Constructions and uses of laïcité (French secularism) in French public discourses

The European Security Strategy (ESS) is currently being reformulated. This working paper puts forward a new methodological approach in the construction of global strategies for stakeholders in the international system. It makes the case that contemporary strategy formulation (including the ESS) insufficiently assesses contemporary global security challenges. One reason is the sectoral specific analysis that restricts the ability of the analyst to perceive the problem in other areas, and of the interconnected nature of modern security threats to various referent objects. This working paper takes the European Union (EU) as a case in point when regarding strategies with a specific sectoral/level dimension. The EU has advanced toward more comprehensive strategies; however, these still remain confined to specific sectors and levels of analysis (mostly the national level) thereby inhibiting comprehensive analysis. This working paper proposes a new method of global strategy formulation by adopting the Copenhagen School’s constructivist approach as a basis. The working paper focuses on a particular aspect of EU foreign and security policy. The investigation takes the European Security Strategy (ESS) into focus and analyses its structure and its ability to meet contemporary security challenges. The paper also questions whether the ESS is able to meet the security challenges facing the EU. Adopting a new methodology for the construction of global strategies will be a prerequisite if the EU intends to remain capable of meeting the security challenges it faces. Only by systematically understanding security threats in a multilevel and multi-sectoral manner, will the EU be able to construct comprehensive strategies in order to adequately reform the ESS. The subject of this paper has recently become highly relevant. The European Council of the 25-26 June 2015 concluded that the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy was to continue to conduct a strategic review and prepare an EU global strategy on foreign and security policy to be submitted by June 2016.

ABSTRACTThis article focuses on recent French efforts to expand legal regulation of religious symbols to childcare. Controversies over ‘veiled nannies’ serve as points of departure for investigating laïcité – French secularism – through which religion is regulated. The investigation is based on fieldwork among Muslim women in Marseille and on the analysis of legal decisions, official documents, and media. The debates on whether to legislate on religious symbols in the domain of childcare reveal how the line between religion and politics, and private and public is continuously redrawn through state efforts to cultivate and govern (secular) Republican selves. Drawing on Agrama’s [2012a. Questioning Secularism: Islam, Sovereignty and the Rule of Law in Egypt. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press] conceptualisation of secularism as a ‘problem-space’, I argue that legal regulation of religious symbols institutionalises a ‘secular suspicion’ at the heart of efforts to imagine and govern French society and its future, a future in which Muslims increasingly find it difficult to imagine themselves.

Contemporary challenges, risks and threats to the security of the Republic of Serbia, as well as the global security situation, demand reestablishment of an efficient system of national security. Protection of the civilian population and material resources is particularly important in this turbulent condition, which calls for optimal development of the system of protection and rescue in accordance with the concept of total defence of the Republic of Serbia. This paper analyzes the strategic, normative and planning framework of the functioning of the system of national security (with an emphasis on the system of national defence) in the context of the contribution of the concept of total defence to the state's resilience in emergency situations. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of the concept of total defence and strengthen its role in emergency situations by analyzing the current capabilities which must be upgraded and improved while also considering the need for the development of new capabilities. The basic hypothesis is that the development of the concept of total defence enables optimal state resilience in emergency situations. This paper also analyzes the legal and institutional framework of the concept of total defence in the context of emergency situations. Taking into account the historical heritage, this paper highlights the importance of the development of the security culture and resilience in society, which is crucial for the successful implementation of the concept of total defence. The conclusions reached by this paper point out the necessity of continuous improvement and adaptation of the system of total defence in accordance with the contemporary security challenges and needs of the Republic of Serbia.

The concept of hybrid warfare, known by the increasingly indistinct and blurred lines between conventional and unconventional tactics, has surfaced as a serious threat in the contemporary security landscape. Since the threats have been evolving rapidly, it becomes paramount for nations to have their countermeasures ready. This research investigates the ability of the ancient Indian treatise, Arthashastra, to suffice as a countermeasure to hybrid threats. This paper highlights not only the analysis of the articulation of warfare strategies but also the non-military strategies traced in the Arthashastra and tests its potential further in light of the 21st century’s complexities and hybrid warfare. The analysis tries to contribute to the ongoing discourse on hybrid warfare by exploring a historical text and trying to establish a link between ancient wisdom and contemporary security challenges, offering insights to tackle the complexities of hybrid warfare.

