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"Operationalizing" Human Security in South Africa

University of South Africa, Ferrer{at}unisa.ac.za

Dan Henk

Air War College, dan.henk{at}maxwell.af.mil

Since the UN promulgation of the concept of human security in the early 1990s, one of the countries most enthusiastic about the new paradigm has been South Africa. That country has endeavored to reflect human security values in virtually all state activities. This article examines how South Africa has applied the concept to its armed forces. It argues that the military "operationalization" is evident in two key respects: first, in the country's support for Africa's emerging security architecture; and second, in an increasing willingness to commit military forces to external peace operations. However, this application has largely occurred at the national strategic level. It was much less clear in 2007 that any human security ethos was forming within the South African armed forces themselves.

Key Words: South Africa • human security • peace operations • military roles and missions • civil—military relations

This version was published on April 1, 2009

Armed Forces & Society, Vol. 35, No. 3, 501-525 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0095327X08316148


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