Old and New Paradigms of Human Security. Controversies and New Challenges in the 21st Century

Abstract

The term “security” has undergone epistemological modifications according to the changes and difficulties brought about by international events. It was not until 1994 that the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) arrived at an updated and transformative consensus on the traditional concept of security, prioritizing human development and, therefore, human security. In the late 20th century and the first decades of the 21st century, the world has been full of threats that impede development. Therefore, the concept of human security takes on new conceptual dimensions, and there are no clear answers to a reality marked by crises, violence, conflicts, poverty, epidemics, pandemics, natural disasters, and economic downturns. COVID-19 brought to the fore new uncertainties and frailties of the globalized world that also impact the concept of human security. Arriving at a definition of human security is a complex task since we are dealing with an eclectic and dynamic concept.