Discourses in Transition: Re-Imagining Women’s Security

Citation:

Hamber, Brandon, Paddy Hillyard, Amy Maguire, Monica McWilliams, Gillian Robinson, David Russel, and Margaret Ward. 2006. “Discourses in Transition: Re-Imagining Women's Security.” International Relations 20 (4): 487-502.

Authors: Brandon Hamber, Paddy Hillyard, Amy Maguire, Monica McWilliams, Gillian Robinson, David Russel, Margaret Ward

Abstract:

This article employs data gathered in Lebanon, Northern Ireland and South Africa as part of a project entitled ‘Re-Imagining Women's Security and Participation in Post-Conflict Societies’. It reflects on three different ‘imaginings’ of security–the state security discourse, the human security discourse and a gendered security approach–with the aim of showing that security discourses are currently undergoing a process of transition which parallels that taking place in post-conflict societies around the world. The article is particularly concerned to explore how a gendered security approach might empower women to re-imagine security in contextualised, bottom-up ways, and advocate social transformation within the broader processes of post-conflict transition. In order to consider women's demands for security policies and approaches in the twenty-first century, the article explores the direct testimony of women in three post-conflict societies, with specific reference to three key areas of security central to women's re-imaginings of the concept.

Keywords: feminist methodology, gendered security, human security, security dialogue, United Nations

Topics: Gender, Women, Post-Conflict, Security, Human Security Regions: Africa, MENA, Southern Africa, Asia, Middle East, Europe, Northern Europe Countries: Lebanon, South Africa, United Kingdom

Year: 2006