Class 12 Political Science - KERALA
Security in the Contemporary World
The chapter 'Security in the Contemporary World' explores the meaning and nature of security from a global perspective. It moves beyond traditional views of military threats to examine non-traditional notions of security, including human security, global poverty, pandemics, and terrorism. For Kerala SCERT Class 12 board exams, this chapter is crucial as it tests students' understanding of contemporary global challenges, cooperative security measures, and India's security strategy. Scoring well requires a clear distinction between traditional and non-traditional security threats and an understanding of international responses to collective security issues.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Traditional Notion of Security
Focuses primarily on military threats to a country's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, categorized into external threats (war) and internal threats (law and order).
Non-Traditional Notion of Security
Expands the security agenda to include human existence threats beyond military action, such as global poverty, infectious diseases, climate change, and economic instability.
Balance of Power
A core traditional security strategy where a state builds up its military power or forms alliances with other nations to deter a potentially stronger and threatening state.
Cooperative Security
A strategy that relies on international cooperation, diplomacy, and global institutions rather than military force to address non-traditional security threats that no single nation can solve alone.
Human Security
Protection of people from critical and life-threatening dangers, focusing on the safety of individuals rather than just the defense of state borders ('freedom from want and freedom from fear').
Global Poverty and Pandemics
Severe non-traditional security challenges where widespread disease outbreaks and extreme poverty destabilize regions and threaten global populations, requiring collective international health and economic interventions.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In Kerala SCERT Class 12 Political Science examinations, this chapter typically carries around 6-8 marks. Questions usually include objective-type multiple-choice questions, short answer questions defining traditional vs. non-traditional security, and essay-type questions analyzing India's security concerns or global cooperation against terrorism and pandemics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between traditional and non-traditional security?
Traditional security focuses on military threats to state borders and sovereignty from other countries, while non-traditional security focuses on dangers to human existence such as poverty, diseases, climate change, and terrorism.
Why is international cooperation necessary for non-traditional security?
Non-traditional threats like global warming, pandemics, and international terrorism do not respect national borders and are too vast for any single country to handle alone, requiring global alliances and joint actions.
What are the core components of India's security strategy?
India's strategy involves strengthening military capabilities to face neighbors, tackling internal security challenges (like secessionist movements), developing economic power to lift millions out of poverty, and supporting international norms and institutions.
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