ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the concept is a noble and humanist idea whose focus on people beyond institutions is commendable in a world where institutions have become more important than people’s lives. It also argues that category ‘human’ is an invention which has tended to equate being human with being male, thus excluding females as human beings, as has been argued by feminist tradition and the undermining of the natural environment. The chapter outlines development of concept of human security and discusses critiques that have been levelled against it. Critiques negated the value of human security as an analytical framework, rejected its utility as policy agenda, and even opposed its very existence as a concept. While the concept of ‘human security’ still courts controversy and is accused of having both vague and ambitious definition, it still circulates in shadows of universities and public policy arenas. The chapter concludes by showing how transformative and lived human security could look like in Africa.
