In the Name of Emancipation? Interrogating the Politics of Canada’s Human Security Discourse Umut zgüç Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts August 2007 Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences The University of New South Wales 16 PLEASE TYPE THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Dissertation Sheet Surname or Family name: OZGUC First name: UMUT Other name/s: MA (Research) Abbreviation for degree as given in the University calendar: School: School of International Studies Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Title: In the Name of Emancipation? Interrogating the Politics of Canada’s Human Security Discourse Abstract 350 words maximum: (PLEASE TYPE) Canada has actively incorporated human security into its foreign policy framework ever since the first articulation of human security in the 1994 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Annual Report. The Canadian Government has been at the forefront of promoting the concept internationally, thereby identifying Canada as one of the leading ‘humanist–activist’ states. This thesis, however, takes a more skeptical approach towards the emancipatory claims of Canada’s human security discourse. It argues that, despite its overarching humanistic tone, the question of who is secured through the language and operationalization of human security remains problematic. In examining Canada’s human security discourse in reference to this central question, this thesis analyses the promotion and operationalization of human security within Canada and abroad. The central argument of this thesis is that with its overwhelmingly statist and liberal language, Canada’s interpretation of human security is far from being a challenge to the traditional ontological claims of security as being the provider of political order. The Canadian human security agenda is driven by a traditional fear of national insecurity. It aims to secure national unity and identity in Canada, and its national and economic security abroad, by promoting the ideals of liberal democratic peace. Drawing upon the insights of critical security studies and post-structuralist approaches to international relations, this thesis reveals several meaning-producing effects of Canada’s human security discourse. First, domestically, it perpetuates the truth claims of the discourse of Canadian identity by naturalizing the idea of Canadian goodness. Canada’s human security discourse enhances the social control of the population by masking ‘human insecurities’ within Canada. Second, by framing ‘failed’ and ‘fragile’ states as a threat to Canadian security and liberal international order, the Canadian Government perpetuates the constant struggle between the zones of peace and the zones of chaos, and overcodes human security with simultaneously a statist and universalist language that aims to control as well as emancipate the ‘borderlands’. Third, while Canadian discourse on human security claims to encourage a bottom-up approach to security, it works ironically as an elitist policy which endorses an ideal form of governance in Canada and abroad. Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all property rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstracts International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). …………………………………………………………… ……………………………………..……………… ……….……………………...…….… Signature Witness Date The University recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to 2 years must be made in writing. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances and require the approval of the Dean of Graduate Research. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Date of completion of requirements for Award: THIS SHEET IS TO BE GLUED TO THE INSIDE FRONT COVER OF THE THESIS CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii ABSTRACT v LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vi INTRODUCTION 1 1. Preamble 1 2. Human Security: An Overview of the New Paradigm 3 3. Canadian Human Security Agenda: The Review of the Literature 7 4. Theoretical Remarks 11 5. Thesis Outline and Research Contribution 14 CHAPTER ONE 16 CONTESTING THE SECURITY LITERATURE 1. Introduction 16 2. A New Research Agenda: Security in the Aftermath of Cold War 17 3. Human Security 22 3.1 The intellectual roots of human security 22 3.2 Debating human security 26 CHAPTER TWO 34 GOVERNING CANADIANS: THE DOMESTIC CONSTRUCTION AND POLITICAL MANIPULATION OF HUMAN SECURITY 1. Introduction 34 2. Nation is in Crisis: An Overview of the Context in Canada in the Early 1990s 36 3. The History of Present: Canadian Internationalism as a Nation Builder 41 4. (Re)Constructing Canadian Identity through Human Security 51 4.1 Human security as a tool of national unity strategy 51 4.2 Promoting the myth of ‘shared values’ 55 4.3. (Re) Invoking