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Good cybersecurity thesis topics for a master's degree

Writing a master's thesis a strong topic positions you for academic and professional success, while a weak one promises to make an already intensive process arduous at best..

• Alissa Irei, Senior Site Editor

A graduate-level information security project should make a timely, original contribution to an ongoing problem or debate in the field. The best cybersecurity thesis topics will therefore explore issues of current importance to the broader infosec community, ideally with some degree of both academic and practical utility. Topics should be timely -- grounded in current research, challenges and discourse -- and have relevance that promises to extend beyond immediate publication. A security analysis of an electronic voting application , for example, would likely generate both current and long-term interest within the IT community.

Rather than trying to find the ideal subject immediately, however, avoid analysis paralysis by drafting a working list of possible cybersecurity thesis topics, which you can then explore, research and refine as you continue to gather information. To start brainstorming, review recent course materials, academic papers and media articles to see what themes and patterns catch your attention. Certain topics, like security awareness training and testing, are of both perennial and growing interest. Others, such as biometrics and AI, are still emerging.

"If I were working on a thesis right now, I'd focus on the use of AI in security tools ," said Andrew Froehlich, president of analyst firm West Gate Networks. In particular, he suggested exploring AI's ability to review multiple security information streams and form analytical opinions on difficult-to-solve data security issues.

"Another great topic is the concept of fully autonomous security tools that use AI to not only find a root cause, but also have the intelligence to automate the remediation of a security event," Froehlich added.

Håkon Olsen, security engineer and founder of cybersecurity firm Cybehave, weighed in on cybersecurity thesis topics in a recent forum on Quora, where he suggested tackling the subject of identity management .

"Investigate how to maximize security within each user's threshold for usability impact," Olsen wrote, adding that most users don't use two-factor authentication when it's available. "How much security can we inspire them to 'turn on' for a service?"

The evolving position of the CISO provides yet another rich and timely subject area: What is the scope of the CISO's role, relative to both IT and lines of business, and how has it changed? What are predictors of CISO success? How do turnover rates in CISO positions compare with those in other C-level positions? What are the CISO's responsibilities following a security breach? The list continues.

Still another resource for ideas, leads and inspiration is Cybersecurity Canon , a Palo Alto Networks project started in 2013 by then-CSO Rick Howard. Modeled after the baseball and rock-and-roll halls of fame, the Cybersecurity Canon committee recognizes a variety of must-read books for their timely and significant contributions to the infosec field. The group itself consists of security executives, analysts, consultants and practitioners.

Finally, students should think about their professional goals and consider how the right cybersecurity thesis topics could eventually help them land their dream jobs. Some projects might provide the opportunity to acquire deeper expertise in a given subject area, for example, or the chance to gain meaningful, proven experience using a particular toolset or coding language. Ask yourself how you might use this project to not just complete your degree, but also to advance your career. This line of thinking can also help identify potential cybersecurity thesis topics you find particularly interesting -- a prerequisite for a project of this magnitude.

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105 Latest Cyber Security Research Topics in 2024

Home Blog Security 105 Latest Cyber Security Research Topics in 2024

The concept of cybersecurity refers to cracking the security mechanisms that break in dynamic environments. Implementing Cyber Security Project topics and cybersecurity thesis topics helps overcome attacks and take mitigation approaches to security risks and threats in real-time. Undoubtedly, it focuses on events injected into the system, data, and the whole network to attack/disturb it.

The network can be attacked in various ways, including Distributed DoS, Knowledge Disruptions, Computer Viruses / Worms, and many more. Cyber-attacks are still rising, and more are waiting to harm their targeted systems and networks. Detecting Intrusions in cybersecurity has become challenging due to their Intelligence Performance. Therefore, it may negatively affect data integrity, privacy, availability, and security. 

This article aims to demonstrate the most current Cyber Security Research Topics for Projects and areas of research currently lacking. We will talk about cyber security research questions, cyber security topics for the project, latest research titles about cyber security.

