Societal Security in Theory and Practice

‘Societal security’ has become a popular way in which to conceptualise security in research and practice. This chapter tracks its conceptual lineage, demonstrates that two variants of societal security have emerged, and argues that, while borne from the same intellectual seed, each variant grew along a relatively isolated and narrow pathway. One turned to a focus on the security of cultural identities and employed constructivist methods to understand those identities and what threatens them. The other turned to the security of life-giving functions, using mainly objectivist methods to understand them and their protection. The objectivist variant of societal security not only fuelled academic research but also quickly gained traction in policy circles across the Nordic region and in the European Union. This chapter assesses these developments, explains why they took place, and suggests future avenues for research on this latter variant of societal security to improve its scholarly utility.NordSTEV