Q.(a) Explain any three security challenges faced by the newly independent countries of Asia and Africa after the Second World War.
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🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Part (a)Concept understanding — Security Studies Typology
Security Studies Typology: A First Look
Think about security in your own life. You lock your door at night — that's personal security. You expect the police to handle law and order — that's societal security. You hear about border tensions between countries — that's national security. Now imagine trying to study all of this systematically. Where would you even begin?
That's exactly the problem that a typology of security studies solves. A typology is just a fancy word for a classification system — a way to sort things into categories so we can understand them better. In security studies, the typology helps us answer one basic question: whose security are we talking about, and from what?
The Core Distinction: Traditional vs. Non-Traditional Security
The NCERT textbook for Class 12 Political Science (Chapter 7: Security in the Contemporary World) introduces this typology by drawing a sharp line between two broad approaches.
Traditional security focuses on military threats between countries. It's the oldest and most familiar way of thinking about security. The state is the central actor, and the main concern is protecting borders, sovereignty, and territorial integrity from other states. Think of the Cold War, nuclear deterrence, or the arms race — all classic traditional security concerns.
Non-traditional security widens the lens. It says threats don't just come from other countries' armies. They can come from terrorists, climate change, pandemics, economic collapse, cyberattacks, or even from within your own country (civil war, ethnic violence). The "who" being protected also expands — it's not just the state, but also people, communities, and the global system itself.
The NCERT textbook explicitly states that the shift from traditional to non-traditional security is not about replacing one with the other. Both coexist. The typology helps you see which lens is being used to analyse a given security problem.
Breaking Down Traditional Security
Traditional security thinking rests on a few core assumptions:
- The state is the primary referent — meaning the thing we are trying to keep secure is the state itself.
- The main threat is military force from another state — invasion, war, coercion.
- The solution is military power — armies, navies, air forces, alliances, and deterrence.
Within traditional security, scholars further distinguish between:
- National security — protecting one country's interests.
- International security — the security of the system of states as a whole (e.g., preventing world war).
- Strategic studies — the narrower field of military strategy, war-fighting, and deterrence theory.
The NCERT textbook points out that traditional security thinking dominated the entire 20th century, especially during the Cold War. The idea of "balance of power" and "arms control" comes from this tradition.
Breaking Down Non-Traditional Security
Non-traditional security emerged because the world changed. After the Cold War ended, new kinds of threats became impossible to ignore. The typology here includes:
- Human security — shifting the focus from the state to the individual. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) popularised this in the 1990s. It means protecting people from threats like hunger, disease, natural disasters, and political repression.
- Environmental security — climate change, resource scarcity, deforestation, and water wars.
- Economic security — financial crises, poverty, unemployment, and inequality.
- Health security — pandemics (like COVID-19), infectious diseases, and bioterrorism.
- Cyber security — attacks on computer networks, data theft, and digital warfare.
- Transnational crime — drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering.
The key difference? These threats do not respect borders. A virus does not stop at a checkpoint. Climate change affects everyone. Cyberattacks can originate from anywhere.
The NCERT textbook emphasises that non-traditional security does not mean the state becomes irrelevant. The state still plays a major role — but it must cooperate with other states, international organisations, and even non-state actors (like NGOs or private companies) to tackle these threats.
Why This Typology Matters …
Part (b)Concept understanding — International Security Concepts
International Security Concepts
Think of security the way you think about your own home. You lock the door at night, you keep your valuables in a safe place, you know your neighbours. That's personal security. Now imagine that same instinct applied to an entire country — its borders, its people, its economy, its way of life. That is the starting point for understanding international security.
International security is not about one country alone. It is about how nations interact, compete, and cooperate to protect themselves and, sometimes, to protect each other. The core question is simple: what makes a nation safe, and what threatens that safety?
The Traditional View: Security as Military Protection
For most of modern history, security meant one thing: military strength. A country was secure if it could defend its borders from invasion, deter enemies with a strong army, and win wars if they broke out. This is called the traditional or realist view of security.
