Public Lecture by Jane and Aatos Erkko Professor Ole Wæver: Climate change as a security issue

When: Thursday, May 12, at 5:15 pm (Finnish time, GMT+2)

Abstract

Within security studies and conflict analysis, climate change mainly figures in studies trying to settle whether a causal link can be demonstrated from climate change to military conflict. Meanwhile, general climate debates increasingly assert that climate change as such is the biggest threat facing humankind. Climate change is ‘securitized’ in two very different ways. What policies do these imply, respectively? Is it promising, worrying and/or unavoidable that climate change is turned into a security issue, a threat that simply has to be met by all means necessary? How do we imagine the international relations of a future constituted politically around a ‘climate emergency’?

Short bio

Ole Wæver is Professor of International Relations at the Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen and founder of the research centers CAST (Centre for Advanced Security Theory) and CRIC (Centre for Resolution of International Conflicts). He coined the concept of ‘securitization’ and co-developed what is known as the Copenhagen School in security studies. Beyond security theory, his research interests include conflict analysis and conflict resolution, the history and sociology of the International Relations discipline, sociology of science, religion in international relations, climate change, politics of technology, conceptual history, and speech act theory. He has directed various research projects including currently ‘Human Rights and Peace Building’ and ‘Militarisation in Uganda’. He was on defense commissions and various other policy advisory bodies on security, climate and research policy; member of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters; honorary doctorate from the University of Turku. Knighted.

More info: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-c...