ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the concept of security has become integral to understanding the role of the G8 in international relations, and has been an important part of the development of the group itself. It begins with an outline of the changing conceptions of security from a political science perspective. The chapter looks at the fundamental conceptual shift in recent years from state security to human security, both on a theoretical and political level. It discusses how the G8 actively promoted and implemented a complex security agenda, expanding beyond its original economic mandate. The Implementation Report by Africa Personal Representatives to Leaders on the G8 Africa Plan presented at Evian highlights the respective approaches. The chapter argues that the G8's roles as an agent of securitization and as a catalyst for the creation of new institutions, account for its special contribution to the global governance architecture.