The rapid development of nanotechnology over the last decade has resulted in a widespread introduction of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) into the consumer products of developed countries. Because of the potential toxicity of ENMs, however, concerns for health and environmental safety have led to controversial public debates in many countries as to whether and how the safety of products containing ENMs should be specifically ensured. In these regulatory debates, however, the role nanotechnology plays in addressing various contemporary security challenges is given little, if any, attention. This perspective article proposes that these contemporary security challenges should be more clearly incorporated into regulatory decision-making about nanotechnology, while protecting the public from potential health and environmental security threats that may result from exposure to a widespread and uncontrolled release of ENMs. It demonstrates the significance of enhancing this security perspective to nanotechnology regulation by: (1) highlighting international legal obligations relevant to nanotechnology; and (2) examining the current regulatory approaches adopted in Europe in light of various security considerations relevant to the implementation of those international legal obligations.

In today’s rapidly evolving global landscape, the significance of discussing and understanding security issues cannot be overstated—particularly as countries like Albania confront a multitude of security challenges. This discourse not only informs but also engages the public and policymakers, fostering a broader understanding of the complexities that nations face in maintaining stability and safety. It helps to better appreciate the nuances of the security strategies that nations must adopt, amidst threats that range from traditional military confrontations to modern challenges like cyber threats, environmental crises, and socio-economic disparities. Security challenges have evolved from the traditional state-based conflicts to a much wider and more complex range of threats. Today’s critical security concerns include geopolitical tensions, cybersecurity threats, criminal organizations, and nuclear proliferation, alongside issues such as health, poverty, inequality, environmental degradation, and resource scarcity. Addressing these challenges to ensure the stability, prosperity, and well-being of nations and individuals demands a multifaceted approach that extends beyond military solutions. Such an approach includes diplomatic, economic, and developmental strategies, as well as increased international cooperation.

Although the controversies surrounding the wearing of religious symbols in schools emerged in the late 1980s, it was not until 2004 that Parliament stepped in to clarify the applicable policies. Public debate on French secularism has taken a new turn since then, bearing almost exclusively on the visibility of religious symbols in the public sphere. I shall revisit this debate here, along with the legal framework concerning the wearing of religious symbols by public school students since 1989. This will serve to uncover the reasoning—upstream of the passage of the Act of 15 March 2004, but also downstream—that gave rise to the emergence of a “new French secularism”.

Purpose: This scholarly article rigorously analyses Australia’s engagement in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations from 1947 to the present, focusing on the nation's substantial contributions, significant policy transitions, and the broader implications for international relations and global governance frameworks. Materials and Methods: Utilizing a qualitative methodological approach, this study systematically reviews over sixty peacekeeping missions involving Australia, drawing upon a diverse array of primary and secondary sources, including governmental reports, academic journals, and UN documentation. The timeframe spans critical historical moments, beginning with Australia’s initial involvement in international peacekeeping initiatives in the late 1940s and evolving through distinct geopolitical eras, including the Cold War, post-Cold War period, and contemporary conflicts (Baldwin et al., 2022; McDonald, 2023). The analysis is grounded in a constructivist framework intertwined with realism, allowing for a nuanced understanding of how Australia’s peacekeeping roles reflect and reinforce the interplay of national interests and international obligations. This theoretical lens facilitates an exploration of the changing nature of global conflicts, operational mandates, and evolving international norms (Kirton, 2023). Findings: The research reveals that Australia’s peacekeeping contributions have evolved significantly, marked by key policy shifts from unilateralism to multilateralism within the UN paradigm. The country’s notable involvements in critical missions, such as those in East Timor and the Solomon Islands, exemplify its commitment to regional stability while also reflecting strategic partnerships with key allies (Cousens & Kumar, 2022). Furthermore, these contributions highlight Australia’s capacity to respond to complex emergencies and humanitarian crises effectively, reinforcing its role as a key player in regional peace and security. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: This examination elucidates the implications of Australia’s peacekeeping operations for its foreign policy trajectory and international standing. As the nation grapples with contemporary security challenges - including humanitarian crises, intrastate conflict, and post-colonial nation-building - the analysis reveals that Australia’s peacekeeping engagements align with broader international relations trends. Notably, there is an increasing emphasis on multilateralism, the principle of state sovereignty, and collaborative security efforts among nations (Hawkins, 2023).

