Democracy, Society and the Governance of Security

Renowned scholars shed light on our understanding of contemporary arrangements for security governance.

Jennifer Wood (Edited by), Benoît Dupont (Edited by)

9780521616423, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 23 February 2006

304 pages, 1 table
22.8 x 15.4 x 1.9 cm, 0.49 kg

"It is a top-tier collection of papers that will become a recurrent reference point in ongoing discussions about security, policing and governance."
Kevin D. Haggerty, University of Alberta, Canadian Journal of Sociology Online

The promotion of security is no longer a state monopoly. It is dispersed and takes place through the practices of states, corporations, non-governmental actors and community-based organizations. But what do we know about the ways in which 'security' is thought about and promoted in this pluralized field of delivery? Are democratic values being advanced and protected, or threatened and compromised? Wood and Dupont bring together a team of renowned scholars to shed light on our understanding of the arrangements for contemporary security governance. Offering a 'friendly dialogue' between those who argue that democratic transformation rests in the development of strong state institutions and those who propose a more de-centered agenda, the scholars in this volume bring cutting-edge theoretical analyses to bear on empirical examples. This volume will appeal to researchers in the fields of criminology, political science, sociology and security studies.

Introduction: understanding the governance of security Jennifer Wood and Benoît Dupont
1. Reflections on the refusal to acknowledge private governments Clifford Shearing
2. Transnational security governance Les Johnston
3. Two case studies of American anti-terrorism Peter K. Manning
4. Power struggles in the field of security: implications for democratic transformation Benoît Dupont
5. Policing and security as 'club goods': the new enclosures? Adam Crawford
6. The state, the people and democratic policing: the case of South Africa Monique Marks and Andrew Goldsmith
7. Necessary virtues: the legitimate place of the state in the production of security Ian Loader and Neil Walker
8. From security to health Scott Burris
9. Research and innovation in the field of security: a nodal governance view Jennifer Wood
Conclusion: the future of democracy Benoît Dupont and Jennifer Wood.

Subject Areas: Crime & criminology [JKV]