the myth of ‘peacekeeping nation’ 61 4.4 Branding Canada as ‘soft power’: (Re)Finding the American ‘other’ 63 5. Framing Human Security: The Spheres of Liberal Subjectivity 67 5.1 Freedom from Fear: Introducing the niche diplomacy 67 i 5.2 Ethnic nationalism as a source of insecurity: Human security and liberal governmentality 71 6. Conclusion 76 CHAPTER THREE 78 GOVERNING FAILED STATES: THE PROMOTION OF LIBERAL PEACE IN CANADA’S HUMAN SECURITY DISCOURSE 1. Introduction 78 2. Securitization Theory 80 3. Setting the Context: Practices of Securitization in Canadian Human Security Policy 84 3.1 ‘A world of anxiety’: The discursive construction of ‘insecure Canada’ and early stages of human security discourse 84 3.2 Finding the ‘fearscapes’: Securitization of failed states 91 3.3 In fear of underdevelopment: The political implications of merging security and development 99 4. The Contested Tools of Soft Power: The Discourse on Good Governance 105 4.1 The good governance agenda 105 4.2 What failed ‘failed states’? Embedded statism in good governance discourse 109 4.3 Cartographies of human security: Contested identities and landscapes of good governance discourse 116 5. Conclusion 122 CONCLUSION 124 1. Whose Security? 124 2. Human Security, Emancipation and the Possible Directions for Critical Security Studies 126 BIBLIOGRAPHY 131 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude towards my supervisor, Dr Anthony Burke. Without his perceptive comments and high standards, this thesis would not have been possible. His words “questioning the question” truly influenced many aspects of this thesis. Dr Jo-Anne Pemberton, who supervised the early stages of this thesis, helped with the development of the research topic. I greatly value her patience, interest, and encouragement. I would also like to convey my indebtedness to Dr Kyle Grayson at the Newcastle University, UK who unconditionally responded to all my emails regarding my queries and provided me feedback on the initial drafts of the thesis. His insights on Canada’s human security policy were truly inspiring. Professor David Black, Dalhousie University, Canada; Dr Richard Nimijean, Carleton University, Canada; and Professor Oliver Richmond, University of St. Andrews, UK were also of tremendous help, as they shared their research and valuable literature with me, which I would have been unable to locate and retrieve. I would also like to thank Ms Manon Lacroix, Department of Canadian Heritage, Canada. She sent me important data and several official reports on Canada’s multiculturalism policy. I would like to thank Professor Christine Inglis at the University of Sydney, and Dr Kevin Dunn and Dr Susan Thompson at University of the New South Wales (UNSW) for appointing me as the research assistant for the ARC funded Transnationalism Project (2005-2007). I appreciate their generosity and support. Working with them has not only provided me with financial assistance, but it has also allowed me to develop my research and writing skills. I would also like to thank the academic staff at the School of International Relations, UNSW for their participation in the annual progress reviews. Their comments and suggestions have been crucial to the refinement of my research. Dr Sarah Maddison, who was the research coordinator in School of International Relations (2005-2006), was also very supportive and encouraging. I would like to thank Lindsay Yeates for reading some parts of this thesis and for giving useful suggestions. The thesis would be impossible without financial and emotional support of my aunt and my parents. I am indebted to my father for his faith in me, love, and sensible advice, which helped me to keep going. My two closest friends, Anuradha Chatterjee and Vidhu Gandhi were always with me since the first iii day of this work. Our friendship was a boon. And I am grateful to Yigit Susmus, for his constant support, love and an exceptional friendship. Finally, I would especially like to thank my partner, Sarp Kaya, for his extraordinary love, never-ending support, and the sacrifices he has made over the years. Without him, I could not have completed this thesis. iv ABSTRACT Canada has actively incorporated human security into its foreign policy framework ever since the first articulation of human security in the 1994 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Annual Report. The Canadian Government has been at the forefront of promoting the concept internationally, thereby identifying Canada as one of the leading ‘humanist–activist’ states. This thesis, however, takes a more skeptical approach towards the emancipatory claims of Canada’s human security discourse. It argues that, despite its overarching humanistic tone, the question of who is secured through the language and operationalization of human security remains problematic.