title: The science of human security: a response from political science.
abstract: The concept of human security has developed in significance in the last decade to the point that its meaning and validity is hotly contested in the field of international relations, security, and development studies. A key consideration relates to its ambiguity at best and its amorphousness at worst. Medical scholarship proposes approaches that may render more meaningful the concept. However, collaboration and co-operation between political scientists and medical practitioners offers even greater potential to this vital programme. The latter offer the technical and methodological skills and approaches lacking in political science, whilst the former develop political frameworks to shift the causal focus towards human, institutional and structural agency in mass avoidable global civilian mortality.
authors.affiliation: Magee College, University of Ulster, Derry. Dw.roberts@ulster.ac.uk
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D006291:Health Policy; D006803:Human Development; D006806:Human Rights; D006801:Humans; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D011057:Politics; D011640:Public Policy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D014754:Violence