Under this view, the world is a dangerous place. Every country looks out for itself. The main threats are other countries — their armies, their weapons, their ambitions. So nations build up their own military power, form alliances (like NATO), and try to maintain a balance of power so that no single country becomes too strong.
The NCERT Class 12 Political Science textbook (Chapter 7, "Security in the Contemporary World") explains that traditional security focuses on military threats from other states. The goal is to protect sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Why does this matter? Because for centuries, this was the only game in town. Wars between countries were the biggest danger. The two World Wars, the Cold War — all of this shaped how nations thought about security. Even today, when you hear about "national security" in the news, it often refers to military preparedness, defence budgets, and border protection.
The Non-Traditional View: Security Beyond the Military
But here is the problem: a country can have the strongest army in the world and still be deeply insecure. What if its water supply dries up? What if a pandemic kills millions? What if its economy collapses because of a global financial crisis? What if terrorists attack from within?
This is where non-traditional security comes in. It broadens the idea of security to include threats that are not military and do not come from other countries. These threats are often global — they do not stop at borders.
Key non-traditional threats include:
- Terrorism — violence by non-state groups aimed at civilians, often across borders
- Climate change — rising sea levels, extreme weather, food and water shortages
- Pandemics — diseases that spread rapidly across the world
- Cyber attacks — hacking, data theft, disruption of critical infrastructure
- Economic instability — financial crises, trade wars, debt
- Migration and refugees — large movements of people due to conflict or disaster
- Organised crime — drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms smuggling
The NCERT textbook makes a crucial distinction: traditional security is state-centric and military-focused, while non-traditional security is human-centric and multi-dimensional. A threat to a person's life or livelihood is now considered a security issue, even if no army is involved.
Why does this matter? Because in the 21st century, a virus or a hacker can cause as much damage as a bomb. Countries cannot solve these problems alone — they need cooperation. This is why international organisations like the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and climate agreements exist.
Human Security: Putting People First
There is an even deeper idea within non-traditional security: human security. This shifts the focus entirely from the state to the individual. The question is not "Is the country safe?" but "Are the people safe?"
Human security covers seven areas, as defined by the United Nations:
- Economic security (jobs, income)
- Food security (access to food)
- Health security (access to healthcare)
- Environmental security (clean air, water, land)
- Personal security (freedom from violence)
- Community security (cultural identity, belonging) …
Part (a)
The newly independent countries of Asia and Africa faced three main security challenges after the Second World War. First, external military threats from neighbours — borders drawn by colonial powers were often artificial and disputed, leading to wars and conflicts with neighbouring states. Second, threats from within their own borders — separatist movements, ethnic, tribal and communal divisions, and insurgencies challenged national unity, as different communities demanded separate states or greater autonomy. Third, the pressures of the Cold War and superpower intervention — the two superpowers sought to draw new nations into their blocs, funding coups and interventions, threatening the sovereignty of poor, fragile states. …
Part (a): Newly independent Asian/African states faced external military threats from neighbours over colonial borders, internal separatist and ethnic conflict, and Cold War superpower intervention.
Part (b): India's security strategy rests on strengthening military capability (including nuclear deterrence), building favourable international norms and institutions, and tackling internal challenges through national integration and economic development.
Part (a)
The end of the Second World War triggered rapid decolonisation, creating dozens of fragile new states in Asia and Africa. For them, security meant far more than defending against a foreign army — it meant surviving as coherent nations, and three challenges stood out.
The first challenge was external military threat from neighbours. Colonial powers had drawn borders arbitrarily, splitting communities or lumping rivals together. When independence came, these artificial boundaries became contested international frontiers, producing border disputes and wars with neighbouring states.
The second challenge came from within their own borders. Colonial rule had suppressed or sharpened ethnic, tribal, linguistic and religious divisions. After independence, separatist movements and internal armed conflicts erupted as communities demanded their own states or greater autonomy, making national unity fragile — India's own Partition violence being a stark example. …
Showing the 12 most recent of 14 on this concept.