List of Trending Cyber Security Research Topics in 2024

Digital technology has revolutionized how all businesses, large or small, work, and even governments manage their day-to-day activities, requiring organizations, corporations, and government agencies to utilize computerized systems. To protect data against online attacks or unauthorized access, cybersecurity is a priority. There are many Cyber Security Courses online where you can learn about these topics. With the rapid development of technology comes an equally rapid shift in Cyber Security Research Topics and cybersecurity trends, as data breaches, ransomware, and hacks become almost routine news items. In 2024, these will be the top cybersecurity trends .

A. Exciting Mobile Cyber Security Research Paper Topics

• The significance of continuous user authentication on mobile gadgets. 
• The efficacy of different mobile security approaches. 
• Detecting mobile phone hacking. 
• Assessing the threat of using portable devices to access banking services. 
• Cybersecurity and mobile applications. 
• The vulnerabilities in wireless mobile data exchange. 
• The rise of mobile malware. 
• The evolution of Android malware.
• How to know you’ve been hacked on mobile. 
• The impact of mobile gadgets on cybersecurity. 

B. Top Computer and Software Security Topics to Research

• Learn algorithms for data encryption 
• Concept of risk management security 
• How to develop the best Internet security software 
• What are Encrypting Viruses- How does it work? 
• How does a Ransomware attack work? 
• Scanning of malware on your PC 
• Infiltrating a Mac OS X operating system 
• What are the effects of RSA on network security ? 
• How do encrypting viruses work?
• DDoS attacks on IoT devices

C. Trending Information Security Research Topics

• Why should people avoid sharing their details on Facebook? 
• What is the importance of unified user profiles? 
• Discuss Cookies and Privacy  
• White hat and black hat hackers 
• What are the most secure methods for ensuring data integrity? 
• Talk about the implications of Wi-Fi hacking apps on mobile phones 
• Analyze the data breaches in 2024
• Discuss digital piracy in 2024
• critical cyber-attack concepts 
• Social engineering and its importance 

D. Current Network Security Research Topics

• Data storage centralization
• Identify Malicious activity on a computer system. 
• Firewall 
• Importance of keeping updated Software  
• wireless sensor network 
• What are the effects of ad-hoc networks
• How can a company network be safe? 
• What are Network segmentation and its applications? 
• Discuss Data Loss Prevention systems  
• Discuss various methods for establishing secure algorithms in a network. 
• Talk about two-factor authentication

E. Best Data Security Research Topics

• Importance of backup and recovery 
• Benefits of logging for applications 
• Understand physical data security 
• Importance of Cloud Security 
• In computing, the relationship between privacy and data security 
• Talk about data leaks in mobile apps 
• Discuss the effects of a black hole on a network system. 

F. Important Application Security Research Topics

• Detect Malicious Activity on Google Play Apps 
• Dangers of XSS attacks on apps 
• Discuss SQL injection attacks. 
• Insecure Deserialization Effect 
• Check Security protocols 

G. Cybersecurity Law & Ethics Research Topics

• Strict cybersecurity laws in China 
• Importance of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act. 
• USA, UK, and other countries' cybersecurity laws  
• Discuss The Pipeline Security Act in the United States 

H. Recent Cyberbullying Topics

• Protecting your Online Identity and Reputation 
• Online Safety 
• Sexual Harassment and Sexual Bullying 
• Dealing with Bullying 
• Stress Center for Teens 

I. Operational Security Topics

• Identify sensitive data 
• Identify possible threats 
• Analyze security threats and vulnerabilities 
• Appraise the threat level and vulnerability risk 
• Devise a plan to mitigate the threats 

J. Cybercrime Topics for a Research Paper

• Crime Prevention. 
• Criminal Specialization. 
• Drug Courts. 
• Criminal Courts. 
• Criminal Justice Ethics. 
• Capital Punishment.
• Community Corrections. 
• Criminal Law.

