Why Human Security Matters

Rising seas threaten Australia's coastline and its major cities over the long term more than an invasion by a foreign state would. An ordinary person is also more likely to meet a deadly pandemic than a nuclear strike. Floods and droughts have already caused food shortages, and drug trafficking, money laundering and people smuggling already touch Australian communities in ways many residents never see.

The book contends that Australia's foreign relations should give the non-military side of security the same weight it gives defence. It also addresses the murky middle ground of civil conflict, political instability, terrorism and piracy. Its focus is first on the Asia-Pacific region, and then on unresolved security problems across the wider world.

The volume brings together essays from prominent scholars of foreign policy and strategic studies. It suits readers who want a careful, provocative account of where Australia stands during a period of global uncertainty and change.