Analysis Of Security Policies Research Articles

The Ideational Power of Strategic Autonomy in EU Security and External Economic Policies

AbstractThis article undertakes a comparative analysis of European Union security and external economic policies to explore the different trajectories of strategic autonomy (SA) in these two domains. In so doing, it contributes to a better understanding of endogenous drivers of policy change in response to geopoliticising pressures. Drawing on discursive institutionalism, it analyses three dimensions of ideational power: power in, power through and power over. The evidence, based on documentary analysis and interviews, demonstrates that though SA presented a more significant challenge to pre‐established paradigms in external economic relations, the role of the Commission as an ideational entrepreneur, supported by its coercive power, facilitated the adoption of the idea of (open) SA. Conversely, French President Emmanuel Macron was unable to persuade others of the adoption of a sovereigntist conception of SA in security, with the exception of defence industrial policy, where the Commission enjoys budgetary power and competences.

Lithuanian Energy Security Transition: The Evolution of Public Concern and Its Socio-Economic Implications

The article analyses the evolution of the social dimension in energy security transition in Lithuania. It contributes to an emerging attempt in the literature to broaden the horizons of our understanding of societal transformation and energy transitions. The analysis reveals the interdependence of changing Lithuanian society and its developing energy security concerns throughout the Independence period, from the importance of material threats (ecological, economic, and political) to post-material values (such as climate change concerns) in the context of energy security. Accordingly, the energy sector undergoes a vivid transition from a totally dependent “Energy Island” to a diversified, interconnected, and self-sustainable system. Such a journey inevitably resulted in the highlight of the social dimension in energy security and provoked certain socio-economic implications, like changing public awareness and participation, social equity and justice, and socio-economic resilience and vulnerability. The research is based on case study principles (applying sociological discourse analysis through scientific articles’ qualitative content analysis method as well as energy security policy analysis reviewing all national strategies throughout the Independence period) and is focused on a unique Lithuanian context.

한국과 일본 대학의 연구보안 정책 비교연구 : 국내 대학의 연구보안 역량 제고를 위한 시사점 도출

한국과 일본 대학의 연구보안 정책 비교연구 : 국내 대학의 연구보안 역량 제고를 위한 시사점 도출

The UK – a home for Ukrainians? An analysis of social security and housing policy

This commentary discusses the ways in which the welfare system has responded to the financial and housing needs of Ukrainian citizens coming to the UK since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. The focus is on two key areas of policy: social security and housing. The article considers the revised eligibility criteria for welfare benefits and two policies which can provide accommodation: the Ukraine Family Scheme, which allows applicants to join family members in the UK, and the Ukrainian Sponsorship Scheme (known as ‘Homes for Ukraine’) which allows Ukrainian nationals to come to the UK if they have a sponsor who can provide accommodation for at least six months. It provides a comparison of the provision for Ukrainian refugees and the standard asylum system in the UK. This article concludes that although the UK government quickly introduced emergency provisions for newly arrived Ukrainians which go beyond the scope of support for many other groups moving to the UK, significant areas of concern are evident, with risks that these will increase in future months and years. These concerns centre on discrepancies between the two policies which provide accommodation, risk of exploitation, homelessness caused by the breakdown in provision, and complexity in the welfare benefit system.

Analysis of Indonesia's Maritime Security Strategy and Policy as the World Maritime Axis

As the largest archipelago, Indonesia should be able to utilize its potential to create prosperity for its people. In fact, the maritime sector has not been fully utilized by Indonesia. Indonesia must prioritize the goal of becoming a maritime country to restore maritime glory. This is in line with Indonesian President Joko Widodo's goal to make Indonesia the world's maritime axis. The research method used is descriptive qualitative. The World Maritime Axis is indeed a decision taken by the government to restore the nature of Indonesia as an archipelago. Until now, the World Maritime Axis has not taken the form of a document equipped with a strategy in it. The strategy becomes an 'extension' of the policy, which currently there is no World Maritime Axis Strategy because the policy is still overlapping. Currently, the World Maritime Axis is categorized as a development policy discourse whose orientation is to realize Indonesia's vision as a maritime country, so it requires a lot of attention to fix and complete this idea so that it can be categorized as a policy and implemented through a strategy.

