Human security and EU foreign policy: concepts, impacts, implications
The LSE Works series, sponsored by SAGE, held another lecture on Thursday, March 3, 2011. Presenting the latest findings of LSE’s Research Centres, the lecture series offers an opportunity for research discourse and is free to the public.
Mary Kaldor, professor of global governance at the Department of International Development, gave the first portion of the lecture at the Old Theatre in LSE’s Old Building to a crowd of 172 attendees. Professor Kaldor, also a co-director of LSE Global Governance, gave her lecture on the subject of a Human Security Doctrine and how to implement such a doctrine within the European Union.
Following Professor Kaldor’s initial discussion of the doctrine, Javier Solana spoke on the perceived impacts of the research. Solana is a senior visiting professor at LSE Global Governance, and he is the former secretary general of NATO, European Union high representative for common foreign and security policy and secretary-general of the Council of the European Union.
A hallmark of the doctrine, according to Professor Kaldor, was its six principles: human rights protection, legitimate political authority, bottom-up perspective, effective multilateralism, regional focus, and clear, transparent, civilian command. Both Professor Kaldor and Solana affirmed the influence of this security doctrine and its role as a catalyst for discussion among EU countries about an official security stance.
Solana, however, noted the need for improved influence of the doctrine as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom did not respond as well to the EU security doctrine. In addition, both Professor Kaldor and Solana emphasised that the doctrine is theoretical and must be supported by a mentality of practical implementation in order for it to be fully effective and have a more significant impact.
