A Political Economy of Global Security Approach

Abstract

Abstract States have historically monopolized the provision of security for their societies. However, recent changes in the global economy combined with new sources of security and insecurity pose new and accelerating challenges that simultaneously hinder and bolster the ability of states to mobilize and extract resources for security provision. In contrast to a traditional political economy of security approach that emphasizes economic inputs shaping state power and economic tools states can use to project power vis-à-vis other states, the approach advanced in this forum stresses both domestic and transnational economic actors and market processes that affect security outcomes in both traditional security spaces and new security domains. The contributions to this forum exemplify the breadth of a political economy of global security approach while revisiting traditional areas of national security and newer security spaces and the application of the approach to both historical and contemporary phenomena.