- CBSE 2026Set 59/2/11 markMCQQ.Which one of the following is related to the traditional notion of security ? (A) Russia – Ukraine War (B) Continuous rise in the global temperature (C) 9/11 attack on USA (D) Spread of COVID-19 epidemic in the world
›Reveal solutionSolution
The traditional notion of security primarily focuses on military threats to a state's sovereignty and territorial integrity, making interstate warfare its quintessential example.
Security studies, as a field, broadly categorizes threats into traditional and non-traditional notions of security. This distinction helps us understand the evolving nature of challenges states and individuals face in the international system. The traditional notion of security has historically dominated international relations and focuses on a specific set of threats and responses.
The traditional notion of security is primarily state-centric, meaning it views the state as the main object to be secured. Its core concern is the protection of a state's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity from external military threats. This perspective emphasizes the use of military force, or the threat of its use, as the primary means to achieve security. States build armies, form alliances, and engage in deterrence to protect themselves from other states. Wars between nations, military invasions, and border disputes are classic examples of traditional security concerns, as they directly challenge a state's existence or its ability to control its own territory and affairs.
In contrast, non-traditional security broadens the scope beyond military threats and state-centric concerns. It focuses on human security, addressing threats that endanger the survival and well-being of individuals and communities, often transcending national borders. These threats are typically non-military in nature and include issues like climate change, pandemics, poverty, food scarcity, and transnational terrorism. Responses to non-traditional threats often require international cooperation, humanitarian aid, and policy changes rather than purely military solutions.
Let us examine the given options in light of this understanding:
- (A) Russia – Ukraine War: This is a direct military conflict between two sovereign states, Russia and Ukraine. It involves the use of conventional military force, territorial invasion, and a direct challenge to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. This scenario perfectly aligns with the traditional notion of security, where one state poses an existential military threat to another. …
- CBSE 2026Set 59/2/11 markMCQQ.Which one of the following statements is True about the concept of 'Co-operative Security' ? (A) Initiating action by the developed countries against non-traditional threats. (B) Ensuring 'collective security' by the NATO countries in case of threats. (C) Strengthening internal security by various measures within a state. (D) Involving several countries to decide on a collective solution against non-traditional threats.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Co-operative security is about multiple states working together to address shared threats—especially non-traditional ones—through collective decision-making and joint action, rather than relying on military alliances or unilateral measures.
The concept of co-operative security emerged in the post-Cold War era as the nature of global threats began to shift. During the Cold War, security thinking was dominated by the idea of collective security—formal alliances like NATO where an attack on one member was treated as an attack on all. But as the bipolar world dissolved, a new range of dangers came into focus: terrorism, climate change, pandemics, cyber-attacks, drug trafficking, and transnational crime. These non-traditional threats don't respect borders, can't be deterred by nuclear arsenals, and can't be solved by any single country acting alone.
Co-operative security responds to this reality. It's built on the recognition that states must pool their resources, share intelligence, and coordinate policies to tackle problems that are inherently transnational. Unlike collective security, which is reactive and alliance-based (you attack us, we all respond), co-operative security is proactive and inclusive. It doesn't require formal treaties or membership in a military bloc. Instead, it brings together countries—sometimes rivals—around a shared interest in managing a specific threat.
Consider the difference in approach. Collective security under NATO, for instance, is about defending member states from external military aggression. Co-operative security, by contrast, might involve India, China, and ASEAN nations working together on maritime piracy in the Indian Ocean, or European and African states collaborating on migration and human trafficking. The emphasis is on dialogue, consensus, and joint problem-solving rather than deterrence and defense pacts.
