” panelists called for energies to be devoted to the following:

• Lobby to re-establish the health advisor position on the National Security Council and generally

raise awareness of the AIDS threat within the Washington, DC foreign policy community and the

Bush Administration.

• Use the case of HIV/AIDS to realign the status of health within international affairs, so that it is at

the very center of all future security considerations. A significant first step toward achieving this

goal will be using the standards and expertise of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS

(UNAIDS) to redefine the very role of the UN.

13

• Emphasize the need for collaboration between all the different agencies involved in the treatment

and research of HIV/AIDS.

Panelists

Dean Jamison

Professor, School of Education, University of California at Los Angeles

Presentation: “Increases in the Globalization of Disease”

Veronica Miller

Executive Director, Forum for Collaborative HIV Research, Center for Health Services Research and

Policy, The George Washington University’s

Presentation: “An Approach to Global HIV/AIDS Pandemic – Building on Collaborations”

Charles Mueller

Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Presentation: “Lessons from Home: HIV, Democracy and Security”

Andrew Price-Smith

Assistant Professor, Departments of Government and International Affairs and Environmental Science

and Policy at the University of South Florida.

Presentation: “The destabilizing effects of HIV/AIDS in the developing world”

Mark Amen (moderator)

Director, the USF Globalization Research Center, University of South Florida.

14

The Environment and Global Human Security

Globalization is leading to the growing interface between environmental science and human security. The

vulnerability of the environment and on-going changes in environmental, ecological, and climatic systems

are having a direct impact on the security of the human population. The global environment does not

recognize national territorial boundaries – rather, diverse populations, nations and states are impacted by

a single global environmental system.

This panel presented scientific research findings that embodied the concept of global environmental

science, and discussed its implications for the governance and problem-solving issues of global human

security. Topics explored included global ocean patterns such as the El Nino phenomenon; global climatic

and meteorological science; the science of extinction and conservation; and global ecosystem

management.

Standardization of cutting edge research

Thomas Schroeder opened the discussion by emphasizing that environmental issues cannot be

addressed adequately unless countries dedicate the resources necessary for high-quality, high-impact

research. The research community must commit itself to establishing investigative standards and to

improving information flow, thereby establishing a foundation upon which we can accurately predict, and

plan for, environmental impacts on human security. Schroeder called for a systematic review of the

historical record to determine its accuracy and consistency, as well as the establishment of

measurements that are standard, accurate, and understood worldwide.

Main threats to global human security

Our definition of what constitutes a threat to human security must also be broadened in order to fully

examine how the environment plays a role in human security, noted Roger Lukas. By looking specifically

at the Pacific Rim, Lucas showed that patterns in current data show that insecurity is prevalent in locales

most impacted by ecological change, especially in areas of food management and habitat safety. The

global effects of El Nino, drought, unchecked pollution caused by powerful Multinational Enterprises

(MNEs), and transnational conflicts over fishing rights were cited as leading forces threatening the

habitability, productivity, and security of the people of these coastal regions. Only by engaging in wide-

scale coordinated efforts towards securing the quantity, quality, and open distribution of the world’s food

supplies for all citizens.

Organizational responses to environmental energy security challenges

15

As we have seen over the past 30 years, environmental energy challenges play a particularly important

role in considering the broad range of threats to human security due to increased global interdependence.

Mark Starik called for the academic community to take a systematic approach to researching global

measures of energy conservation, and security at multiple levels, including the individual, organizational,

political, economic, social, cultural and ecological. Governments must also be mindful of emerging

individual security concerns by updating and reforming energy policy. These policy changes would

facilitate inter-sectoral collaborations with, for example, small and medium-sized businesses and energy

NGOs. Such organizations have not been consistently consulted in the past, despite the enormous role

they play at the grassroots and individual contact level. These collaborations must be given the

responsibility to come up with individual, national, and global solutions for topical issues such as

formulating national, regional and international guidelines for securing water treatment and food

processing plants.


The “Environment and Global Human Security” panelists called for energies to be devoted to the

following:

• Explore the possibility of using a multi-level approach in environmental science. This will

necessitate a commitment by states to finance equipment and personnel to conduct research,

and track environmental phenomenon such as El Nino in order to predict and plan for their

consequences.

• Put forth greater academic efforts to establish solutions to emerging infrastructural and security

concerns that have arisen since September 11, such as securing water treatment plants and the

world’s food supply.