Gender Analysis of Social Security and Welfare Public Policies in the Republic of Moldova

Gender Analysis of Social Security and Welfare Public Policies in the Republic of Moldova

Social Security of Persons with Disabilities: Accessibility for Working-Age Population. Part II

The article, which consists of two parts, proposes approaches and principles for the analysis of the Russian state social security policy for working-age disabled people, based on the experience of welfare states. The second part of the article analyzes the state social security policy during the initial and follow-up examination of working-age persons with disabilities for the period from 2010 to 2020 based on medical-social evaluation data from the Ministry of Labor and Social Development of the Russian Federation. Comparisons are made of reduction approaches in Russia and the EU and OECD countries. The article explores how the disability assessment and personnel administration are being restricted, affecting the access to benefits, prospects for rehabilitation and employment promotion, as well as legal guarantees for applicants. The factors of reducing the availability of disability programs are revealed, and categories are identified that are denied soft rules for enrollment, in terms of disability groups, gender, type of settlement and main types of diseases, during initial and follow-up examination – “at the entrance” to the program and when being “pushed to the exit.” The nature of the measures of the anti-crisis social security in 2020 for working-age people with disabilities is revealed.

Social Security of Persons with Disabilities: Accessibility for Working-Age Population. Part 1

The article, which consists of two parts, proposes approaches and principles for the analysis of the Russian state social security policy for working-age disabled people, based on the experience of welfare states, where the improvement of the effectiveness of assistance programs is consistent with the poverty and inequality reduction policies. The first part of the article examines trends in the reduction of social security availability. Based on data from the Russian Federation, Germany, the USA, the EU and the OECD for the period from 1995 to 2021, international comparisons were made in the change in the number of working-age persons with disabilities. Furthermore, the article explored the nature of the reduction in access to assistance programs as well as the preparedness for anti-crisis regulation: the expansion of guarantees during periods of unfavorable economic climate and growing demand for benefits. Based on data from the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation and Rosstat for the period from 2014 to 2020, trends in social security for working-age persons with disabilities were analysed: changes in the number by sex, age categories, regions of the Russian Federation, as well as the risks of not being enrolled in the assistance program.

Impact of government infrastructural facilities, taxation and security policy on the performance of small and medium scale enterprises in FCT, Abuja

The various government policies is always perceived to influence the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Therefore, there is the need to examine and establish the effects of the government infrastructural facilities, taxation and security policy (external business environment) on SMEs so as to contribute to existing studies, as well as to disseminate findings to enhance the general government policies in FCT, Abuja. The study employed survey design. The study population comprised SMEs registered with Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in FCT, Abuja with the total of 2690. The Krejcie & Morgan (1970) formula was used to obtain a sample size of 336. The owners of these SMEs were selected through a multi-stage sampling technique which involves the cluster, proportionate, and simple random sampling method. The instrument was validated using the Cronbach Alpha coefficient. Results through the application of descriptive and inferential methods of data analysis revealed that infrastructural facilities have a significant and positive effect on SME’s performance of the SMEs service quality. The government taxation policy has no significant and positive effect on performance of the SME’s sales revenue. The analysis of security policy as performance measure also shows a positive and significant effect of security on SMEs market growth potentials. In conclusion, infrastructural facilities, and security had a significant effect on service quality and market growth respectively, taxation policy support has no significant effect on sales revenue. It was recommended that in order to enhance overall performance, government should be aware of the changes and fluctuations on the policy of infrastructure and security because it has a very strong relationship with the SMEs performance in FCT, Abuja.

A Comparative Analysis of Cyber Security Laws and Policies in Nigeria and South Africa

There is free flow of information in the cyberspace and as a result, nations are obviously wary of the integrity of its data as part of both public safety and national security concerns. There are ways that the associated risk could be mitigated and mostly has to do with a proper development and implementation of Cyber security policies and strategies. This research focuses on the cyber security policies, strategies and laws of both Nigeria and South Africa and also making a comparative analysis of the current National Cyber Security Policy and Strategy of both countries and the necessary recommendations going forward. In the case of Nigeria, analytical evidence shows that the national documents were found to have satisfied most of the requirements in terms of content, but failed to address other aspects of cyber security concerns in the country. On the other hand, South Africa as a country is lagging especially in governmental coordination, cybersecurity legislation, engagement with business and citizens, and skilled labour. The paper tends to explore these loopholes evident in the cyber security laws and policies of the aforesaid countries, and made the necessary recommendations on how to adopt best and sustainable practices in dealing with issues related to cyber security breaches including cybercrime in both countries.