Cyber Security Future Research Topics

• Developing more effective methods for detecting and responding to cyber attacks
• Investigating the role of social media in cyber security
• Examining the impact of cloud computing on cyber security
• Investigating the security implications of the Internet of Things
• Studying the effectiveness of current cyber security measures
• Identifying new cyber security threats and vulnerabilities
• Developing more effective cyber security policies
• Examining the ethical implications of cyber security

Cyber Security Topics For Research Paper

• Cyber security threats and vulnerabilities
• Cyber security incident response and management
• Cyber security risk management
• Cyber security awareness and training
• Cyber security controls and countermeasures
• Cyber security governance
• Cyber security standards
• Cyber security insurance

Top 5 Current Research Topics in Cybersecurity

Below are the latest 5 cybersecurity research topics. They are:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Digital Supply Chains
• Internet of Things
• State-Sponsored Attacks
• Working From Home

Research Area in Cyber Security

The field of cyber security is extensive and constantly evolving. Its research covers a wide range of subjects, including: 

• Quantum & Space  
• Data Privacy  
• Criminology & Law 
• AI & IoT Security
• RFID Security
• Authorization Infrastructure
• Digital Forensics
• Autonomous Security
• Social Influence on Social Networks

How to Choose the Best Research Topics in Cyber Security?

A good cybersecurity assignment heading is a skill that not everyone has, and unfortunately, not everyone has one. You might have your teacher provide you with the topics, or you might be asked to come up with your own. If you want more cyber security research topics, you can take references from Certified Ethical Hacker Certification, where you will get more hints on new topics. If you don't know where to start, here are some tips. Follow them to create compelling cybersecurity assignment topics. 

1. Brainstorm

In order to select the most appropriate heading for your cybersecurity assignment, you first need to brainstorm ideas. What specific matter do you wish to explore? In this case, come up with relevant topics about the subject and select those relevant to your issue when you use our list of topics. You can also go to cyber security-oriented websites to get some ideas. Using any blog post on the internet can prove helpful if you intend to write a research paper on security threats in 2024. Creating a brainstorming list with all the keywords and cybersecurity concepts you wish to discuss is another great way to start. Once that's done, pick the topics you feel most comfortable handling. Keep in mind to stay away from common topics as much as possible. 

2. Understanding the Background

In order to write a cybersecurity assignment, you need to identify two or three research paper topics. Obtain the necessary resources and review them to gain background information on your heading. This will also allow you to learn new terminologies that can be used in your title to enhance it. 

3. Write a Single Topic

Make sure the subject of your cybersecurity research paper doesn't fall into either extreme. Make sure the title is neither too narrow nor too broad. Topics on either extreme will be challenging to research and write about. 

4. Be Flexible

There is no rule to say that the title you choose is permanent. It is perfectly okay to change your research paper topic along the way. For example, if you find another topic on this list to better suit your research paper, consider swapping it out. 

The Layout of Cybersecurity Research Guidance

It is undeniable that usability is one of cybersecurity's most important social issues today. Increasingly, security features have become standard components of our digital environment, which pervade our lives and require both novices and experts to use them. Supported by confidentiality, integrity, and availability concerns, security features have become essential components of our digital environment.  

In order to make security features easily accessible to a wider population, these functions need to be highly usable. This is especially true in this context because poor usability typically translates into the inadequate application of cybersecurity tools and functionality, resulting in their limited effectiveness. 

Cyber Security Research Topic Writing Tips from Expert

Additionally, a well-planned action plan and a set of useful tools are essential for delving into Cyber Security research topics. Not only do these topics present a vast realm of knowledge and potential innovation, but they also have paramount importance in today's digital age. Addressing the challenges and nuances of these research areas will contribute significantly to the global cybersecurity landscape, ensuring safer digital environments for all. It's crucial to approach these topics with diligence and an open mind to uncover groundbreaking insights.

