Projects / Programmes
January 1, 2004
- December 31, 2008
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.06.00 |
Social sciences |
Political science |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| S175 |
Social sciences |
Polemology |
national and international security, security sector, security policy, civil-military relations, international security structures, crisis management, armed conflict, peace-keping operation
Researchers (12)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
Research programme "Defence Studies" deals with four basic research topics:
1. Legitimacy, rationality and effectiveness of Slovenia's security policy. This topic is focused on studying attitudes of Slovenian public towards basic issues of national and international security. The research work is basically related to security culture of Slovenian citizens; membership of Slovenia in international security structures and it's commitments in these structures; defence system reform, first of all armed forces transition to an all-volunteer model of manning; image of the military and military profession in Slovenian public, with a special attention to the attitude of younger generation towards military profession; functioning of civil defence system and protection from natural and other disasters.
2. Slovenia's role in the international security structures. This topic deals with security aspects of Slovenia's membership in United Nations, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, European Union and NATO. Contemporary theoretical approaches to security emphasize growing importance of multilateral dimensions of security and influence of politics created in the international security organizations on national security. Particular research attention should be given to the process of "anticipatory adaptation" in which prospective members adopt organization's policy, norms and values and after full membership become engaged in policy making process in the organization. In this sense, the political dynamics of international security structures increasingly influence strategic vision, in which individual states shape their security policy and perform security sector reform.
3. Security sector reform in international comparative perspective. Because of changing nature of threats and new tasks, contemporary states' security sector is subjected to radical changes in armed forces, police, paramilitary and parapolice structures. Security sector reforms in Slovenia will be compared to reforms in other similar European countries. In Slovenia, these changes are particularly intensive in the process of transition to all-volunteer armed forces. This transition brings also new challenges to democratic control of the armed forces and to civil-military relations in general. Research work will primarily focus on relations between armed forces and their social environment, institutional changes in armed forces and on contemporary approaches to military leadership. Psychological and sociological implications of employment of Slovenian soldiers, policemen and civil servants in peace and crisis management operations will also be a subject of research.
4. Management in internal and international complex crises caused by natural forces, uncontrolled technology or human activities. In Europe, military and mostly non-military threats cause numerous complex crises, which require effective system of crisis management at national and international level. In individual states and at the international level, it is necessary to abolish partial approach to crisis by different sectors and to link different actors of crisis management in dealing with consequences of crisis. Selected internal and international crises will be studied with cognitive-institutional approach; acquired empirical findings will serve as a basis for improvement of crisis management system in Slovenia.
Significance for science
Research programme Defence Studies presents a basis for the development and progress beyond current state-of-the-art in the field of defence studies, military studies and international security. Contribution is most evident in the development and verification of different theories on national and international security, based on empirical data and comparative methods. Since new threats to security force countries to form alliances on a supra-national level, scientists must also in their research be driven towards linkage of research efforts and comprehensions in an international environment. On account of this, we have compared our research findings inside NATO RTO and NATO Science for Peace Programme, in international professional associations as ISA RC01, IUS, ERGOMAS, and also research projects led by Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of the Armed Forces, European Crisis Management Academy and others.
Significance for the country
The research work has contributed to the conceptualization of more adequate national security system and policy. The analyses of public opinion and the established level of legitimacy of international organizations, and national security system itself contributed to the time perspective of the examined topics ant to their impact on security sector functioning in Slovenia. The research programme findings are used to develop security sector in Slovenia, especially the transformation of Slovenian armed forces and the creation of comprehensive crisis management system. The results enable state administration in the security field to function in a more transparent and successful way, the research findings are useful policy basis for legislative and executive branches of power in Slovenia. The research has had indirect influence on economic structures, especially those that deal with critical infrastructure, who had to improve economic efficiency and rational use of public resources. Our analyses are a contribution to flexibility, robustness and responsiveness of economic structures to various crises, especially in the fields of energy security and climate change. The research has had an impact on cultural (value) development of Slovenia in the fields of forming its security culture and military identity, taking into account the necessary reform of security sector and its engagement primarily in the international security environment (e.g. peace operations).
Most important scientific results
Final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Final report,
complete report on dLib.si
