FEAR AND TREMBLING PERSPECTIVES ON SECURITY IN EUROPE

The document examines the multifaceted nature of security in Europe, contrasting the 'politics of fear' used by national populists with a progressive vision of security. It analyzes threats ranging from terrorism and digital vulnerabilities to energy insecurity and climate change, while emphasizing that social investment and the protection of civil liberties are more effective tools for stability than mass surveillance or militarisation. The text specifically critiques the 'securitisation' of migration and the role of the state in managing perceived risks.

• The election of Donald Trump as U.S. president necessitates that Europe increase its own military and autonomous capacities, as the U.S. can no longer be the sole guarantor of security.
• Islamic State employs a strategy in Europe based on escalation, insecurity, and exploitation, aiming to provoke Western military intervention and stoke anti-Muslim sentiment to recruit supporters.
• Current counter-terrorism practices in Europe often erode civil liberties and may pose a greater threat to the physical security and well-being of citizens than terrorism itself.
• European governments have used the aftermath of terrorist attacks to implement 'security theatre,' passing intrusive surveillance laws that lack evidence of effectiveness in preventing crime or terror.
• Economic insecurity, driven by neoliberal policies and the 'flexibilisation' of work, creates fertile ground for social instability and the rise of national populism.
• The 'Feed the World' narrative of industrial agribusiness is criticized for undermining food security by destroying local rural economies and increasing dependency on volatile global markets.
• Climate change acts as a 'threat multiplier' that exacerbates water and food scarcity, potentially leading to armed conflict and forced migration, particularly in the Sahel region.
• In the Baltic Sea region, security is characterized by a 'tradition of mistrust' toward Russia, exacerbated by the 2014 annexation of Crimea and military activity in Kaliningrad.
• The 'Internet of Things' introduces new physical dangers, as connected systems (such as cars or pacemakers) can be remotely hacked to cause actual harm.
• The Nordic model of universal welfare and social investment in human capital is presented as an effective tool for promoting social trust and long-term stability.
• In Slovenia, the government's use of 'security' rhetoric and the construction of border fences contributed to a climate of fear and intolerance toward refugees.
• Viktor Orbán's political strategy in Hungary involves 'securitisation,' where the government creates an 'extra supply of fears' to position itself as the sole protector of the nation.

APA

Green European Journal (2017). FEAR AND TREMBLING PERSPECTIVES ON SECURITY IN EUROPE. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/GEJ15_web_FULL_LR.pdf

Chicago

Green European Journal. FEAR AND TREMBLING PERSPECTIVES ON SECURITY IN EUROPE. 2017. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/GEJ15_web_FULL_LR.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green European Journal |title=FEAR AND TREMBLING PERSPECTIVES ON SECURITY IN EUROPE |date=March 2017 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/GEJ15_web_FULL_LR.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greeneuropeanjournal2017fear, author = {{Green European Journal}}, title = {{FEAR AND TREMBLING PERSPECTIVES ON SECURITY IN EUROPE}}, institution = {Green European Journal}, year = {2017}, month = mar, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/GEJ15_web_FULL_LR.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }