Societal Security – Security And Identity
Societal Security – Security And Identity

Summary/Abstract: This paper presents the concept of societal security as perceived in the approach of the Copenhagen School of Security Studies, as well as the main criticism of the concept. Contrary to the traditional approach, the approach advocated by members of the Copenhagen School does not only focus on military threat; here the account is taken of a wider concept of security (military, political, economic, environmental, and societal sector). Societal security is an important element of this concept and collective identity appears as a reference object within it. The identity of community, rather than the sovereignty of state, is the value that is protected in this case. Identity is often interpreted as a source of conflicts, or their outcome. The theoreticians of the Copenhagen School are developing an analytical framework for understanding this interrelation between identity and security.

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