• Before you begin writing your research paper, make sure you understand the assignment. 
• Your Research Paper Should Have an Engaging Topic 
• Find reputable sources by doing a little research 
• Precisely state your thesis on cybersecurity 
• A rough outline should be developed 
• Finish your paper by writing a draft 
• Make sure that your bibliography is formatted correctly and cites your sources. 

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Studies in the literature have identified and recommended guidelines and recommendations for addressing security usability problems to provide highly usable security. The purpose of such papers is to consolidate existing design guidelines and define an initial core list that can be used for future reference in the field of Cyber Security Research Topics.

The researcher takes advantage of the opportunity to provide an up-to-date analysis of cybersecurity usability issues and evaluation techniques applied so far. As a result of this research paper, researchers and practitioners interested in cybersecurity systems who value human and social design elements are likely to find it useful. You can find KnowledgeHut’s Cyber Security courses online and take maximum advantage of them.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Businesses and individuals are changing how they handle cybersecurity as technology changes rapidly - from cloud-based services to new IoT devices. 

Ideally, you should have read many papers and know their structure, what information they contain, and so on if you want to write something of interest to others. 

Inmates having the right to work, transportation of concealed weapons, rape and violence in prison, verdicts on plea agreements, rehab versus reform, and how reliable are eyewitnesses? 

The field of cyber security is extensive and constantly evolving. Its research covers various subjects, including Quantum & Space, Data Privacy, Criminology & Law, and AI & IoT Security. 

Mrinal Prakash

I am a B.Tech Student who blogs about various topics on cyber security and is specialized in web application security

Avail your free 1:1 mentorship session.

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Upcoming Cyber Security Batches & Dates

• Degree Requirements
• Academic Standing and Degree Completion
• Thesis Procedures
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The Master’s Thesis provides a capstone to the Master of Arts in Strategic Security Studies program at the College of International Security Affairs, allowing students to inquire deeply into an area of professional significance, policy importance, academic value, and/or personal interest. In this way, the thesis permits students to demonstrate their analytical abilities and creative argumentation skills developed during their studies at the College. Students who undertake the thesis option should complement their educational experience by choosing a problem with direct relevance to their professional duties and the needs of their sponsoring agency or country. With this in mind, students should also select topics that pertain to their Area of Concentration for the Master of Arts Degree in Strategic Security Studies degree. Students who are enrolled in the thesis option must fulfill the following thesis requirements.

Elements of the Thesis

A good thesis is a well-structured argument that is presented clearly and persuasively. Students may employ a variety of different thesis styles, including theory proposing, theory testing, literature assessing, and theory applying (including policy evaluation/recommendation), or a combination of any of these styles.

A thesis must present a well-structured analysis focused on the author’s main argument and explicate links between relevant variables. The analysis must integrate a clear definition of the problem and claim, a valid research design for the generation, interpretation, and incorporation of data; and ideas and findings from authoritative sources.

A thesis that is deemed to be successful by the CISA faculty should contain the following elements:

The Abstract is a brief summary of the thesis that should not exceed 250 words. It presents an introduction to the subject, the key statement of the thesis, which methodology was used, and a conclusion.

The Introduction clearly defines the problem, issue or question which the thesis intends to address. In other words, the author presents the hypothesis or proposed answer to the research question. In the justification, the author reveals the problem’s importance both from a practical policy perspective and how the study will contribute to theoretical development in political analysis and/or strategic studies. For CISA, a problem’s practical relevance is determined by its strategic prevalence in today’s security environment and its impact on policymaker decision making. The analytical (scientific, academic, or theoretical) justification concerns the larger implications of the problem and the author’s prescribed solution to address the problem in practical terms.

The Literature Review lays out historical and contemporary understanding of the problem and shapes the research project by integrating existing knowledge and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of past research designs. By examining these findings, this narrative explores the correlations and divergences in previous studies, incorporating those results into the subsequent analysis.

The Research Design provides the structure for organizing the author’s argument, generating data and information, and applying relevant theories and frameworks to interpret evidence. This construct provides coherence and integration necessary to a successful thesis. The research design should be determined by the purpose and style of the study and may include observation (descriptive research, case study, or survey), experiments, quantitative, qualitative, inductive, deductive, and/or other relevant methods. The Research Design may be presented in a stand alone chapter.