Analysis of the critical infrastructure cyber security policy

Analysis of the critical infrastructure cyber security policy

Analysis of the critical infrastructure cyber security policy

Analysis of the critical infrastructure cyber security policy

Building resilience through integrated health systems strengthening: policy and planning analysis

Health system strengthening towards universal health coverage and health security are key objectives promoted by health policy actors. However, bringing together these agendas has presented challenges. Health investments are often reactive and siloed e.g. emergency and humanitarian response programmes. There has been disinvestment in public health and primary health care (PHC), and limited linkages with allied sectors (e.g. environmental and animal health). There is a need to better understand policies that promote integration and enable effective response to threats such as COVID-19 in tandem with maintaining routine health system functions (e.g. PHC and essential individual and population health services). We conducted document analysis of national health sector, security and public health policies and plans and drew on perspectives of key stakeholders to investigate integration using a health systems resilience framework. We examined the extent and manner in which policies are integrated to enable national and subnational systems to prepare for, prevent and adapt to shocks while maintaining routine and essential functions. While we identified a recognition of the need for better integration to promote health security within health systems strengthening efforts and vice versa including strengthening governance, accountability and capacity for stewardship within national and local health and allied authorities, evidence of such an approach was limited. National laws to support IHR (2005) implementation were often outdated and insufficient to produce the policy environment for multi-sectoral working. In 2020, only 47% of national COVID-19 plans from 106 countries considered the maintenance of non-COVID-19 essential health services - a key component of health systems resilience. Policies which strengthen PHC services and preventative interventions can be cost-effective and efficient whilst bridging pandemic response and other essential functions of the health system.Key messages COVID-19 is an opportunity to promote and sustain greater integration and inter- and multisectoral engagement.Everyone can play a role to foster an integrated approach focussing on preventative, cost-effective health services to ensure health systems resilience.

Threat Diagnostic Checklists of Security Service in 5G Communication Network Virtualization Environment

The purpose of this paper is to review the direction of the slicing security policy, which is a major consideration in the context of standardization in 5G communication network security, to derive security vulnerability diagnosis items, and to present about analyzing and presenting the issues of discussion for 5G communication network virtualization. As for the research method, the direction of virtualization security policy of 5G communication network of ENISA (European Union Agency for Cybersecurity), a European core security research institute, and research contents such as virtualization security policy and vulnerability analysis of 5G communication network from related journals were used for analysis. In the research result of this paper, the security structure in virtualization security of 5G communication network is arranged, and security threats and risk management factors are derived. In addition, vulnerability diagnosis items were derived for each security service in the risk management area. The contribution of this study is to summarize the security threat items in 5G communication network virtualization security that is still being discussed, to be able to gain insights of the direction of European 5G communication network cybersecurity, and to derive vulnerabilities diagnosis items to be considered for virtualization security of 5G communication network. In addition, the results of this study can be used as basic data to develop vulnerability diagnosis items for virtualization security of domestic 5G communication networks. In the future, it is necessary to study the detailed diagnosis process for the vulnerability diagnosis items of 5G communication network virtualization security.

Public Agrarian Policies and Food Security in Cameroon: Problems and Challenges towards Agricultural Development

The hunger riots that Cameroon experienced in February 2008 were on the one hand a local manifestation of the world food crisis (2007-2008) and on the other hand, a result of ineffective agricultural policies implemented since the 1960s. The analysis of public food security policies in Cameroon from 1960 to 2008, highlights the inability of the latter to fight effectively against food insecurity and to bring Cameroonian agriculture out of the rut. These riots were likely to have a long-term effect on Cameroon's socio-economic trajectory. Because they were food for thought for the Cameroonian government, which ended up realizing that the constraints facing agricultural development felt an immediate need for solutions after the end of the riots. The post-riot strategies implemented by the Cameroonian government boil down to all the measures taken to stem the impact of the crisis and allow food security to all social strata. However, these economic redistribution strategies adopted by the Cameroonian government to allow the poorest to have access to food at an affordable price still fail to stem the situation. Literature relating to the riots of February 2008 in Cameroon abounds, but little is concerned with the analysis of the causes and post-riot government strategies, which is very crucial to understanding the origins of the problems facing the Cameroonian agricultural community today. This article examines the distant and immediate causes of the February 2008 hunger riots in Cameroon, including the post-riot strategies implemented by the Cameroonian government to combat food insecurity and the contribution of international partners.

Deriving Static Security Testing from Runtime Security Protection for Web Applications

Context: Static Application Security Testing (SAST) and Runtime Application Security Protection (RASP) are important and complementary techniques used for detecting and enforcing application-level security policies in web applications. Inquiry: The current state of the art, however, does not allow a safe and efficient combination of SAST and RASP based on a shared set of security policies, forcing developers to reimplement and maintain the same policies and their enforcement code in both tools. Approach: In this work, we present a novel technique for deriving SAST from an existing RASP mechanism by using a two-phase abstract interpretation approach in the SAST component that avoids duplicating the effort of specifying security policies and implementing their semantics. The RASP mechanism enforces security policies by instrumenting a base program to trap security-relevant operations and execute the required policy enforcement code. The static analysis of security policies is then obtained from the RASP mechanism by first statically analyzing the base program without any traps. The results of this first phase are used in a second phase to detect trapped operations and abstractly execute the associated and unaltered RASP policy enforcement code. Knowledge: Splitting the analysis into two phases enables running each phase with a specific analysis configuration, rendering the static analysis approach tractable while maintaining sufficient precision. Grounding: We validate the applicability of our two-phase analysis approach by using it to both dynamically enforce and statically detect a range of security policies found in related work. Our experiments suggest that our two-phase analysis can enable faster and more precise policy violation detection compared to analyzing the full instrumented application under a single analysis configuration. Importance: Deriving a SAST component from a RASP mechanism enables equivalent semantics for the security policies across the static and dynamic contexts in which policies are verified during the software development lifecycle. Moreover, our two-phase abstract interpretation approach does not require RASP developers to reimplement the enforcement code for static analysis.