• Further investigate inter-sectoral and inter-organizational collaboration. Such investigation is

necessary for the scientific community to become better organized, capable of arriving at a clear

majority view, and able take political action. This can be achieved by translating and integrating

(global) environmental science studies with practitioner studies and action, and by exploring the

feasibility and merits of alternative research collaborations, such as with environment and energy

NGOs, small-and medium-sized businesses.

Panelists

16

Roger Lukas

Professor, Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Presentation: “The World Ocean and Global Security”

Thomas Schroeder

Professor and Chair, Department of Meteorology

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Presentation: “Issues in Weather and Climate Science: The Dream of Climate Prediction”

Mark Starik

Associate Professor, Department of Strategic Management and Public Policy, The George Washington

University

Presentation: “Organizational Responses to Environmental and Energy Security Challenges”

Mark Stewart

Director, The USF Water Institute, University of South Florida

Presentation: “Globalization and Water: Local Phenomena, Global Effects”

Barry Gills (moderator)

Director, Globalization Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa

17

Conflict, Conflict Management and Democracy

The relationship between conflict, development, and democracy is closely linked to emerging debates

about human security. Establishing broader definitions of security that are more inclusive than those that

have been framed by the requirements of nation states and military survival requires the involvement of a

wider range of actors than in the old “security system.”

This panel considered several topics, including: framing security problems as both a political and

economic problem; identifying and assessing the interconnections between political, economic, and other

factors as causes and consequences of insecurity; determining policies that are better suited to reducing

the risk of conflict; and determining what types of analyses are most useful.

Tensions between state and human security

Nat Colletta argued states play a significant role in assuring three basic elements of human security:

access to productive assets, protection under the rule of law, and possessing the three freedoms, which

are “freedom from fear,” “freedom from need,” and “freedom from want.” In situations where individuals

lack productive resources – jobs, education, and means of earning livelihoods – they are left idle and

susceptible to predatory behavior and influence of extreme groups. For nations, access to these

productive resources provides competitive advantages for international trade that will lead to higher

standards of living, more social services, job training, and better education. This is one step toward

alleviating the cycle of poverty that can lead to insecurity of the individual. He also explained that

protection under the rule of law involves ensuring that each citizen is given basic human rights and

freedoms. In war-torn areas, the question remains: who protects the individual? What role should

international organizations play in protecting the individual? Has the state put sufficient mechanisms in

place to protect its citizens?

Manifestations of human insecurity

Earl Conteh-Morgan argued that human security is only possible if human insecurity is relieved in three

basic categories: personal, institutional, and structural. Personal insecurity is harmful action taken

against people and property. Institutional insecurity stems from corruption. Structural insecurity stems

from ideological differences, which are inherent in globalization. Traditionally, states have tended to

focus attention and resources on alleviating institution and structural insecurities. However, as we move

towards an understanding that the individual is the end, and not the means, to democratization, nations

must place added emphasis on assuring individual security. In the move towards a more global and

18

cohesive society, the human element must be recognized and supported as the key to solving global

conflict.

Ruth Iyob spoke about the correlation between human security and the concept of justice on state and

global levels. She noted that trust and accountability are fundamental criteria in the social contract

between states and citizens – without which no state or institution could garner confidence in its ability to

fulfill its mandate to protect and govern. Furthermore, Iyob emphasized the need to concretize a global

consensus on human rights. As global interactions on the personal level become more complex and

commonplace, we come to realize that human security is compromised when individuals are targeted for

harm based on ethnicity or culture. It is at this point when states must take the initiative to publicly

recognize, and strive to reassess, their social contracts with their citizens.

Michael Shapiro took a historical approach, recognizing the need to examine how forms of insecurity

have manifested themselves over time. In looking forward, he noted that in order for global institutions to

truly address the security concerns of the individual, they must be democratized and restructured towards

this end. Individuals, furthermore, must be viewed as active participants in the process of furthering the

global human security relationship between the individual, the state, and the wider world.

Conflict, development and poverty

A significant point of debate remained for the panelists: is there a relationship between conflict,

development, and poverty? The group concluded that while there is a clear relationship between conflict

and development, what is not as evident is the relationship between conflict and poverty. The decisive

factors in determining whether such a correlation exists are the presence of high asset inequalities, slow

growth, and divided religious and ethnic societies – all of which can fuel human insecurity. To manage the

volatility of such a situation, countries and international institutions must commit to decentralize decision

making, encourage asset equality both within and outside national boundaries, and practice good

governance techniques like transparency and accountability.


