Dangerous World

At least according to the image portrayed in media, the world is a very dangerous place to live. There have been increased threats of terrorist attacks, and nowadays many imagine a terrorist in ambush around each corner. At the same time, intelligence agencies are reinforcing their activities and thus more and more deeply scrutinizing our lives in order to protect them from impending danger. Besides, good old power struggle revisits international politics (if it has ever vanished from it); a majority of Western countries, it seems, slowly gives in to the power surge of the countries like China. In the years 2016 two military conflicts are looming in the proximity of Europe and its borders. Abilities of the governments of the states to safeguard security of their citizens have been on decline; abilities of individuals and groups to threaten states have been on the rise.

Are we entering a new era where the main threat is posed not by other states, but non-state actors instead? What role can the NATO play in such a situation? Or the European Union? What relation is there between the situation in the society and economy on one side, and terrorism on the other side? Is the world threatened by another Cold War? How do the world superpowers come to terms with a steady relative decline of the USA and Europe, and the growth of China and other countries? Who poses more threats to the states and their citizens – terrorists or overstated reactions to them? Can the states agree on peaceful solution to conflicts? And how may international institutions assist them in this?

If we wish to understand security threats faced by a current world, we have to study them.