NoteCo-operative security is not about one group of countries (like "developed" nations) taking the lead or imposing solutions. It's fundamentally multilateral and egalitarian in spirit—every participant has a stake in the outcome. …
- CBSE 2025Set 59/5/11 markMCQQ.Match the terms with their meaning :(a) Terrorism :(i) Coalition of countries(b) Disarmament :(ii) Political violence(c) Alliance :(iii) Absence of threats(d) Security :(iv) Giving up certain kind of weapons Options : (A) a-(ii), b-(iv), c-(i), d-(iii) (B) a-(iii), b-(i), c-(iv), d-(ii) (C) a-(ii), b-(iv), c-(iii), d-(i) (D) a-(ii), b-(iii), c-(iv), d-(i)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Each term in international security has a precise meaning: terrorism is political violence, disarmament means giving up weapons, an alliance is a coalition of countries, and security denotes the absence of threats.
Understanding the vocabulary of international security requires grasping what each concept fundamentally represents in the global political arena. These are not abstract academic terms but the building blocks of how states interact, protect themselves, and manage conflict in the modern world.
Terrorism has become one of the most contested yet crucial terms in contemporary security studies. At its core, it refers to political violence—the deliberate use of violence against civilians or non-combatants to achieve political, ideological, or religious objectives. What distinguishes terrorism from other forms of violence is its intent to create fear, intimidate populations, and coerce governments or societies into changing policy or behavior. The targets are often symbolic, and the violence is designed to send a message far beyond the immediate victims.
Disarmament is a more straightforward concept rooted in the practical mechanics of reducing military capability. It means giving up certain kinds of weapons—either reducing the number of arms a state possesses or eliminating entire categories of weaponry altogether. This can happen voluntarily through treaties (like nuclear non-proliferation agreements) or be imposed after conflict. Disarmament is distinct from arms control, which regulates but doesn't necessarily eliminate weapons, and from demilitarization, which removes military forces from specific areas.
Alliance describes the formal or informal partnerships that states forge to enhance their collective security. It is essentially a coalition of countries that agree to cooperate, usually for mutual defense or to pursue shared strategic interests. NATO, the Warsaw Pact (historically), and various bilateral defense treaties all exemplify alliances. These arrangements rest on the principle that collective strength deters aggression more effectively than isolated national power. …
- CBSE 2025Set 59/5/11 markMCQQ.For Question number 4, two statements are given — one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R). Read these statements carefully and choose the correct option as the answer from the options (A), (B), (C) and (D) given below. Assertion (A) : Health epidemics such as HIV-AIDS, Bird Flu and Coronavirus are the new threats to security. Reason (R) : Security goes beyond military threats to include a wide range of threats affecting the human life. Options : (A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of the Assertion (A). (B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of the Assertion (A). (C) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false. (D) Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Both statements are true, and the Reason correctly explains why health epidemics are considered new security threats.
The question draws on a key shift in how we understand security — a shift that happened especially after the Cold War. For decades, security meant military threats: armies, borders, invasions. But from the 1990s onward, scholars and policymakers began arguing that security must also include non-military dangers that threaten human life on a large scale. This is the idea behind "human security" and the broadening of the security agenda.
Assertion (A) is straightforwardly true. HIV-AIDS, Bird Flu, and Coronavirus are all health epidemics that have caused massive loss of life, disrupted economies, and overwhelmed healthcare systems. They are not traditional military threats, but they are very real threats to the safety and well-being of populations. International bodies like the United Nations and the World Health Organization now treat such pandemics as security issues.
Reason (R) is also true. It captures the core insight of the expanded security concept: that security is not just about protecting territory from foreign armies, but about protecting people from a wide range of dangers — including disease, poverty, environmental disasters, and terrorism. This is the very logic that leads us to classify health epidemics as security threats.
NoteThe "broadening of security" is a well-established theme in International Relations. It does not mean military threats have disappeared, only that the concept of security now includes many more dimensions. …
- CBSE 2025Set 59/6/11 markMCQQ.Which one among the following is not an example of Arms Control ? (A) Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty (B) Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty II (SALT II) (C) Military Alliance (D) Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Military alliances are cooperative defense arrangements between states, not mechanisms to limit or regulate weapons — making them fundamentally different from arms control treaties.