The “Conflict, Conflict Management, and Democracy” panelists called for energies to be devoted to the

following:

• Reexamine the impact of globalization on developing and developed countries to determine why

the promises of globalization have, as many see it, failed.

19

• Energize research endeavors that aim to close the gap between relief and development. Commit

attention to those efforts at creating solutions for developing countries to ensure that they break

the cycle of poverty that places their citizens on the brink and spurs reoccurring conflict.

• Investigate means of transforming the policies of the international institutions in ways that

encourage sustainable social contracts, such as questioning IMF conditionality so that it accounts

for peace agreements. This should include changing the charter of MNEs and other institutions

that remain very state-centered.

Panelists

Nat Colletta

Co-Director, Institute for Peacebuilding and Development, The George Washington University

Presentation: “Human Security and Development: Implications for Reforming the IFIs”

Earl Conteh-Morgan

Professor, Department of Government and International Affairs, University of South Florida

Presentation: “Globalization and the Human Security Problematic: Implications for Democracy and

Conflict Management”

Ruth Iyob

Research Associate, Globalization Research Center – Africa, University of California at Los Angeles and

Associate Professor, Political Science, University of Missouri at St. Louis

Michael Shapiro

Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Presentation: “The Biopolitics of Securitization”

Ed Keller (moderator)

Director, Globalization Research Center – Africa, University of California at Los Angeles

20

Concluding Thoughts: Reworking the Research and Policy Agenda

When the directors of the Globalization Research Network’s research centers first conceived of a

collaborative conference on global human security, they aimed to involve a strong cross-section of

leading thinkers in a forum to examine the numerous and complex effects that globalization is having, and

will have, on the individual’s feelings of safety. The objective of the “Rethinking Paradigms of Global

Human Security” conference was to catalyze debate, and revisit and reassess our current efforts towards

understanding human security through a globalization lens.

Several important points emerged from the conference about the multifaceted relationship between

globalization and human security. In particular, panelists reached useful conclusions about how we have

traditionally defined human security, and how we must now approach, individual safety in the age of

globalization. New thought on human security, they agreed, must take into account the positive and

negative aspects of globalization.

Conference participants called, first and foremost, for continued exploration of the concept of human

security, especially focusing on the primacy of human need. This effort should be undertaken with

sensitivity to the fact that security itself has varied hues of meaning and widespread implications, and the

research community must place renewed emphasis on how globalization and security are related across

various sectors of society.

It was also agreed that there is a real difference between security threats that are global in scale, and

those threats that are directly attributable to globalization. In order to assure that new and emerging

security threats can be combated in the most appropriate manner available, this important distinction

requires further clarification.

The conference also drew attention to the fact that researchers and policymakers must remain aware of

both the positive and negative aspects of the relationship between global integration and human security.

A striking advantage of globalization is that the Internet, for example, is a useful conduit for people to

share an unprecedented amount of information and technology to address global health emergencies

such as AIDS. Furthermore, new global technology connects people as never before – meaning that it is

possible today to create a worldwide sense of community. However, among the dangers caused by

increased global interaction appear to be related increases in communicable disease and pollution –

factors that can jeopardize human security. Concerned academics must weigh the positive potential of

globalization against the risk that it poses to individual safety.

21

Many of the issues discussed at this conference share the common feature that they raise questions

about governance, in the very broadest sense. That is, how can individual nations and societies act in

order to overcome the challenges of globalization? How can they combat new security threats, and best

utilize new forms of technology and communications to improve the human condition?

The “Rethinking Paradigms of Global Human Security” conference comprehensively demonstrated the

extent to which globalization is impacting upon human security. This demonstration revealed that future

research and action needs to take multiple, critical directions in order to create real change and improve

the security of individuals in an increasingly connected world. It is essential that the United States and

other donor governments play an active, constructive and consistent role in addressing issues of human

security around the world. How these states contribute, or do not contribute, to efforts at building new

foundations for human security will have a significant impact on these efforts over the next several

decades.

