I then scale up this argument, justifying the assumption that not just individuals but also states seek ontological security. Geostrategies, geopolitics and ontological security in the eastern neighbourhood. In ontological security terms there are two aspects to this. Jelena cupac ontological security of international organizations 1944 23 endogenous to it third image is the core question upon which mitzen and steeles approaches part ways. In fact, it is just forty years since i first became a rand consultant. Critical situations, fundamental questions and ontological insecurity in world politics. Stvn20 ontological security studies 15 credits the course covers questions about ontological security and uncertainty in relation to the emergence of radical and populist parties and organisations, and illiberal or authoritarian regimes, brexit and increased nationalism, mainly in a westeuropean context. Jennifer mitzen on ontological security, multilateral. Ontological security in world politics can be defined as the possession, on the level of the unconscious and practical consciousness, of answers to fundamental questions that all polities in some way need to address such as existence, finitude, relations with others and their autobiography.
The concept of ontological security has made increasing headway within international relations, in particular through its ability to offer alternative explanations of the forces underpinning security dilemmas and conflict in world politics. Sociopsychological reactions in the eu to immigration. So, for example, when extant ontological security work on. The central premise of ontological security theory is that states are ready to compromise their physical security and other important material gains in ord while the existing studies have primarily focused on how states defend or maintain their ontological security, little attention has been paid to critical situations that make states ontologically insecure in the first place. Realists argue that states want to escape security dilemmas but uncertainty prevents them. Even today, there is a battalion of gurkhas and british officers resident in brunei. Ontological security of international organizations. Steele, ontological security in international relations. Jul 12, 2012 see john herz, the nationstate and the crisis of world politics new york. The central premise of ontological security theory is that states are ready to compromise their physical security and other important material gains in order to protect their ontological security.
European journal of international relations 12 3, 34170. A study of order in world politics new york, new york. Ontological security, however, can be elusive both in a real sense and in empirical research terms. Ontological security is achieved by routinizing relationships with significant others, and actors therefore become attached to those relationships.
Myria georgiou seeking ontological security beyond the nation. Nov 25, 2014 mitzen, jennifer, ontological security in world politics. Read mitzens ontological security in world politics european journal of ir, 2006 here pdf read mitzens reading habermas in anarchy. Using ontological security to interpret three cases british neutrality during the american civil war 18611865, belgiums decision to fight germany in 1914, and natos 1999 kosovo intervention the book concludes by discussing the importance for selfinterrogation in both the study and practice of international relations. Aug 28, 2017 for a more realist approach within the theory, or if one was interested in explaining conflict, one should take a look at jennifer mitzens 2006 article ontological security in world politics.
Laing and most extensively developed by sociologist anthony giddens, refers to an internally held feeling of security that is produced by belongingby a sense of stable identity and continuity in ones place in the world giddens 1990. Ontological, epistemological and methodological assumptions. Review ontological security in international relations. Pdf critical situations and ontological security in. The effect of territorial stigmatisation processes on. While the existing studies have primarily focused on how states defend or maintain their ontological security, little attention has been paid to critical situations that make states ontologically. Examines the relevance of materiality for ontological security of.
National security and the reproduction of racial capitalism. The radical consequence of this is that reality itself is multiple. Critical situations and ontological security in world. A few years ago, as we began a conversation about ontological security, we were struck by the number of scholars we could think of in international relations ir who were finding the concept to be a productive lens for thinking about the relationship between security and identity, and between identity and important outcomes in world politics.
Complexity, global politics, and national security. Mar 10, 2020 stvn20 ontological security studies 15 credits the course covers questions about ontological security and uncertainty in relation to the emergence of radical and populist parties and organisations, and illiberal or authoritarian regimes, brexit and increased nationalism, mainly in a westeuropean context. Myria georgiou seeking ontological security beyond the. May 24, 2017 ontological security, the sense of stability of a coherent selfidentity and the recognition of that identity in the world, has grown into a large body of literature in international relations. Mitzen, jennifer, ontological security in world politics. This article seeks to move the debates over the role of ontological security concepts in international relations by applying a mainly theoretical discussion to. Ontological securityseeking suggests that states may not want to escape dilemmatic conflict.
