Building on a legacy or bucking tradition? Evaluating Canada's human security initiative in an era of globalization

Abstract

The concepts of human security and globalization both challenge our understanding of security, and influence the practice of Canadian foreign policy. This article argues that the human security agenda is, in fact, no great departure from the tradition of Canadian foreign policy, and that the roots of the current attention to human security may be found in the globalization of international relations. The article explores perceptions of human security and globalization, and also how foreign policy approaches and skill sets must be adapted if human security is to be included as a policy option. In particular, the article considers the Canadian human security platform, its related implications, and the way that human security relates to the tradition of Canadian foreign policy.