Security

Reviews / Votes

'This book offers a masterclass in understanding the meanings and implications of the concept of security, taking the reader on a deep intellectual journey into the underpinnings of this fundamental concern. Welch converses with the reader as he challenges convention and forces us to reconsider what it means to be 'secure' and therefore how to assess and understand insecurity. Beautifully written, the movement between philosophical and theoretical discussion and carefully rendered empirical materials provides the reader with remarkable insight into this most basic concept in both the scholarship and praxis of world politics.' David Dewitt, University Professor Emeritus, York University 'David Welch's thought-provoking Security: A Philosophical Investigation is deeply engaging, beautifully written, and profoundly original. Truly, a unique, very timely book! Welch masterfully builds on arguments drawn from a wide variety of fields and brings everything together elegantly and persuasively. The book will surely become a must-read for international security students and scholars alike.' Alexandra Gheciu, Professor of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa 'At a moment of profound insecurity, David Welch has written a deep, thought-provoking, and compelling book. His clear-headed philosophical and empirical discussion is wise even in those passages that fail to fully convince. For he is willing to tolerate ambiguities of argumentation and findings that define choice in a world steeped in uncertainty.' Peter J. Katzenstein, Walter S. Carpenter, Jr. Professor of International Studies, Cornell University 'David Welch has produced a clearly written, cogently argued, politically radical, and utterly compelling exploration of the meaning of security. He makes the case for extending it beyond the physical protection of borders and people to protection of the ecosphere in which humanity resides, and the cultures and identities that give life meaning. The book foregrounds post-material sensibilities that ought to guide foreign policy and the study of international relations.' Richard Ned Lebow, Professor of International Political Theory, King's College London 'Recommended.' W. J. Coats, Choice