From Securitization to Securitism: Analyzing the Evolution of the Securitization Theorem. Part I

This paper, which is divided into three parts, analyses the evolution of securitization theory and introduces the concept of “securitism,” a permanent state of managed insecurity prevalent in Western societies. Building on the Copenhagen School’s framework and the (in)security concept by Didier Bigo and Anastasia Tsoukala, securitism reflects an illiberal ideology that enables political and economic elites to limit fundamental human rights progressively. This article is the first part of a series devoted to the issue of securitism, which will be published in three consecutive volumes. The first part (which follows below) introduces the reader to the first driver of Securitism – the privatization of security. The following two parts will address the remaining drivers from expertization, through public-private partnership to technocratism. These trends collectively reshape governance, often undermining democratic accountability and individual freedoms. The involvement of powerful transnational corporations and the deployment of advanced AI technologies intensify surveillance and control, further constraining civil liberties. The conclusion of this series will emphasize the critical need for renewed democratic oversight and robust regulatory frameworks to mitigate securitism’s pervasive threats to human rights and democratic governance.