Global Security: A Vision for the Future

The approach to research in global security from the perspective of the life sciences presents a number of challenges. NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) and ESF (European Science Foundation), aware of the importance of this endeavor, have commissioned l'Institut Français d'Analyse Stratégique (IFAS) to organize a number of activities aimed at identifying potential areas for research. This book presents the findings of these investigations. Whilst the life sciences will of course continue their traditional activities and research, the intention is to establish an additional'security-oriented sector'for the new generation. Each discipline will contribute knowledge and specific methodologies to achieve an innovative interdisciplinary approach: history, geography, ethnology and psychology will interact with sociology, anthropology, philosophy and many other disciplines. The life sciences, social sciences, humanities and others including theology and the arts can work together under the umbrella of security. Since the end of the Cold War, the predominantly military security focus has been extended to include an interaction between individual and global spheres: the individual dimension (human security) and the'planet'dimension, as well as the related perception of connections between mankind and a fragile environment. This book takes into account the basic principles and the variables which must be considered to enable organizations worldwide, such as the EU (European Union), NATO, ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) and SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) to work together and to define areas of research for all institutes, think tanks and individuals willing to integrate into the extended security research network which is already being built.