Arms control represents one of the central pillars of international security architecture since the Cold War. The concept rests on a straightforward premise: states can enhance their security not only by building more weapons but also by agreeing to limit, reduce, or regulate certain categories of armaments. These agreements aim to prevent arms races, reduce the risk of war, and build predictability between potential adversaries.
The three treaties listed — ABM, SALT II, and START — all exemplify this logic perfectly. The Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, signed in 1972 between the United States and the Soviet Union, restricted the deployment of missile defense systems. The reasoning was counterintuitive but strategically sound: if both sides remained vulnerable to nuclear retaliation, neither would risk a first strike. This mutual vulnerability became known as "Mutual Assured Destruction" and, paradoxically, helped maintain stability.
SALT II, negotiated in the late 1970s, placed ceilings on the number of strategic nuclear delivery vehicles each superpower could possess. Though never formally ratified by the U.S. Senate, both sides largely observed its limits. START, which followed in the 1990s, went further by actually requiring reductions in deployed warheads and delivery systems — moving beyond mere limitation to active disarmament.
ImportantArms control treaties share a common feature: they impose quantitative or qualitative restrictions on weapons systems through negotiated agreements. They are regulatory instruments. …
- CBSE 2024Set 59/1/11 markMCQQ.Which one of the following is not considered as a new source of threat to security ? (A) Terrorism (B) Hijacking of planes (C) Use of drones (D) War
›Reveal solutionSolution
War is considered a traditional source of threat to security, while terrorism, hijacking of planes, and the use of drones represent newer, non-traditional forms of security challenges.
Security studies, as a field, has evolved significantly, broadening its scope beyond the traditional focus on military threats between states. Historically, the primary concern of national security was the protection of a state's territory, sovereignty, and political independence from external military aggression. This perspective defines what are known as traditional security threats. However, the late 20th and early 21st centuries have witnessed the emergence of a diverse array of challenges that do not fit neatly into this conventional framework, leading to the concept of "new" or "non-traditional" sources of threat.
Traditional security threats are predominantly military in nature and typically involve states as the main actors. These threats are characterized by the use or threat of force by one state against another, aiming to achieve political objectives, seize territory, or undermine a rival's power. The classic example of such a threat is a direct military conflict or invasion. The focus is on state survival and the balance of power, with responses often involving military deterrence, alliances, or conventional warfare.
NoteThe distinction between traditional and new threats is not always absolute, as some new threats can have military dimensions or be intertwined with traditional state conflicts. However, the core difference lies in their primary actors, targets, and the nature of the challenge they pose.
In contrast, new sources of threat to security are often non-military, transnational, and frequently involve non-state actors. They challenge the security of individuals and societies as much as, if not more than, the security of states. These threats are complex, often diffuse, and require a broader range of responses beyond purely military ones, including international cooperation, economic measures, and social interventions.
Let's examine the given options:
- Terrorism: This is a quintessential new source of threat. Terrorism involves the use of violence, often against civilians, by non-state actors to achieve political or ideological goals. Its transnational nature, ability to strike anywhere, and psychological impact make it a distinct challenge that transcends traditional state-on-state warfare.
- Hijacking of planes: While hijacking has existed in various forms, its modern manifestation, particularly when linked to terrorist groups or used as a weapon (as seen in 9/11), firmly places it in the category of new threats. It involves non-state actors, targets civilian infrastructure and lives, and aims to create widespread fear and disruption, often with global implications. …
- CBSE 2024Set 59/1/11 markMCQQ.For Question number 6, two statements are given — one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R). Read these statements carefully and choose the correct option as the answer from the options (A), (B), (C) and (D) given below. Assertion (A) : An alliance is a coalition of states that coordinate their actions to deter or defend against military attack. Reason (R) : Countries form alliances to increase their effective power relative to another country or alliance. Options : (A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of the Assertion (A). (B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of the Assertion (A). (C) Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true. (D) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Both statements accurately describe alliances and their purpose, and the reason directly explains why states form the coordinating coalitions described in the assertion.