The Analysis is the main body of the thesis in which the author applies the research methodology to interpret evidence and support the conclusion. As with the research design, the structure of the analysis (e.g., division into chapters) will depend on the style and scope of the study. This section presents the core of the argument underpinning the author’s thesis about the research question, acknowledging and refuting counter-arguments.

The Conclusion synthesizes findings, provides recommendations, and acknowledges continued uncertainties and ambiguities about the understanding of the issue or the implications and/or applicability of the proposed practical solutions or actions.

*Note please refer to the CISA Formatting and Structure Guidelines for further guidance.

Students at CISA can take advantage of the outstanding library available on campus. The NDU Library is considered one of the greatest repositories of information on national defense, international security, policy and strategy, international relations, management of information resources and mobilization of national resources. The collection consists of over 500,000 bound volumes, pamphlets, periodicals, microforms, audio visual materials, government documents, and 50,000 classified documents. Library personnel provide a full range of research services and guidance in the use of materials in an environment designed to support research and study. The prudent student will go beyond the Internet and utilize the NDU Library as well as other resources.

Students should use primary materials, where appropriate. For example, researchers can conduct their own work through experiments, interviews, surveys, and other forms of data gathering. Students should work with their Thesis Advisor to ensure they comply with all relevant policies and regulations regarding human subjects, as described in the Human Subjects Research Policy, including in the use of interviews.

Aggregate data, such as survey results, voting tabulations, or social and economic data, will be relevant to some but not all questions. When appropriate, the student should engage aggressively with aggregate data sets. The ability to manipulate and use data in relevant and plausible ways can be extremely useful.    Length, Format, and Citation

The finished thesis should be 60-120 pages, double spaced, properly paginated (do not number the pages of the title, the disclaimer, any table of contents or reference pages) with standard margins and Times New Roman 12 point font. The written thesis presentation must meet high standards and demonstrate meticulous attention to style and publishing details, including spelling, grammar and punctuation.  Students should consult the CISA Citation Style Guide or  The Chicago Manual of Style,  16th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2010) for any questions regarding style and format. Thesis must adhere to the CISA Thesis Formatting and Structure Guidelines. Any questions in format or style should be directed to the student’s Thesis Advisor.  

Grades and Credits for Thesis

The Thesis must represent graduate level work in both substance and form. The final product will receive a grade of Exceeds Expectations (A to A-), Meets Expectations (B+ to B), or Does Not Meet Expectations (below B). Students earn six credits by completing  6943 Thesis .

Security Studies: Foundations and Key Concepts

Security studies originated in the era of Cold War geopolitics and decolonization. This annotated bibliography introduces readers to scholarship in the field.

As a principle of international statecraft, “security” dates to the end of World War II and the rise of the United States as a superpower. America veiled its new hegemony behind the principle of nation-state sovereignty and exercised its power through economic grants, military aid, and international organizations like the United Nations. Although it dismantled fascist regimes immediately, it also pressured Allies with empires—such as the United Kingdom—into decolonization in following decades. When the Soviet Union acquired nuclear weapons in 1949, the traditional time and spatial limits of interstate war were rendered obsolete. The 1947 National Security Act, which turns 75 this year, anticipated this situation, unifying the various branches of the military and creating the National Security Agency (NSA) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a move that allows the president to exercise US security (i.e., military) power around the globe at any time, in war or in peace.

“Security” and “sovereignty” thus supplanted “war” and “empire” as the conceptual language of interstate conflict. As such, security studies traces its intellectual lineage to the field of international relations as it developed in political science and area studies departments at American universities during the Cold War. The spread of post-Marxist critical theory and post-structuralism in academia, alongside the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, opened the way for a large range of critical theoretical perspectives from within and from competing fields. Research about the people abused or ignored by security ideology and the ways states use security to justify and consolidate anti-democratic power has only increased with the intensification of American domestic security theater and its global wars since 2001.