US Foreign Policy to South America since 9/11: Neglect or Militarisation?

Abstract Academic literature on US Foreign Policy to South America usually states its lack of attention to the region in the post 9/11 period. I aim to problematize this assertion through an analysis of US regional security policy. Therefore, I consider data referring to military and economic assistance, arms transfers, and the SOUTHCOM position towards its area of responsibility, as well as official documents and diplomatic cables. I conclude that, although the region was not a priority, a waning in US actions or a moment of neglect in its policy towards it was likewise not observed. From a historical perspective, the area was never the main focus of attention, but there is a specialized bureaucracy that works on the region to maintain US hegemony. Therefore, the investigation indicates that Latin American assertiveness during the 2000s was caused primarily by the conjunction of the ascension of leftist governments and quest for autonomy, as well as by Chinese and Russian involvement in Latin America, but not by US neglect. The article is divided into six sections, including the introduction and final remarks. Following the introduction, I analyse the academic literature regarding USA-Latin American relations in the second section, the US assistance in the third, the SOUTHCOM postures in the fourth, and the strategies deployed by the USA regarding great powers and arms transfers in the fifth. Finally, I present the final remarks.

EU Aid Policy in the Middle East and North Africa: Politicization and its Limits

AbstractSome elements of EU assistance to the countries of MENA have become more politicized in recent years. This is largely because sharper differences of opinion have emerged over EU funds being used to limit migration and for security aims. Contestation has intensified horizontally between different EU institutions and European governments. However, this politicization varies across different policy areas and different parts of the MENA region, and in some instances remains relatively muted. After outlining the general increase in salience and wider institutional engagement; we then contrast this with the more measured increase in the third dimension of politicization, namely polarization over the EU's MENA aid policies. We offer three examples of the way that internal policy‐making dynamics have softened polarization and discuss implications for the broader analysis of EU foreign and security policy. We conclude that different kinds of dynamics both drive and limit politicization within the EU's external policies.

Does the European Identity Really Exist? An Analysis of the European Unity Value Foundations in the Case of Its Mediatory Role in The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

As the issues of cultural identity (a hidden code that shapes cultural identity of states or supranational organisations) in the context of international actors’ attitudes and world politics as such are topical, it is necessary to analyze specific indicators of such codes and behavior patterns. The tensions between the real attitudes manifested in foreign policy and the values declared in official documents prevent the formation of a single cultural identity, but shed light on real policy drivers. The article deals with the features of cultural identity as a phenomenon in international relations in the particular case of the European Union’s value orientations, indicated in official documents, and the EU foreign policy when mediating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As now the EU single cultural space faces internal crisis, it is legitimate to raise the issue of whether single European culture or common European values exist. A particular axiological analysis of EU Common Foreign and Security Policy in the Middle East, of both actions and declarations in the abovementioned peace talks shall contribute to the research. In this context, a passive role of the European Union in such a complex conflict as the Palestinian-Israeli one demonstrates the peculiarities of internal processes in the EU. This allows us to conclude whether the cultural identity of the European Union is real, or whether the EU is a legal fiction, an artificial union of different national identities.

Arctic military security: geopolitical interaction in “the United States-Russia-Norway” triangle

It is common knowledge that during the Cold War the Arctic was a region for the global confrontation between the USSR and the U.S. Over the past decades the situation has changed dramatically. Nowadays there are no serious hard security threats to the Arctic states in the region and the soft security agenda is much more important. The article examines an emerging military security system in the Arctic. Special attention is paid to the analysis of threat perceptions, security policies and regional military strategies of the U.S., Russia and Norway as well as to the peculiarities of their geopolitical interaction in the region. The research is based on a number of methods, the most important of which are document analysis and expert opinion methods. Summarizing everything the authors stress that it is crucial to calm tensions between the U.S., Russia and Norway so the animosity does not lead to dangerous military incidents in the Arctic as it may threaten global security in general. Thus, it is clear that in order to stabilize the system of the military security in the Arctic, the US, Russia and Norway should establish a tripartite dialogue based on trust and pragmatic interest.