An alliance in international relations is fundamentally a formal or informal arrangement between two or more states to work together toward shared security goals. The assertion captures this core idea: alliances are coalitions where member states coordinate their actions — whether through joint military planning, mutual defense pacts, or collective deterrence strategies — to prevent or respond to military threats. Think of NATO, the Warsaw Pact, or the Triple Entente before World War I; each was built on the principle that coordinated action among multiple states creates a stronger defensive or deterrent posture than any single state could achieve alone.
The reason statement addresses the underlying motivation. Why do countries enter into these arrangements? Because alliances amplify power. A state facing a powerful adversary or rival alliance can improve its strategic position by pooling military resources, intelligence, and diplomatic weight with partners. This is the logic of balancing: if Country X perceives a threat from Country Y, it may ally with Countries A and B to create a counterweight. The combined strength of the alliance shifts the balance of power, making aggression less attractive to the adversary and defense more credible for the members. …
- CBSE 2023Set 59/1/11 markMCQQ.Which one of the following is not a threat to global security ?(a) Global warming(b) International terrorism(c) Epidemics(d) Rising prices
›Reveal solutionSolution
Rising prices, while economically significant, is not classified as a direct threat to global security in the standard typology of security studies.
The question asks you to identify which option does not belong to the category of threats to global security. To answer this, we need a clear sense of what "global security" means in contemporary political science and international relations.
The traditional idea of security was about protecting a nation's borders from military attack by another state. But since the end of the Cold War, the concept has broadened dramatically. Scholars and policymakers now recognise that security is not just about armies and missiles. It is also about human well-being and the stability of the planet itself. This expanded view is often called human security or comprehensive security.
Within this framework, threats to global security are those dangers that are transnational — they cross borders easily, affect large populations, and cannot be solved by any one country acting alone. They require international cooperation.
Let us examine each option against this standard.
Global warming (option a) is a classic example of a transnational threat. It does not respect national boundaries. A rise in global temperatures leads to melting ice caps, rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and disruptions to agriculture. These effects can trigger mass migration, food and water shortages, and even conflict over dwindling resources. It is widely considered one of the most serious long-term threats to global security.
International terrorism (option b) is another clear threat. Terrorist networks operate across borders, planning attacks that can strike any country. The goal is often to create fear, destabilise governments, and disrupt normal life. Because it is not confined to one nation, it demands a coordinated global response.
Epidemics (option c) are also a major global security concern. A disease outbreak in one part of the world can travel rapidly through international travel and trade, as the world saw with COVID-19, SARS, and Ebola. Pandemics can overwhelm healthcare systems, cripple economies, and cause social and political instability. They are a direct threat to human security on a global scale.
NoteThe term "global security" here is not about the security of a single nation's economy or stock market. It is about threats to the safety, health, and stability of people and states across the world. …
- CBSE 2023Set 59/4/11 markMCQQ.A process of exchanging information on defence matters between nations on a regular basis is known as ___________.(a) Confidence-Building Measures(b) Arms Control(c) Alliance(d) Disarmament
›Reveal solutionSolution
The regular exchange of information on defence matters between nations is known as Confidence-Building Measures, designed to reduce mistrust and prevent conflict.
In the complex landscape of international relations, nations constantly seek ways to ensure their security and prevent conflict. This pursuit has led to the development of various concepts aimed at fostering stability and reducing the likelihood of war. One crucial aspect involves managing perceptions and intentions, especially concerning military capabilities and activities.
When nations regularly exchange information on their defence matters, they are engaging in a process specifically designed to reduce suspicion and build trust. This transparency helps to clarify intentions, prevent miscalculations, and ultimately lower the risk of armed confrontation. It moves beyond mere diplomatic dialogue to concrete actions that demonstrate a commitment to peaceful coexistence.
ImportantThe core idea behind exchanging defence information is to increase transparency and predictability in military affairs, thereby reducing the "security dilemma" where one state's defensive actions are perceived as offensive by another.
