Projects / Programmes
January 1, 2009
- December 31, 2013
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.06.00 |
Social sciences |
Political science |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| S175 |
Social sciences |
Polemology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 5.06 |
Social Sciences |
Political science |
national and international security, security sector, security policy, civil-military relations, international security structures, crisis management, armed conflict, peace-keping operation
Researchers (14)
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
National research programme Defence Studies represents a basis for developing and upgrading the theoretical and methodological aspects of Defence science, military social science and international security. Research within the national programme has contributed to the development and testing of various theories on national and international security and resulted in creation of valuable new empirical data. Research focus has been on the security sector of Republic of Slovenia, however new and classic threats strongly indicate the state interdependency and consequently require more international cooperation. This is why scientists needed to connect their research findings and efforts with international ones. This means that our research findings were compared internationally within international professional associations, such as International Sociological Association, International Political Science Association, Inter University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society, European Research Group on Military and Society, European Crisis Management Academy and within research projects lead by foreign research institutions. Of great relevance was participation in the following research projects financed by the EU: HUMSEC, COPRA, PREPARE and in the programme COST (see more bellow).
Significance for the country
Research work within the group contributes to the conception of appropriate national security policy and system. Analysis of trends in public opinion, and analysis of the degree of legitimacy of international organizations and national security system contribute to the time perspective of research topics and effects on the functioning of the security sector in Slovenia. Findings from the research program can be used in the development of the security sector in Slovenia, especially in the transformation of the Slovenian Armed Forces and in building a comprehensive crisis management system. Knowledge of the results enables more efficient and transparent functioning of the public administration part of MoD. Findings are useful for the legislative and executive branch of government. This kind of research has indirect impact on economic actors, particularly those that manage critical infrastructure. Results of analyses of management and public spending processes forced security sector to improve economic efficiency and rational use of public resources, and thus disburden the economy. Performed analyses contribute to flexibility, robustness and responsiveness of economic actors on crisis situations, particularly in the field of energy security and climate change. Research has the impact on the cultural development of Slovenia in the field of search and design of Slovene military identity, wherein lessons from the past serve to the process of transforming of the security sector in terms of finding comparable forms of military operations at the supranational level in the past and today.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
