A possible essay plan on security

Is ‘security’ the key word in international relations today?

Introduction: Refer to a recent event that illustrates what you intend to write about, e.g. developments at the European Defence Agency or WFP emergency aid in Yemen and food security.

Line of argument: this essay will argue that the traditional meaning of 'security', which is the security of the state from external military attack, remains fundamental to international relations today (Hence Italy's membership of NATO) but it has been expanded to include new threats from other states like biological weapons, cyberattacks and fake news, as well as  asymmetric threats from non-state actors such as terrorism. Moreover, the word 'security' is now used in many other fields. This is the result of a shift in focus in international relations away from just states towards human beings and thus human security, of which, food security and water are obvious examples.

Explain the traditional concept of security as understood in the 18^th, 19^th and 20^th century. The need for an army, navy, airforce, security services, a police force and secret services to provide protection from external and internal threats to the state and its economy (thus issues of energy security) and with the advent of democracy, threats to the citizens of the state. Explain how this concept remains fundamental and use Italy as an example. Explain that new threats have appeared, particularly since the end of the Cold War and start of the IT revolution, requiring new resources and strategies to deal with them e.g biological weapons, cyberattacks, economic attacks (to enery supplies, for example) and fake news, as well as  asymmetric threats from non-state actors such as terrorism and international crime (drug cartels, piracy and human trafficking). Give some real examples of  the problems and the attempts to deal with them.

Explain that with the creation of the UN and in particular with the adoption of the  Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, a new focus was placed on human rights and the international community's responsibility to promote and protect and 'secure' those rights ). The right to life leads naturally to emergency operations designed to provide water, food, shelter, and basic health care. Since the end of the Cold War there has been growing concern within the international community to secure civil rights such as equality before the law, freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom from arbitrary arrest, privacy, the right to vote and the protection of minorities from discrimination. The UN also approved the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in 1966 (entry into force 1976) which means that people have a right to a job, safe working conditions and fair pay, to social security, universal education, women's rights, protection of mothers and children and the prevention of disease and provision of adequate medical services. Where a state is unable to guarantee such rights it is, by implication, the responsibility of the international community to try to do so, to make these rights secure. More recently the campaign to combat global warming and rising levels of pollution, which are also destroying biodiversity, is also seen as a duty to secure the rights of future, unborn generations. So almost all the major questions in international relations can be considered 'security' issues of one kind or another.

Conclusion: The traditional concept of security will remain fundamental until humanity manages to produce a truly peaceful world order. However, with a shift in focus from states to people and new global threats that can only be dealt with through cooperation, 'security' has taken on a much broader meaning and range of concerns.