Notions of Insecurity and Security Policy within the EU: A Historical Perspective

Regina Heller

No 4, Economics of Security Working Paper Series from DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research

Abstract: This paper maps notions of insecurity and security policy within the European Union (EU), with a particular emphasis on terrorism and organised crime. The analysis reveals manifold and sometimes diverse dynamics with regard to threat perceptions and policy preferences of European political agents. Both notional changes and continuities are characteristic for the development of threat perceptions in Europe since the 1990s. Only recently, official statements have become informed by economic thinking. European counter-terrorism and anti-crime policies experienced a 'learning curve', significantly influenced and pushed by the creation of the European Area of Freedom, Security and Justice. Overall, a number of indicators can be extracted from the analysis that hint at underlying logics according to which notions of insecurity are shaped and which, more generally, guide the economics of security.

Keywords: Costs of insecurity; European Union; human-induced insecurity; notions of insecurity; organised crime; public policy; security policy; terrorism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 25 p.
Date: 2009
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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