Nordic Societal Security

Abstract

This book compares and contrasts publicly espoused security concepts in the Nordic region, and explores the notion of 'societal security'. Outside observers often assume that Nordic countries take similar approaches to the security and safety of their citizens. This book challenges that assumption and traces the evolution of societal security, and its broadly equivalent concepts, in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. The notion of societal security is deconstructed and analysed in terms of its different meanings and implications for each country, through both country-and issue-focused studies. Each chapter traces the evolution of key security concepts and related practices, allowing for a comparison of similarities and differences between these four countries. Using discourses and practices as evidence, this is the first book to explore how different Nordic nations have conceptualised domestic security over time. The findings will be valuable to scholars from across the geographical and theoretical spectrum, while highlighting how Nordic security discourses and practices may deviate from traditional assumptions about Nordic values. This book will be of much interest to students of security studies, Nordic politics, and International Relations.

A better foundation for national security? The ethics of national risk assessments in the Nordic region

“…A strong emphasis in Sweden, Finland and Norway on civil-military cooperation (‘total defence’) and comprehensive (‘societal’) security bodes particularly well for such integration (see Larsson and Rhinard, 2020). Like in the United Kingdom and Netherlands, the Finnish NRA (MoI, 2019) is now directly connected with national security policy by making it a basis for the national Security Strategy for Society (Ministry of Defence (MoD), 2017: 25).…”

“…In the UK setting, Neal observes a subjection to economic policies when national security is reduced to ordinary politics in this way. In the Nordic countries, however, it seems to be the social-democratic welfare state rather than the liberal economy that is bolstered by the comprehensive scope of the NRAs – although the procurement by the state of commercial products and consultancy services also involves a market dimension (Hoijtink, 2014; Larsson, 2020). By ‘seeing like a (welfare) state’ (Scott, 1998), the NRAs present the risks in a manner that makes the state the guarantor of ‘societal security’, filling a vacant spot between ‘social security’ and ‘state security’.…”

“…Brigg and George, 2020). Compared to regions with higher levels of immediate security problems like war and natural disasters that tie up political and economic resources, the Nordic countries seem particularly well placed for using NRAs as political instruments (Larsson and Rhinard, 2020). Also, a relatively low level of political conflict bodes well for a concerted conception of national security risks.…”

Katastrofitutkimuksen käsitteistöä suomeksi ja Suomessa: kimmoisasti vaaroja kohti?

“…Suomalaisessa kehyksessä olennainen käsite on kokonaisturvallisuus. Se tarkoittaa tilaa tai mallia, jossa viranomaiset, elinkeinoelämä, järjestöt ja kansalaiset vastaavat omalta osaltaan yhteiskunnan elintärkeiden toimintojen ylläpitämisestä kaikissa tilanteissa (Turvallisuuskomitea 2017). Kokonaisturvallisuus on sukua termille yhteiskuntaturvallisuus (societal security), jota on käytetty erityisesti Pohjoismaissa (Valtonen & Branders 2021).…”

“…Tämän voi katsoa olevan seurausta sekä edullisista maantieteellisistä olosuhteista että vakaasta ja hyvinvoivasta yhteiskunnasta. Viimeisimmät poikkeuksellisen tuhoisat luonnonilmiöihin liittyvät katastrofit ovatkin tapahtuneet 1800-luvulla: nälkävuodet vuosina 1866-1868 (Voutilainen 2016 Kokonaisturvallisuuden strategioissa luonnonilmiöistä nimetäänkin erikseen vain tulvat ja myrskyt (Turvallisuuskomitea 2017). Tulvariskien hallinnassa keskeisiä dokumentteja ovat hallintasuunnitelmat (esim.…”