22

What’s Next

The “Rethinking Paradigms of Global Human Security” established a vision for research and policy-

making in global human security for 2003. Globalization both increases and complicates challenges to

human security. Solutions to global security threats must conform to certain basic requirements to

maximize effectiveness. They must actively involve representation from various stakeholders, be

developed jointly by academic and policymaking communities, and be globally recognized and globally

responsive. Furthermore, policy responses to global security challenges must be collaborative,

multidisciplinary, and cross-cutting in their organizational character. The Globalization Research Network

is well-poised to fulfill these requirements, because of the uniquely diverse expertise and perspectives

possessed by various faculty members.

New research initiatives are being launched in several fields. As a result of the conference, investigations

are now underway into establishing a Global Human Security index. The purpose of this index is to devise

an effective methodology with which to measure positive and negative flows in the various globalization

networks that impact upon human security. Such an index will measure network trends in four key areas:

health, the environment, information technology, and conflict.

Constant measurement will provide a common framework for those seeking to make accurate judgments

on the current relative condition of global human security. As most current research focuses primarily on

the economic aspects of globalization, the Index would allow researchers to also account for the non-

economic security consequences of worldwide integration.

The Globalization Research Network is also presently exploring how organizations that traditionally work

independently can collaborate to produce the most effective policy responses to globalized security

threats. This includes a look into how the scientific community can unite in order to arrive at a clear

majority view in order to pursue political action based on its research recommendations. Additional

research is being conducted into how academics can most successfully work in partnership with energy

and environmental NGOs and small and medium-sized businesses. This requires exploration of a

systematic approach to environmental science, emphasizing connections between individual,

organizational, political, economic, socio-cultural and ecological levels in order to make clear that

sustainability and human security are fundamentally interrelated.

Other research is currently underway in how to develop explicit indicators of sustainability, how to

investigate the dynamics of globalization responsible for the recent growth in the trafficking of human

beings, and how to differentiate between policy options in order to provide more beneficial outcomes for

developing countries. Researchers are also working to place contemporary globalization in a broader

23

historical context in order to observe the interconnectivity of elements such as emergent social patterns of

ethnicity and gender. Additionally, the Globalization Research Network is seeking to boost the intrinsically

valuable information about the global environment provided by the Global Ocean Observance System by

exploring further uses and availability of the data.

The Globalization Research Network constantly seeks to build new partnerships in order to make

responses to global security threats a truly responsive, cross-cutting, and expert endeavor.

24

Conference Participants

Mark Amen is Director of the USF Globalization Research Center at the University of South Florida,

where he is also a member of the faculty of the Department of Government and International Affairs. His

research interests are in global political economy, governance and finance, and Constructivist theory.

E-mail: [email protected]

Stephanie Bryant is the Advisory Council Professor in the School of Accounting at the University of

South Florida. Professor Bryant has recently co-authored an accounting textbook, Core Concepts of

Consulting for Accountants, which has been adopted at over 30 universities across the United States.


Nat Colletta is Adjunct Professor (part-time faculty) at the Elliott School of International Affairs, the

George Washington University. Formerly, he was founding Head of the World Bank’s Post Conflict Unit.

He also launched and served as the Thematic Team Coordinator and Knowledge Manager of the

Bankwide Post-Conflict Reconstruction Network.


Earl Conteh-Morgan is Professor in the Department of Government and International Affairs at the

University of South Florida. He is a core member of the Conflict Human Security Research project, which

attempts to search for new approaches to conflict resolution. Professor Conteh-Morgan is the author of

several books, including Democratization in Africa: The Theory and Dynamics of Political Transitions.


John Forrer is Director of the GW Center for the Study of Globalization at the George Washington

University, where he is also Assistant Research Professor of International Business. His research

interests include globalization, privatization, international technology transfer, and U.S. economic

sanctions policy.


Barry Gills is Director of the Globalization Research Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Professor Gills’ main research interests include international political economy theory and globalization

and the politics of resistance. His recent publications include Democratizing globalization and globalizing

democracy.


25

Lance Hoffman is Professor in the Department of Computer Science at The George Washington

University. The author or editor of five books and numerous articles on computer security and privacy, he

founded the School of Engineering’s Cyberspace Policy Institute.


Ruth Iyob is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Missouri at St

Louis. Her publications include The Eritrean Struggle for Independence. She is currently working on a

comparative study on gendered citizenship in post-colonial Africa.