As a historian that studies security, law, and capitalism, I have organized this list chronologically to contextualize and explain the evolution of the field, with a particular emphasis on the rise and diversification of critical viewpoints.

Hans J. Morgenthau, “ The Mainsprings of American Foreign Policy: The National Interest vs. Moral Abstractions .” The American Political Science Review , 1950.

From the 1950s to the 1970s, the most dominant intellectual framework in international relations research was realism . A leading theorist of classical realism, Morganthau argues that states do not make foreign policy decisions because of ideologies or the form of their governments but because of the specific context of their immediate interests. Realists developed their theories in part as reaction to the failure of liberal internationalism of the interwar era, embodied in Woodrow Wilson’s “Fourteen Points” speech to US Congress on January 8, 1918. They did so although liberalism survived in the surface-level Cold War ideology then placing the “the free world” in opposition to the communist bloc. This intellectual environment helped justify US decisions to support many dictatorships in proxy wars against allies of the Soviet Union after World War II.

John H. Herz, “ Idealist Internationalism and the Security Dilemma .” World Politics , 1950.

In the year following the Soviet acquisition of the atomic bomb, Herz puts the tenets of realism in an even bolder light. With the survival of humanity now at stake in a potential nuclear war, he argues, there is no room for error in international diplomacy. He generalizes this problem to other periods of history, arguing that despite the benefits of “idealist” political or economic coordination, the security dilemma forces all leaders to accrue power to the exclusion of rivals. As a result, practical and contextual negotiations are always more effective than seeking a permanent, all-encompassing diplomatic settlement (i.e., the United Nations).

Johan Galtung, “ Violence, Peace, and Peace Research .” Journal of Peace Research , 1969.

By the end of the 1960s, it was clear that the bipolar security balance of the great powers had fostered a new kind of security problem. Because global-scale military conflict was impossible, the struggle for hegemony had shifted into proxy conflicts. These most often occurred in recently decolonized states where the powers fueled struggles over the political orientation of their governments, such as in Vietnam, in Yemen, and across Africa. This shifted the attention of security scholars from existential and state-level conflict back toward the human scale. In this article, Galtung coined the concept of structural violence as any oppression that robs a people of their potential achievement. While later scholars would critique this idea as too broad, it brought theoretical urgency to the suffering of occupied populations that appeared “peaceful” under military occupation or even economic oppression.

Mohammed Ayoob, “ Security in the Third World: The Worm about to Turn? ” International Affairs , 1983.

Ayoob defined the problem with Western-centric security studies in much clearer detail, establishing a subaltern realism in the field. Although nearly all formerly colonized territories had obtained sovereignty as independent nation-states by the 1980s, they could not act on the international stage in the same fashion as those in the First (Western) or Second (Soviet) Worlds (in the terminology of the era). “Third-World” states, Ayoob argues, are dependent upon more powerful patrons for economic and military support, which not only limits their diplomatic choices, it also warps their domestic politics by robbing governments of legitimacy.

Michael W. Doyle, “ Kant, Liberal Legacies, and Foreign Affairs, Part 2 .” Philosophy & Public Affairs , 1983.

As the Soviet bloc weakened and more developing nations abandoned socialist experiments, liberalism re-emerged in the field during the 1980s. Michael Doyle’s research into the absence of wars between liberal governments since the Napoleonic era struck a powerful chord with a new generation of researchers tired of the cynicism of the dominant realist paradigm. His democratic peace theory validated strong neoliberal political interests aiming to justify the global spread of capitalism and structural adjustment “in order to encourage democracy.” Although Doyle believed a liberal foreign policy would thus emphasize butter over guns, ironically, neoconservative hawks would greatly abuse the concept of “spreading democracy” to justify war during the George W. Bush administration.

Cynthia Enloe, “ Women and Militarization—A Seminar .” The Radical Teacher , 1984.

