From Securitization to Securitism. Analyzing the Evolution of the Securitization Theorem. Part III

This paper is the third part of an exploration of the contemporary securitization phenomenon, which introduces “securitism,” a novel concept describing a permanent state of managed insecurity that extends beyond traditional securitization frameworks. Building on foundational theories and critical analyses, it explores securitism as both an ideology and a lived condition in liberal democracies facing illiberal shifts. The study integrates diverse case studies, including counterterrorism, climate change, COVID-19, and immigration, to illustrate securitism’s features: privatization of security, expertization, bureaucratization, technocratization, public-private partnerships, and AI-driven surveillance. The analysis critically examines how transnational corporations, especially tech giants, and AI technologies contribute to systemic limitations on fundamental human rights such as privacy, freedom of expression, and due process. The paper highlights accountability gaps arising from the delegation of security functions to private actors and the rise of surveillance capitalism, emphasizing the erosion of democratic oversight. Concluding, it calls for renewed democratic control and robust regulatory frameworks to counter securitism’s threats to human rights and liberal democratic governance in the 21st century.