This process is known as Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs). CBMs are a set of actions, agreements, or arrangements undertaken by states to reduce mistrust, enhance transparency, and increase predictability in their military activities. They are not about disarming or forming alliances, but rather about creating an environment where states feel less threatened by each other's military postures.
Common examples of Confidence-Building Measures include:
- Prior notification of military exercises: States inform each other in advance about the scale, location, and timing of their military drills.
- Observation of military exercises: Allowing observers from other nations to monitor exercises to verify their defensive nature.
- Exchange of military doctrines and budgets: Sharing information about strategic thinking and defence spending.
- Establishment of direct communication links: Hotlines between military headquarters to prevent escalation during crises.
- Transparency regarding troop movements and deployments: Providing data on the location and size of forces near borders.
Let's briefly consider why the other options are not the best fit: …
- CBSE 2023Set 59/4/11 markMCQQ.Which among the following is a threat to non-traditional security ?(a) War(b) Manufacturing of weapons(c) Terrorism(d) Internal disturbances
›Reveal solutionSolution
Terrorism is a threat to non-traditional security because it involves non-state actors using violence to create fear and instability, falling outside the conventional state-versus-state military framework.
Security studies underwent a fundamental shift in how threats are understood and categorized. For most of the twentieth century, security meant national security in its narrowest sense: protecting territorial integrity and sovereignty from external military aggression by other states. War between nations, the buildup of conventional armed forces, and the manufacturing of weapons to deter or fight such wars all belonged to this traditional security paradigm. The state was both the referent object (what needed protection) and the primary actor (the source of threat).
The end of the Cold War, however, revealed that many of the gravest dangers to human well-being and state stability did not fit this mold. Non-traditional security emerged as a concept to capture threats that are transnational in nature, often involve non-state actors, and target not just the state apparatus but societies, economies, and individuals. These threats cross borders easily, require cooperative rather than purely military responses, and frequently operate in the shadows rather than on conventional battlefields.
Terrorism exemplifies non-traditional security threats perfectly. It involves sub-state or non-state groups—militant organizations, extremist networks, lone actors—who use violence deliberately to instill fear, coerce governments, or destabilize societies. Unlike war, which is waged between recognized states with identifiable armies, terrorism is asymmetric: the perpetrators blend into civilian populations, strike soft targets, and exploit globalization's infrastructure (communication networks, financial systems, porous borders) to plan and execute attacks. A terrorist incident in one country can be planned in another and financed from a third, making it inherently transnational and resistant to traditional military solutions alone.
Let's consider why the other options belong to the traditional security domain:
- War is the archetypal traditional security concern—organized armed conflict between states, governed (at least nominally) by international law, involving uniformed militaries and clear territorial objectives.
- Manufacturing of weapons feeds directly into the traditional security calculus of military preparedness, deterrence, and the balance of power among states. …
- CBSE 2020Set 59/1/11 markQ.Security is related to which types of threats ?
›Reveal solutionSolution
Security encompasses threats ranging from traditional military aggression between states to a wide array of non-traditional challenges like poverty, climate change, pandemics, and cyberattacks.
Security, in its broadest sense, is fundamentally about the absence of threats to core values and the ability to respond effectively when those values are challenged. Historically, the concept of security was largely confined to the protection of a state's territory and sovereignty from external military aggression. However, over time, the understanding of what constitutes a "threat" has expanded significantly, leading to a more comprehensive typology in security studies. This evolution acknowledges that dangers to well-being and stability can arise from many sources, not just armies.
Broadly, security is related to two main types of threats: traditional threats and non-traditional threats.
Traditional Threats
Traditional threats primarily focus on the military dimension of security and the protection of the state. These are the classic concerns that have dominated international relations for centuries.
- Military Aggression and War: This is the most direct and historically recognized threat. It involves the use or threat of force by one state against another, aiming to conquer territory, impose political will, or destroy capabilities. Examples include interstate wars, border disputes, and invasions.