The entrance of feminist perspectives on security de-centered the state as its subject of research. Enloe was one of the first writers in the field to comprehensively examine the role women play both as objects of military violence and as active participants in military logistics and battle. In this article, she recounts developing a seminar for which she chose the theme of “militarization” to leave open many of the usually closed conceptual categories of security studies: soldier/civilian, masculinity/femininity and public/private. It represents an early avenue into the social history of security.

David Campbell, “ Global Inscription: How Foreign Policy Constitutes the United States .” Alternatives: Global, Local, Political , 1990.

Postmodern analysis, which critically deconstructed positivist narratives about history and society, gained popularity in universities in the 1980s and blossomed in every social science field after the end of the Cold War. The demise of the Soviet Union led to uncritical jubilation in many quarters but equally to new introspection about the real purpose of the American security state. Campbell argues that the “necessity” of America’s constant military alertness in the Cold War helped constitute a discourse that supported far more significant domestic power structures: the capitalist mode of production and hetero-normative gender roles, among others.

Ken Booth, “ Security and Emancipation .” Review of International Studies , 1991.

Besides postmodernism, the other foundation of critical security studies is post-Marxist critical theory . Booth synthesizes the ideas of the Frankfurt School that the ideal role of government should bend toward freedom and social justice with a critique of the field itself. Indeed, this is the first article on this list to mention “security studies” as a field separate from “international relations.” Booth seeks to reorient the object of study away from power, as realists see the source of security, toward emancipation , in his view the ideal goal of security. This article too was a clarion call to refocus study away from states toward human beings, which provoked a wide range of responses.

Alexander Wendt, “ Anarchy is what States Make of it: The Social Construction of Power Politics .” International Organization , 1992.

In a different take on the postmodern turn, Wendt argues that the global “anarchy” that drives states toward “rational” actions in the eyes of realists does not have an intrinsic reality. Rather, the interpretation of anarchy is socially constructed. From the level of state institutions to individual identities, the interpretation of global events is essentially subjective. In a time of great global change that attended security risk, such as the 1990s, c onstructivists believed that shifting identities held promise for flexible reorientation of priorities in both public opinion and institutions. Although his critical orientation makes Wendt suspicious of the idealism of liberals, his flexible framework makes him more hopeful of finding common ground than with the realists.

Barry Buzan, “ Rethinking Security after the Cold War .” Cooperation and Conflict , 1997.

Buzan had made waves early in his career by highlighting a variety of non-state-centric aspects of security in his 1983 book People, States and Fear. But in the 1990s, he defined one of the most important new branches of critical security studies with the concept of securitization . As with many of the critical perspectives above, Buzan argues that no political or violent problem is inherently the subject of security. In his view, states or other powerful interests seize upon disjunctive events and infuse them with the language and institutions of security to accrue unaccountable power. If the target public accepts this maneuver, a new problem becomes “securitized.” Buzan and other adherents thus generally believe “security” is too broadly applied and support political measures for “desecuritization.”

Douglas T. Stuart, “ Ministry of Fear: The 1947 National Security Act in Historical and Institutional Context .” International Studies Perspectives , 2003.

The September 11, 2001, attacks prompted the Bush administration to reshape the American security establishment by creating the Department of Homeland Security. Stuart uses this event as the framework for re-examining the 1947 National Security Act. The dilemmas and weaknesses of the act have never fully resolved the questions: Was coordinating all military activities so closely in the hands of a small body of bureaucrats (the NSA) worth the loss of input from other civilian institutions (the State Department)? Is the government destined to evaluate all foreign policy issues through a national security lens? With so much power given to the military establishment in this way, will it ever be possible to prevent the gradual spread of state surveillance and security over the domestic population in violation of the constitution? The ensuing two decades have not answered these questions in the affirmative.

Deborah Avant, “ The Implications of Marketized Security for IR Theory: The Democratic Peace, Late State Building, and the Nature and Frequency of Conflict .” Perspectives on Politics , 2006.

