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UBC Theses and Dissertations

Non-traditional security in the post-Cold War era : implications of a broadened security agenda for the militaries of Canada and Australia Smythe, Leanne Jennifer

Abstract

The growing salience of non-traditional security concerns for the post-Cold War national security of western states has led this author to ask: What implications does the post-Cold War proliferation of “security” threats, and therefore, the securitization of non-traditional challenges, hold for the primary security institution of the state, namely, the military? Using the research design of a heuristic case study, this project seeks to answer this question through the methodology of process tracing, relying on document analysis and semi-structured elite interviews for data. This dissertation first argues that the category of “non-traditional” security concerns can be separated into three “types”: (1) Fragile and Failing States, (2) Global Terrorism, and (3) Transnational Political Challenges. Using this framework, the dissertation then examines two cases, which are the national security strategies of Canada and Australia throughout the post-Cold War Era. For each case, the impact of the securitization of non-traditional security concerns is analyzed with relation to defence policy, military doctrine, force structure, and operational outputs. It concludes that both militaries have been significantly impacted by the securitization of non-traditional security concerns during the post-Cold War Era, although the securitization processes and policy outcomes have been different in each case.

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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International