Welcome to the inaugural article of the Peace and Security section of IAffairsCanada! As the first associate editor for this section, I have the honor and privilege of setting the initial direction for the intent and shape of the content that I hope we’ll be able to share here. Peace and Security issues are rapidly expanding as sub-field of wider public policy and international affairs, and my intent is that this section will reflect these dynamic realities of the field.
Over two decades ago, Canadians viewed with primacy the prevention and management of great power conflict as the area of concern for peace studies. This manifested itself in theories of geostrategic power balances, ideological conflict in the political economy and nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. Since then, Canadian international and domestic public policy has also broadened its recognition of the ever increasing effects of globalization on international and national peace. Over these last two decades, the interdependence of peace upon security has came to light in many ways, including new theories about and policy solutions toward: security of the state and the international system; human rights and human security; and the internationalized impact of contemporary civil conflict and armed non-state actors.
That this expansion of focus and definitions has occurred in international affairs and public policy is without debate, yet fierce debate rages over its overall relevance both in policy and academic circles. Debates about issues like: the relative importance of armed non-state actors as opposed to the new rising power competition as the danger to peace security; the roles of economic power and military power in re-balancing the world order and maintaining peace; the relevance of nuclear disarmament in an increasingly enmeshed and interdependent world. These and many more occur regularly among the both the professional classes as well as the interested masses – my goal is to display as many of these relevant ideas as you the readers are interested in.
The format for submissions is any short argumentative or informative articles or letters (200-800 words), including those that link to larger published materials. Also if you wish to submit your unpublished academic or policy papers we will consider them for non-peer viewed publication on this site.
So, please if you want to start a conversation or drive a point about Canada and international public policy send us your submission – and if you disagree with the arguments displayed in this site then you have ever more reason to send us your submissions.
Cheers,
Marko Jovanovic
Associate Editor, Peace and Security
