Security or human security? Civil–military relations in Battlestar Galactica

Abstract

The text explores an emerging conceptual distinciton between national and human security showing how those conversations and real-world debates play out in popular culture, precisely over course of Battlestar Galactica TV series, as well as how these discussions shed light on recent political revolution in Egypt. The argument is that Battlestar Galactica is a strongly human security, rather than national security focused text, commited to democratic control of armed forces. It is claimed that discourse on security is shifting, both in academic terms and as a policy, from focus on national security, namely practice and theory that tend to focus on how to use defense establishment to protect institutions of state from outside threats, toward a framework of security that focuses on threats to individuals, including those threats emanating from their own governments. Politically, concept of human security is closely associated with policy domains of humanitarian intervention, arms control, and human rights, among all. Empirically, it also encompasses humanitarian affairs, health, conflict prevention and environmental security. Human security does not constitute a rejection of militaries and states, but rather tries to harness their power for promotion of individual rights and freedoms. The structure of argument elaborates three dimensions of civil-military relations. First, we explain epistemological referent of security. Second, we examine tension between civilian and military authority. Third, by trying to figure out what is role of military in any state of emergency, we examine limits placed on this role especially in light of current events related to brutality of military personnel in dealing with the enemy. However, against dominant current which portrays military as an evil hand of state, it is shown that military in fact might emerge as champion of rule of law, over civilian leadership. It is concluded that human security framework constitutes a lens to both reaffirm and problematize conventional civil-military relations and promotes concept of security sector reform where military becomes a servant of individual security.