ABSTRACT
The field of security studies has been significantly redefined since the early 1990s. The term ‘security’ has itself become a contested concept. Its conventional definition has been questioned and the concept has become the object of multiple interpretations. The definition of security was traditionally limited to a military dimension of inter-state relations. In contrast, the referent object of security is now no longer confined to the state and its defence from external military attacks but also includes societies and human collectivities. Consequently, issues like infectious diseases, environmental degradation, trafficking in illegal drugs, people smuggling and trafficking and others are being discussed in academic circles as pressing concerns with security implications. Such non-military concerns are categorized in the security studies literature as non-traditional security (NTS) challenges.
