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Denmark in Afghanistan: Security discourse and the image of the nation-state

Soldatenko, Ganna LU (2010) SIMT07 20102
Department of Political Science
Master of Science in Global Studies
Graduate School
Abstract
In the present-day world, a state is only one of a number of social actors, each of which has its own identity, functions and structure. The successful functioning and even existential survival of the state is dependent on various factors, including its capacity to face the challenges of the processes of globalisation, including new threats which emerge from the development of communication technologies (e.g. Internet and the quick spreading of information) or transportation (e.g. long-range missiles which can reach a target even on another continent). Possessing the ability to execute power through laws and constitutions, states are trying to adjust to this new situation. One of the ways of achieving the state’s security is through... (More)
In the present-day world, a state is only one of a number of social actors, each of which has its own identity, functions and structure. The successful functioning and even existential survival of the state is dependent on various factors, including its capacity to face the challenges of the processes of globalisation, including new threats which emerge from the development of communication technologies (e.g. Internet and the quick spreading of information) or transportation (e.g. long-range missiles which can reach a target even on another continent). Possessing the ability to execute power through laws and constitutions, states are trying to adjust to this new situation. One of the ways of achieving the state’s security is through international relations. In order to construct and maintain these relations, the state relies on building a certain image and reputation for itself. Using the example of the Danish engagement in the military operation in Afghanistan I examine how the state’s authorities (representatives of the executive power) use security discourse to construct a certain image of Denmark. The theoretical basis of the present paper embraces a poststructuralist approach to theories of discourse, Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), and securitization (Copenhagen School). CDA as a method is applied in order to study the empirical textual data and is supplemented by discourse analysis applied to the visual data. (Less)
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author
Soldatenko, Ganna LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMT07 20102
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
security, securitization, image, Denmark, Afghanistan, discourse, discourse analysis, critical discourse analysis
language
English
id
1757677
date added to LUP
2011-05-04 13:05:27
date last changed
2014-06-16 14:52:48
@misc{1757677,
  abstract     = {{In the present-day world, a state is only one of a number of social actors, each of which has its own identity, functions and structure. The successful functioning and even existential survival of the state is dependent on various factors, including its capacity to face the challenges of the processes of globalisation, including new threats which emerge from the development of communication technologies (e.g. Internet and the quick spreading of information) or transportation (e.g. long-range missiles which can reach a target even on another continent). Possessing the ability to execute power through laws and constitutions, states are trying to adjust to this new situation. One of the ways of achieving the state’s security is through international relations. In order to construct and maintain these relations, the state relies on building a certain image and reputation for itself. Using the example of the Danish engagement in the military operation in Afghanistan I examine how the state’s authorities (representatives of the executive power) use security discourse to construct a certain image of Denmark. The theoretical basis of the present paper embraces a poststructuralist approach to theories of discourse, Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), and securitization (Copenhagen School). CDA as a method is applied in order to study the empirical textual data and is supplemented by discourse analysis applied to the visual data.}},
  author       = {{Soldatenko, Ganna}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Denmark in Afghanistan: Security discourse and the image of the nation-state}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}