Mitzen believes that states that pursue ontological security have rigid or flexible attachment to conventions. Developing an interesting angle on a recognized issue of concern in the politics of south asia, and much more broadly in the context of the contemporary world and developing global politics, this is a valuable addition to normative critical social theory and the debate on identity and culture in political science and international relations. Ontological insecurity in the european union 1st edition. Ontological security and anxiety in world politics, coeditor with catarina kinnvall lund university, a forum at international theory it in preparation. Article information, pdf download for ontological security in world politics. Bahar rumelilis conflict resolution and ontological security 2015 further develops this body through bridging it with conflict resolution studies. While welcoming the insights already provided by its application, this article argues that the concepts use to date has been too much geared to. Abstract brunei has historically relied on britain for protection from internal and external threats. Mar 09, 2017 a few years ago, as we began a conversation about ontological security, we were struck by the number of scholars we could think of in international relations ir who were finding the concept to be a productive lens for thinking about the relationship between security and identity, and between identity and important outcomes in world politics. In an era defined by insecurity, uncertainty, and increasing anxieties, ontological security has proven to be a fruitful lens for analyzing world politics. Debates on ontological security and hierarchies in world politics. This article develops a critical perspective toward ontological security and its mobilization by ir scholars, arguing that substantive ethical and political resources are produced by resisting the terms of ontological securityinsecurity. While the existing studies have primarily focused on how states defend or maintain their ontological security, little attention has been paid to. Ontological security was imported into ir by two generations of scholarship.
Mitzen jennifer 2006 ontological security in world. Pdf this article proposes that in addition to physical security, states also seek ontological security, or security of the self. Ontological security studies department of political science. Ontological security, which focuses on the security of oneself, ones identity, and group affiliations, best informs the nature of sectarian conflict and conflict resolutions in contemporary northern ireland. Ontological security seeking sheds new light on seemingly irrational conflict, and suggests lines of research into the stability of other outcomes in world politics.
In giddens analysis, ontological security provides a dialogical system of management of the self within social systems. Ontological security and public misrecognition of international. As part of a study of the relationships between housing tenure and health, we explored through in depth interviews with 43 adults the extent to which home owners and social renters in the west of scotland obtained psychosocial benefits from. The first generation, developed during the 1990s, imported the concept of ontological security into the field of world politics without building a brand new theory or empirically testing its explanatory potential wendt 1994. Catarina kinnvall globalization and religious nationalism in india the search for ontological security. Objective identification, identity stability and ontological.
State identity and the security dilemma article pdf available in european journal of international relations 123. See jennifer mitzen, ontological security in world politics. Realism, reassurance, and the problem of uncertainty. It is concerned with what kind of world we are investigating, with the nature of existence, with the structure of reality as such. They have reshaped it by underlining that the reality we live with is one performed in a variety of practices. Develops a novel perspective on crisis, identity and attachment to territory in world politics. Review conflict resolution and ontological security. Political memory, ontological security, and holocaust remembrance in postcommunist europe. Geostrategies, geopolitics and ontological security in the. State identity and the security dilemma jennifer mitzen ohio state university, usa this article proposes that in addition to physical security, states also seek ontological security, or security of the self. Ontological security and psychosocial benefits from the home. Realism and security oxford research encyclopedia of. Ontological insecurity after the 1962 rebellion wafi abdul manan, b. National discourses, external perceptions and the question of popular culture.
This is a chapter that asks questions about where we are with politics now that actor network theory and its semiotic relatives have reshaped ontology. Because even dangerous routines provide ontological security, rational securityseekers could become attached to conflict. It signifies a sense of continuity and order in events and the ability to answer fundamental existential questions. State identity and the security dilemma, european journal of international relations, 12. In the past decade, a stream of international relations ir scholarship has emerged that interprets states foreign policy processes, decisions, and international outcomes through the lens of a distinctive type of security, ontological as opposed to physical or material security. Waltz, theory of international politics new york, new york. Ontological security and peacebuilding in northern ireland. This article proposes that in addition to physical security, states also seek ontological security, or security of the self. Mapping the political geographies of europeanization. To make the argument concrete, i refer especially to two cases, the cold war and israelpalestine.