Dean Jamison is Professor in the Department of Education at the University of California at Los Angeles

and a Fellow of the Fogarty International Center National Institutes of Health. Dr. Jamison’s research

interests include the economics of educational reform in the United States; economic aspects of health

sector policy in developing countries; and health and nutritional determinants of children’s economic

performance.


Ed Keller is Director of the Globalization Research Center – Africa at the University of California at Los

Angeles. He has been elected to the Executive Council of the American Political Science Association,

and formerly served as president of the African Studies Association.


David Lassner is Chief Information Officer of Information Technology Services at the

University of Hawaii at Manoa. Dr. Lassner is the Principal Investigator for the Maui High Performance

Computing Center, a $181 million 10-year contract to operate and manage one of the largest

supercomputer centers in the world.


Roger Lukas is Professor in the Department of Oceanography at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Professor Lukas has been Chief Scientist of more than 10 oceanographic research expeditions. His areas

of specialty include ocean-atmosphere interaction and seasonal-to-interannual climate variability.


Veronica Miller is Executive Director of the Forum for Collaborative HIV Research at the Center for

Health Services Research and Policy at The George Washington University, where she is also Associate

Research Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Dr. Miller was co-founder and chair of the

26

Euroguidelines Group on HIV Drug Resistance, the first pan-European group established for the purpose

of assuring a common standard-of-care for patients in all European states.


Charles Mueller is Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Most

of Dr. Mueller’s clinical, policy, advocacy, and academic work has been related to either children’s mental

health and/or HIV. Recent publications include “Treatment adherence among Native Hawaiians living with

HIV” and “Preventing HIV disease in adolescents.”


Folu Ogundimu is Research Associate in the Globalization Research Center – Africa at the University of

California at Los Angeles. He is also a Professor of Communications Studies at Michigan State

University. Prior to beginning an academic career, Dr. Ogundimu worked in print and broadcast media in

Nigeria.


Andrew Price-Smith is Assistant Professor of Government and International Affairs and Assistant

Professor of Environmental Science and Policy at the University of South Florida. He is the author of The

Health of Nations: Infectious Disease, Environmental Change, and their effects on National Security and

Development.


Thomas Schroeder is Professor and Chair of the Department of Meteorology at the University of Hawaii

at Manoa. He began his scientific career as a “tornado chaser,” having been heavily influenced by the

natural disasters impacting his native Midwest. Since 1998, Professor Schroeder has been Director of the

Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research (JIMAR).


Michael Shapiro is Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

His books include Violent Cartographies: Mapping Cultures of War. Professor Shapiro is also co-editor of

the book series, “Borderlines,” a comparative politics and international studies series.


Mark Starik (invited) is Associate Professor in the Department of Strategic Management and Public

Policy at the George Washington University. He is also Director of the GW Environmental and Social

Sustainability Initiative. Dr. Starik’s other research interests include international environmental and

energy policy, and environmental entrepreneurship.

27


Mark Stewart is Director of the USF Water Institute at the University of Southern Florida. His research

interests are in hydrology, environmental geophysics, mathematical modeling of hydrologic systems, and

water resources management.


28

Contact the GRN

Globalization Research Network

1580 Makaloa St.

Suite 970

Honolulu, Hawaii 96814

Phone: 808-945-1450 ext. 110

Fax: 808-945-1455

[email protected]

Globalization Research Center

University of South Florida

4202 E. Fowler Ave. SOC 107

Tampa, FL 33620

Phone: 813-974-4411

Fax: 813-974-2522

www.cas.usf.edu/GlobalResearch/

Globalization Research Center – Africa

University of California at Los Angeles

10359 Bunche Hall

Los Angeles, CA 90095

Phone: 310-267-4054

[email protected]

www.globalization-africa.org/index.php

The GW Center for the Study of Globalization

The George Washington University

2033 K Street, NW, Suite 230

Washington, DC 20052

Phone: 202-994-5206

Fax: 202-994-5284

[email protected]

www.gwu.edu/~gwcsg/

29

Globalization Research Center

University of Hawaii at Manoa

1580 Makaloa Street, Suite 970

Honolulu, Hawaii 96814

Phone: 808-945-1450 ext. 110

Fax: 808-945-1455

www.globalhawaii.org/home.html

rethinking paradigms of global human security conference ... · rethinking paradigms of global...

Documents