Dale Roy

S ocial constructionism is a multidisciplinary theory that examines how individuals collectively perceive and construct knowledge about a specific phenomenon, such as the environment. Here I aim to explore the shared assumptions underlying the social construction of the environment and reality. Drawing on various lenses from disciplines like Geography, Sociology, Communications theory, and Philosophy, I critically examine the social construction within each discipline and inquire into their ethical implications. The theory of social construction asserts that every notion is collectively formed rather than individually constructed. I explore how environmental disasters intersect with the social and political domains, influencing international relations through policies, impacts, and actions. By analyzing print and digital media coverage of the environment, I attempt to contribute toward the development of a social construction of the environment.  Theorizing social construction in I...

  HUMAN SECURITY: THE ‘APOCRYPHAL ELEPHANT’   H uman s ecurity is a long line of neologisms in security studies (Paris, 2001) . The concept of Human Security is a relatively new branch of security studies, and it has been shaped by both the Copenhagen School and the Aberystwyth School (Williams & McDonald, 2018) . As opposed to the traditional state-centric approach to security, these two schools shifted the referent object to individuals, or humans, thus placing people at the center of security issues. The idea of human security is expansive and difficult to pin down precisely, which has led some critics to doubt its usefulness for policymakers (Ewan, 2007) . Furthermore, since the end of the Cold War in the 1990s, ‘development and military security’ have ‘become intertwined’, making the situation even more complex (King & Murray, 2001) . By understanding the nuances of human security, we can create a clearer framework for tackling security risks. The United Natio...