Robert jervis, cooperation under the security dilemma, world politics, vol. The central premise of ontological security theory is that states are ready to compromise their physical security and other important material gains in order to protect their ontological. Other research includes the impact of needs for ontological security on international politics. As to the other sponsoring institution, i am no stranger to it. While the existing studies have primarily focused on how states defend or maintain their ontological security, little attention has been paid to critical situations that make. Crisis and ontological insecurity serbias anxiety over. Ontological security, an approach to security and identity in. Keywords attachment, intractable conflict, ontological security, routines, security dilemma, uncertainty. This special issue joins other recent compilations, contributing to the growing research agenda on ontological security and insecurity in world politics. What sjoberg has illustrated with regards to feminism may be equally applicable to other ir theories.
Brexit, existential anxiety and ontological in security. Brexit, existential anxiety and ontological insecurity. As part of a study of the relationships between housing tenure and health, we explored through indepth interviews with 43 adults the extent to which home owners and social renters in the west of scotland obtained psychosocial benefits from. Argues that serbias seemingly irrational foreign policy behaviour is a form of ontological selfhelp in the face of kosovos secession. Ontological security is achieved by routinizing relationships with signi. Linking popular struggles in tunisia and the us o meera sabaratnam, soas the unbearable whiteness of being. In this respect, this thesis engages on the possibility of spatial context as an additional anchor to the ontological security needs of the state. First, there is the notion of the eu as safe and homely in contrast to the. I am glad to be paying my first visit to the national defense university. Ontological security in international relations inspires a number of ideas, and as such, there are a number of potential future applications for steeles ontological security approach. Ontological security, identity, and routinized relationships ontological security has been increasingly applied to state politics in the last decade with a particular focus on continuity and routine. Critical situations, fundamental questions and ontological.
This article develops a critical perspective toward ontological security and its mobilization by ir scholars, arguing that substantive ethical and political resources are produced by resisting the terms of ontological security insecurity. Like its physical counterpart, the ontological security motive is a constant. Read mitzens ontological security in world politics european journal of ir, 2006 here pdf. State identity and the security dilemma and her 2011 article knowing the unknown unkonwns. Get pdf 747 kb abstract the concept of ontological security has made increasing headway within international relations, in particular through its ability to offer alternative explanations of the forces underpinning security dilemmas and conflict in world politics.
Ontological securityseeking sheds new light on seemingly irrational conflict, and suggests lines of research into the stability of other outcomes in world politics. Mitzen jennifer 2006 ontological security in world politics state identity and from pol 208 at university of toronto. Critical situations and ontological security in world politics. Ontological security and psychosocial benefits from the.
Ontological security whats behind this new theory trending. International relations ir scholarship tends to address uncertainty at the level of state and. Ontological security, the sense of stability of a coherent selfidentity and the recognition of that identity in the world, has grown into a large body of literature in international relations. Ontological security, as an historically global phenomenon of diasporic identities, helps us to understand resistance and integration for particular places in broad terms but a specialised focus on the exigencies of the local political situation can also help understand the ebb and flow of ontological security, the intertwining of it with the. Now both organizations have become interested in such concepts as chaos and. Even a harmful or selfdefeating relationship can provide ontological security, which means states can become attached to con. Ontological security, an approach to security and identity. European journal of international relations, 123, p. Ontological security, initially conceptualized by psychologist r. Ontological security has been increasingly applied to state politics in the last decade. Applied to states, ontological securityseeking reveals another, second, dilemma in international politics. State identity and the security dilemma, authorjennifer mitzen, year2006. The concept of ontological security has received increased attention in the security studies literature over the past ten years. Ontological security and anxiety in world politics, coeditor with catarina kinnvall lund university, a.
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