Lost for Words : Responding to the Kunduz Bombings

Publisher PDFNon peer reviewe

Drowning the Greek economy : injurious speech and sovereign debt

Drawing on Judith Butler’s concept of injurious speech, this article conceptualises the ‘Grexit’ crisis as a series of performances. More specifically, we investigate how the Greek government framed the bailout plans tabled by the Troika as a form of torture. By adopting phrases such as ‘fiscal water-boarding’, ‘asphyxiation’, and ‘suicide’, the Syriza government sought to narrate the harm inflicted on Greece by its creditors. Paying attention to this language is important as it casts new light on how Greek sovereign debt has been framed, negotiated, and contested. In many ways, the overarching objective of this article is to tell a different story that takes discursive transitivity and restaging into account. By shifting the emphasis onto injurious speech, the article also brings the unintended effects of this language into focus. Despite the recurrent accusations made by Syriza as it attempted to resolve the Greek sovereign debt crisis, this article questions whether their bargaining strategy ‘misfired’. On closer consideration, we find that the injurious speech acts performed by the Syriza government compromised their ability to negotiate a third bailout deal in 2015. The observations remind us that words can wound in ambivalent ways.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

The Refugee Olympic Team at Rio 2016 : rallying around which flag?

As the euphoria surrounding the inclusion of the Refugee Olympic Team at 2016 Rio fizzles out it is time that we look beyond the waving of flagsPublisher PD

Beyond securitization : a critical review of the Bush administration and Iraq

This thesis responds to the longstanding call from constructivist and poststructuralist scholars for a turn to discourse. It focuses on the paradox of the ability of language to act as a constituting and constraining device within an agent-structure discussion. The Copenhagen School (CS), its attention to language and its concept of securitization is examined in terms of its strengths and weaknesses, including bringing discourse onto the security agenda to an unprecedented extent. This thesis seeks to speak security at a deeper level and move securitization beyond the moment of utterance and the notion of agents breaking free of rules that would otherwise bind, as well as beyond a singular definition of security. It is proposed that the CS framework can be theoretically complemented by Wittgenstein’s notion of language games on board. The analytical shift made by juxtaposing a speech act and a language game also foregrounds the link between language and rules. Wittgenstein’s idea of ‘acts of interpretation’ is also considered, and substantive questions are raised about what the language of security legitimates in principle and in practice. The Bush administration’s justifications for the 2003 Iraq war are taken as a point of departure, and covers how the Bush administration deployed the language of security to justify highly controversial moves. Their narrative about the use of the pre-emptive use of force without an imminent threat existing and ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’ such as those seen in the Abu Ghraib photographs in the name of security exemplify that words matter. The arguments conclude that adjustments are needed in the way security is currently spoken in IR theory

In the name of (de)securitization : speaking security to protect migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons?

A guiding concern of this article is to examine how the protection of migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) is being spoken about and framed. Today it is evident that the dominant responses of sovereign States to each of these groups issues is heavily reliant on the language of security and (de)securitization. Indeed, this article openly conceptualizes ongoing attempts to protect migrants, refugees and IDPs as a series of overlapping (de)securitized games. At least three arguments follow from this claim. First, adopting this approach serves as a reminder that the ways in which we speak about different groups of people are spoken about often constitutes a dividing line between life and death. A second point illustrated here is that the language games of (de)securitization are not identical vary when it comes to protecting different groups. Third, using securitization as the theoretical point of departure provides a timely reminder that none of the three categorizations listed above is guaranteed to apply. On the contrary, the adoption of each linguistic label – migrant, refugee, IDP – is subject to and dependent upon audience acceptance. Remembering the latter dimension is imperative to fully comprehend the ongoing contestations and countermoves currently underway to respond to people moving in search of security. By way of conclusion, this article contends that far more attention must be paid to broader understandings of acceptance and love to ensure the protection of migrants, refugees and IDPs.Postprin

Reframing the Olympic Games as a space of contestation rather than a fixed place of peace : uncovering new spatial stories of (de)securitisation

Postprin

Critical security history : (de)securitisation, ontological security and insecure memories

This article makes a case for incorporating the concept of ‘Critical Security History’ (CSH) into security studies. While history plays a powerful role in a cornucopia of security stories, we contend that it often goes unnoticed in scholarly research and teaching. Against this backdrop, we present a detailed guide to study how history is told and enacted in non-linear ways. To do this, the article outlines how CSH can contribute to securitisation and ontological security studies. As shown, this lens casts a new light on the legacies of (de)securitisation processes and how they are commemorated. It also illustrates that ontological security studies have only begun to call into question the concept of historicity. Working through these observations, the article marshals insights from Halvard Leira's notion of ‘engaged historical amateurism’ to entice scholars interested in ‘doing’ CSH. While acknowledging that this research agenda is hard to achieve, our study of the 2012 Sarajevo Red Line project helps to illustrate the added value of trying to ‘do’ CSH in theory and in practice. We end with some reflections for future research and continued conversations.PostprintPeer reviewe