By the 2000s, the triumph of capitalist globalization and outsourcing had transformed all public institutions, including the military. To maintain a flexible presence across the globe, the US military employed private security contractors for intelligence and tactical—and even logistical and maintenance—tasks, notably in Iraq. Avant argues that the return of mercenary forces (common in the Medieval and Early Modern eras) to global conflict will warp the traditional concept of state sovereignty as encompassing “a monopoly over violence.” It opens further windows for state executives to conduct undeclared warfare without legislative approval or oversight. Widespread use of private security also shifts the formation of foreign policy away from elected officials to the private market.

Tarak Barkawi and Mark Laffey, “ The Postcolonial Moment in Security Studies .” Review of International Studies , 2006.

The September 11, 2001, attacks highlighted the inadequacy of traditional security studies for accurately assessing the history and causes of threats in the contemporary era and for formulating policy responses. One reason, Barkawi and Laffey contend, is the continuing Eurocentrism and state-centrism of the field. The rise of non-state actors such as Al-Qa’ida confounds the research of Ayoob and other “subaltern realists” that still take the legitimacy and institutions of the state as their primary subject. Even many sympathetic critical security studies viewpoints cited above draw from Western conceptions of liberalism and emancipation. Studying the sources of “terrorism” (as many thousands of policy-oriented security studies articles have tried to do) without seeking to understand the deep history of North-South violence from the perspective of the non-European actors is destined to failure.

Laura J. Shepherd, “ Making war safe for women? National Action Plans and the militarisation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda .” International Political Science Review , 2016.

Shepherd investigates the application of feminist objectives in international security governance thirty years on from the rise of second wave feminism critical perspectives in the field. What she finds will not surprise you. The United Nation Security Council Resolution 1325, made in 2000, called for member states to study and recognize the impact military conflict and displacement has on women. The resolution also called for the development of programs to prevent violations of women’s rights, combat sexual violence, and increase women’s participation in peace negotiations. The “national action plans” reveal the actual actions member states took: mainly the creation and development of programs for recruiting women into the armed forces and police, rather for the reduction of conflict and its effects on women.

Jonna Nyman, “ What is the value of security? Contextualising the negative/positive debate .” Review of International Studies , 2016.

In the thirty years since the rise of critical security studies, the divide between academic and policy-oriented writing seems as wide as ever. This may be because there are still many unresolved debates within the critical field, preventing it from making a unified front against establishment/governmental views. Nyman highlights different approaches within the field simply in defining the term “security.” Some work approaches the problem in an “analytic frame,” which considers security as an abstract and thus positive goal. This would include the elimination of structural violence in the work of Galtung or emancipation in the work of Booth, both cited above. She views the Copenhagen school, led by Buzan, as treating security in a “normative frame”—that is, studying what states say about security and the institutions and actions they take to achieve it, which they more often find leading to oppressive or negative results. Nyman advocates a “pragmatic” stance to bridge this gap, shifting from “defining what makes security practices positive or negative in the abstract, to studying actual situated security practices in context.” It turns out that theory is no substitute for fieldwork.

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NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGIES OF THE US AND THE UK: AN EXPANSION OF 'SECURITY' OVER TIME

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• March 22, 2019
• Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Political Science
• As the second decade of the century begins to unfold, the global security environment is unlike any that nations have faced before. Instead of traditional state-based aggression, nations must contend with threats originating from a growing spectrum of non-state actors while contending with a level of economic austerity not felt for more than fifty years. In light of these factors, how do nations ensure the security of their people, territories, and interests? How do they define security and how have those definitions changed? Using the United States of America and the United Kingdom as comparative cases, this paper examines how the nations' definitions of 'security' have evolved in the post-Cold War era. While developed independently in accordance with each nation's respective experiences and interests, both the US and the UK's definitions of security have expanded over time, indicating a broadening securitization of national politics.
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• https://doi.org/10.17615/zcn3-hk94
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• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Master's Thesis A study of security in wireless and mobile payments

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