- Arms Races and Proliferation: The accumulation of weapons, especially weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical, biological), by states is considered a traditional threat. It can lead to instability, increase the likelihood of conflict, and pose existential dangers.
- Territorial Disputes: Conflicts over land, maritime boundaries, or resources located within disputed territories often escalate into military confrontations, directly threatening a state's integrity.
ImportantTraditional security threats are primarily state-centric, focusing on the survival and sovereignty of the nation-state through military means.
Non-Traditional Threats
Non-traditional threats represent a broader and more complex category, often transcending national borders and affecting individuals and communities as much as, or even more than, states. These threats are typically non-military in nature, though they can have military implications or require military responses. They challenge the very notion of security by highlighting vulnerabilities beyond conventional warfare.
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Human Security Threats: This category focuses on the safety and well-being of individuals. It includes:
- Poverty and Underdevelopment: Widespread poverty, lack of access to basic necessities like food, water, and shelter, and economic inequality can lead to social unrest, political instability, and even conflict within and between states.
- Disease and Pandemics: The rapid spread of infectious diseases, as seen with global pandemics, can overwhelm healthcare systems, cripple economies, and cause massive loss of life, posing a direct threat to human populations and national stability.
- Illiteracy and Lack of Education: A poorly educated populace can hinder economic development, perpetuate cycles of poverty, and make societies more vulnerable to exploitation and extremism.
- Human Rights Violations: Systematic abuses of human rights can lead to internal conflicts, refugee crises, and international intervention, destabilizing regions.
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Environmental Security Threats: These threats arise from environmental degradation and climate change, impacting human life and state stability.
- Climate Change: Global warming, extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and desertification can lead to resource scarcity (especially water and arable land), forced migration, and increased competition for dwindling resources, potentially sparking conflicts.
- Resource Depletion: Over-exploitation of natural resources like water, forests, and fisheries can create shortages, leading to economic hardship and disputes.
- Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and droughts can devastate infrastructure, displace populations, and strain national resources, requiring significant humanitarian and security responses.
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Economic Security Threats: These relate to the stability and resilience of national and global economies.
- Global Financial Crises: Economic downturns, market crashes, and debt crises can have ripple effects across the world, leading to unemployment, social unrest, and political instability.
- Energy Insecurity: Dependence on external sources for energy, or disruptions in energy supply, can make states vulnerable to political pressure and economic shocks.
- Trade Wars and Protectionism: Disruptions to international trade can harm economies, reduce global cooperation, and create tensions between states. …
- CBSE 2020Set 59/3/11 markQ.Correct the following statement and rewrite it in your answer-book : An alliance building is a coalition of NGOs that coordinates their actions to defend against non-traditional security.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Alliance building is a formal agreement between sovereign states to cooperate for mutual military defense against traditional security threats, not a coalition of NGOs defending against non-traditional security.
In the field of security studies, it is crucial to distinguish between different types of threats and the mechanisms employed to address them. Security is broadly categorized into traditional and non-traditional aspects. Traditional security primarily focuses on military threats, such as war, aggression, and the use of force between states. It deals with the protection of a state's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence through military means, deterrence, and defense.
Non-traditional security, on the other hand, encompasses a wider range of challenges that transcend national borders and often do not involve military aggression between states. These threats include issues like terrorism, global warming, pandemics, large-scale migration, food and water scarcity, and human rights abuses. Addressing non-traditional security threats often requires cooperation among a diverse set of actors, including states, international organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and civil society groups.
Alliance building is a concept firmly rooted in traditional security. It refers to the process by which two or more sovereign states enter into a formal agreement, typically a treaty, to provide mutual assistance and collective defense in the event of an attack by an external party. The primary purpose of such alliances is to enhance the security of member states by deterring potential aggressors or by pooling military resources and capabilities for collective defense. These alliances are fundamentally state-centric, involving commitments to military cooperation, intelligence sharing, and sometimes joint military exercises.
ImportantAlliances are formal agreements between states for mutual military defense against traditional security threats. …
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