Setting the STAGES:Introduction to the Special Issue

For now, this Special Issue is one of a kind. Each piece grows directly out of the cross-institutional network between the University of St Andrews (STA), the University of Glasgow (G), and the University of Edinburgh (E)’s Security studies (S) programmes. Together, we have created the acronym STAGES to capture these ongoing collaborations. In August 2018, we, as a small group of colleagues working at each contributing university started to discuss how our master students can learn more about security beyond the confines of their separate classrooms. As Jorge M. Lasma writes, ‘In many cases, classrooms have slowly come to be seen as the only domains for learning. Other forms and channels of learning and knowledge are viewed with suspicion and sometimes even discouraged for fear of higher costs’ (2013, p. 369). Challenging this idea, we set out to create a collective project to allow different students, with their own unique opinions and viewpoints on security, to meet one another to share their ideas in open, honest and lived ways

Residual malaria transmission and the role of Anopheles arabiensis and Anopheles melas in central Senegal

Understanding the behavior and ecology of local malaria vectors is essential for the effectiveness of the commonly used vector-targeted malaria control tools in areas of low malaria transmission. This study was conducted to determine species composition, biting behavior and infectivity of the major Anopheles vectors of Plasmodium falciparum in low transmission settings in central Senegal. Adult mosquitoes were collected using human landing catches during 2 consecutive nights and Pyrethrum Spray Catches in 30–40 randomly selected rooms, from July 2017 to December 2018 in 3 villages. Anopheline mosquitoes were morphologically identified using conventional keys; their reproductive status assessed by ovary dissections, and a sub-sample of Anopheles gambiae s.l. were identified to species level using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Plasmodium sporozoite infections were detected using real-time quantitative PCR. During this study 3684 Anopheles were collected of which 97% were An. gambiae s.l., 0.6% were Anopheles funestus, and 2.4% were Anopheles pharoensis. Molecular identification of 1,877 An. gambiae s.l. revealed a predominance of Anopheles arabiensis (68.7%), followed by Anopheles melas (28.8%), and Anopheles coluzzii (2.1%). The overall human-biting rate of An. gambiae s.l. was highest in the inland site of Keur Martin with 4.92 bites per person per night, while it was similar in the deltaic site, Diofior (0.51) and the coastal site, Mbine Coly (0.67). Parity rates were similar in An. arabiensis (45%) and An. melas (42%). Sporozoite infections were detected in both An. arabiensis and An. melas with the respective infection rates of 1.39% (N = 8) and 0.41% (N = 1). Results suggest that low residual malaria in central Senegal is transmitted by An. arabiensis and An. melas. Consequently, both vectors will need to be targeted as part of malaria elimination efforts in this area of Senegal

Low and seasonal malaria transmission in the middle Senegal River basin: identification and characteristics of Anopheles vectors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>During the last decades two dams were constructed along the Senegal River. These intensified the practice of agriculture along the river valley basin. We conducted a study to assess malaria vector diversity, dynamics and malaria transmission in the area.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional entomological study was performed in September 2008 in 20 villages of the middle Senegal River valley to evaluate the variations of <it>Anopheles </it>density according to local environment. A longitudinal study was performed, from October 2008 to January 2010, in 5 selected villages, to study seasonal variations of malaria transmission.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among malaria vectors, 72.34% of specimens collected were <it>An. arabiensis</it>, 5.28% <it>An. gambiae </it>of the S molecular form, 3.26% M form, 12.90% <it>An. pharoensis</it>, 4.70% <it>An. ziemanni</it>, 1.48% <it>An. funestus </it>and 0.04% <it>An. wellcomei</it>. <it>Anopheles </it>density varied according to village location. It ranged from 0 to 21.4 <it>Anopheles</it>/room/day and was significantly correlated with the distance to the nearest ditch water but not to the river.</p> <p>Seasonal variations of <it>Anopheles </it>density and variety were observed with higher human biting rates during the rainy season (8.28 and 7.55 <it>Anopheles </it>bite/man/night in October 2008 and 2009 respectively). Transmission was low and limited to the rainy season (0.05 and 0.06 infected bite/man/night in October 2008 and 2009 respectively). During the rainy season, the endophagous rate was lower, the anthropophagic rate higher and L1014F kdr frequency higher.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Malaria vectors are present at low-moderate density in the middle Senegal River basin with <it>An. arabiensis </it>as the predominant species. Other potential vectors are <it>An. gambiae </it>M and S form and <it>An. funestus</it>. Nonetheless, malaria transmission was extremely low and seasonal.</p