Globality and Entangled Security: Rethinking the Post-1945 Order

Abstract

In this essay we argue for the utility of moving from a “national” to an “entangled global” perspective on security. Focusing on the post-1945 international context, we discuss how the concept of “globality” can inform and reframe our understanding of transnational security dynamics and help move us beyond traditional state-centric frameworks. Such a move enables a better understanding of historical events and contemporary security dynamics than classical “national security” frameworks alone. After outlining the rationale behind our call for expanding the aperture in the study of security, we theorize security entanglement as a particularly important form of globality with its own internal dynamics and show how the entanglement framework allows us to rethink the post-1945 security environment and events within it. We then focus on three illustrative forms of security entanglement that have been underexplored in security studies: the global nature of the Cold War; dynamics of decolonization and its legacies; and the relationship between migration and security. We conclude by discussing the implications of security entanglement for future visions of world security.

Re‐spatialising migration governance: From ‘multi‐level’ to ‘entangled’

“…This article contributes to this ongoing conversation by introducing the concept of “entangled” migration governance. Drawing on recent work in international relations (Adamson & Greenhill, 2021, 2022), it suggests the utility of analysing migration as a process that both responds to, and sets in motion, a range of other foreign policy, security, social and political ties, thereby creating spatial entanglements that cut across existing policy silos and political jurisdictions.…”

“…Building on recent work on entanglement in international relations (e.g. Adamson & Greenhill, 2021), it suggests the need to explicitly theorise migration governance as the management of complex and enduring cross‐border and trans‐local policy entanglements.…”

“…Building on recent work on entanglement in international relations (e.g. Adamson & Greenhill, 2021), it suggests the need to explicitly theorise migration governance as the management of complex and enduring cross-border and trans-local policy entanglements. This argument is made in the following manner: the first section of the article defines and makes the case for an "entangled" approach to migration governance, including the potential it brings for researchers and policymakers to incorporate a broader range of factors, such as the influence of enduring historical legacies and geographical ties, into migration governance frameworks.…”

Going after the family: Transnational repression and the proxy punishment of Middle Eastern diasporas

“…From Napoleonic France to fascist Italy and the Soviet Union, illiberal regimes have long tracked and assassinated their opponents overseas (Shain, 2005). However, transnational repression has since evolved significantly in scope and intensity along with technological changes, global connectivity, and entangled security practices (Adamson & Greenhill, 2021;Murakami Wood, 2012). Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, regional alliances and security cooperation agreements between states have facilitated the capture of lawful dissidents in the name of so-called war on terror.…”