Arguing against security communitarianism

Abstract

Anthony Burke’s ‘security cosmopolitanism’ is a fresh and thought-provoking contribution to critical theorizing about security. In this discussion piece, I would like to join Burke’s call for ‘security cosmopolitanism’ by way of arguing against ‘security communitarianism’. I understand the latter as a particular approach that seeks to limit the scope of security to one’s community – be it the ‘nation-state’ or ‘civilization’. I will suggest that arguing against ‘security communitarianism’ requires paying further attention to the postcolonial critique of cosmopolitanism.