 ВведениеС 14 по 18 мая 2018 в Европейском центре исследований по проблемам безопасности им. Джорджа К. Маршалла собрались вместе 54 гражданских, правоохранительных и военных практиков политики безопасности среднего и высшего эшелона и экспертов из 1

 IntroductionBetween 14-18 May 2018, the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies brought together 54 civilian, law enforcement and military mid- to senior level security policy practitioners and experts from 19 countries in order to

-No doubt Nigeria and some continents across the globe are facing serious security challenges ranging from one reason to the other but with almost same agitation of both political or religious sentiment and extremism. One may not be wrong if affirm the link that is between Islamic insurgents splinters groups across the globe when on recent the Nigerian insurgent group (Boko Haram) paid allegiance to ISIS insurgent group which presently creating havoc, maim, massacre and destructions of properties in both Muslims and nonMuslims countries alike in the name of Holy war and exhibition of Islamic teachings and morals. The paper shall therefore debunk and distance Islam with such agitations and also,The paper shall examine the role of civil society organizations in the phase of contemporary security challenges: a global overview, considering Nigeria as the case study, it also highlighted the history of insurgency in Nigeria, insurgent groups, remote causes, the role of an ideal civil society organizations, the role of Muslims clerics, missionaries and scholars. The paper shall also discuss the inevitability of kin relationship between the government, the Ulama’u (Islamic scholars) and civil society in achieving sustainable security, peace and stability, short and long term measures, challenges and sponsorship for civil society shall form the concluding remark.

India is fast emerging as an important player in regional and international arenas. However, it continues to be beset by a number of security challenges, both internally and externally. On the assumption that India's foreign policy has evolved in step with its domestic politics, this article briefly surveys the evolution of Indian domestic politics and foreign policy before discussing some of the domestic and international (including regional) security challenges India faces today. The article concludes that although economic diplomacy does at present serve India well in projecting power internationally, achieving great power status in the future will rest on the resolution of key political and security challenges.

Radio-frequency-identification (RFID) technology has been widely used to identify the RFID-Tags associated with objects through RFID-Reader using electromagnetic signals. The rapid growth of RFID technology is also accompanied by contemporary security challenges and threats. The highly secure authentication protocol is obligatory to overcome security challenges. Recently Srivastava et al. have proposed a Hash-biometric based authentication protocol for RFID Systems to resist the security threats. However, this study points out that Srivastava et al. scheme is vulnerable to 1) Possible Stolen Verifier Attack 2) Anonymity and Traceability Issue 3) Impersonation Attack by illegitimate user 4) Insider Attack. An enhanced and efficient protocol is presented in this paper for RFID Systems based on biometric authentication to handle security challenges and attacks found in Srivastava et al. scheme. The proposed protocol is formally tested and verified through well-known security automated tool (ProVerif). The proposed protocol is adequately secure and has a preferable efficiency in contrast to the other existing schemes.

<i>As the new millennium starts to unfold, we see before us an area of security that has been radically reshaped since the end of the cold war and the end of the bipolar division of the world. Still more and more deepening globalisation brings not only a lot of positives, but also a lot of negatives appearing mainly in the form of new asymmetric security threats or risks, so we understand that a real effort will now be required to reappraise the 21st century. Simultaneously, it is clear that, if we want to stabilize security environment, we must look beyond our traditional military philosophy and deal very seriously with new global security risks and challenges.</i>

Les premierès années du XXP siècle ont indéniablement été difficiles — et souvent dramatiques — pour la conduite des opérations humanitaires. La polarisation du monde, de plus en plus marquée, la «guerre contre le terrorisme» et la diversification des acteurs impliqués dans les conflits qui agitent la planéte ont transformé l'environnement dans lequel I'action humanitaire est menée. Conjuguée au concept de gestion intégrée des crises (combinant des outils politiques, militaires et humanitaires), cette réalité suscite le risque d'un rejet ou d'une instrumentalisation du personnel humanitaire par les parties aux conflits.Les nouvelles formes de violence — en particulier la globalisation des risques et des menaces, la dynamique des conflits n'étant plus circonscrite à une seule zone geographique — interpellent aussi les organisations humanitaires. Le fait que les organisations d'aide et leur personnel soient délibérément pris pour cibles souléve des questions quant à la capacité de ces organisations de remplir leur mandat dans certaines situations et a engendré un large debat sur I'avenir de I'action humanitaire.II va sans dire que les enjeux de ce débat sont immenses pour le CICR. Dans cet article, le directeur des operations du CICR émet quelques réflexions et indications sur la manière dont le CICR évalue les évolutions récentes dans I'espace humanitaire, tant en matiére de sécurité que sur le plan opérationnel. Elles vont de la gestion de la sécurité, à I'identité et à I'image, à la pertinence constante des principes qui sous-tendent les modes d'action du CICR. L'auteur conclut en définissant les paramètres et les conditions de I'avenir d'une action humanitaire neutre, impartiale et indépendante.