The post cold war era Globalization Process of global integration · trade and transactions · movement of capital · movement of people (migration) · movement of information · exchange of ideas · Material changes such as goods and services as well as immaterial changes such as knowledge, interests and beliefs New threats · 'lifting the lid on the Cold War pressure cooker' · 'new' security threats · new political blocs: BRICS, MINT, SCO • terrorism • failed / failing / rogue states • WMD proliferation • energy security • environmental security • infectious disease / global pandemics • cybersecurity • transnational organised crime A new 'other' Islamist terrorists · World Trade Center (1996, 6 killed) · Khobar Towers (1996, 20 killed) · Kenya, Tanzania embassies (1998, 224 killed) · USS Cole (2000, 17 killed) · 9/11 (2001, c. 3000 killed) New enemy, new focus and purpose · Global War on Terror · wars in Iraq, Afghanistan
· operations in Africa, Asia, ? · new war in Iraq, Syria ... · 'coalitions of the willing' (i.e. willing to align themselves with US strategic objectives) · side-lining of UN, NATO The future · US will remain hegemonic · offensive realism: strive to maximise security · neo-Marxism: e.g. quest for resources · critical IR: reproduction of power structures But for how long? · (re-) emergence of challengers, e.g. China, Russia · multipolar balance of power · neoliberalism; need for greater cooperation, not conflict (positive-sum) Problems of 'new security threats' · persistent (e.g. terrorism, energy, cyber) · intractable? e.g. environmental security · critical IR: problems of responses · how should states act?