Security, Identity, Memory

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Security, Identity, Memory

A University of Kent research group

What is the relationship between security and identity? How can historical grievances become the subject of contemporary foreign and security policies? Why do states and nations seek to defend their historical memory by means of law at times? How might the legal framing of public remembrance infringe upon freedom of speech and freedom of association? What are the ethical pitfalls of countering contemporary hybrid threats?

This research cluster is situated at the intersection of various distinct research fields: International (and Global) Security, International Relations Theory, Critical Social Theory, Transitional Justice and Memory Studies. More specifically, the research focus is on these aspects:

  • Ontological security (security of being)
  • Memory wars and memory laws in Europe
  • Legitimacy and radical critique of contemporary security policies
  • Critical geopolitics
  • EU and NATO security governance

The research on the security-identity-memory nexus feeds into several graduate courses on offer at BSIS (e.g., MA in International Conflict and Security; MA in International Relations; MA in International Migration; LLM in Human Rights Law; LLM in International Law). Dr Mälksoo’s research on the thematic has been funded by HERA (as part of the ‘Memory at War’-project), Kone Foundation and the European Union Mobilitas post-doctoral fellowship. It has led to numerous publications and the organisation of various collaborative workshops and conferences (inter alia in collaboration with the Asser Institute and the MELA research project). Dr Mälksoo is currently editing a Handbook on the Politics of Memory (Edward Elgar).