The constructivist paradigm contribution to security studies

• Main Author: Lipovac Milan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Serbian Sociological Association, Belgrade 2013-01-01
• Series: Sociološki Pregled
• Subjects: constructivist paradigm; security studies; socio-constructivist approach; research of security issue; security threats; securitization
• Online Access: http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0085-6320/2013/0085-63201303439L.pdf
• ISSN: 0085-6320; 2560-4880

Security Studies is not yet sufficiently developed in the coherent and complete scientific discipline with clearly defined subject, and settled theoretical approaches and research practice, therefore the study of security issue requires a broad knowledge and approaches that go beyond a narrow disciplinary focus. Theoretical efforts of contemporary researchers in the field of security studies, among other things, relate to the use of broader paradigms of more general sciences such as sociology and psychology (positivist, constructivist, interpretive, critical paradigm, etc.). The constructivist paradigm today encompasses a wide range of concepts that develops relatively independently within the frameworks of individual sciences and the authors of these concepts have very different ideas in some segments. In view of the fact that the subject of this paper is a presentation of constructivist paradigm cognitive contribution to the study of security issue, we will focus our attention on how theorists understand and apply the constructivist approach to security studies. Generally, it can be concluded that it is the application of constructivist paradigm that allows the consideration of 'subjective dimension ' of security issue by focusing the scientific research to the reality display created on the basis of ideas, identities and interests of security actors, which consequently determine their behavior. At the same time, the wider acceptance of this paradigm presupposes a critical review and improvement of the existing, and the development of new theoretical framework for security studies.