Oxford Handbook of Human Security

The Oxford Handbook of Human Security redefines what it means to be secure in the twenty-first century, placing the individual, rather than the state, at the center of analysis. Edited by Derek S. Reveron, David P. Polatty IV, and Summer Marion, this comprehensive volume examines how threats such as climate change, pandemics, migration, digital surveillance, and disinformation transcend borders and reshape global stability. The book explores how traditional national security frameworks—focused on territory and power—can evolve to meet the interconnected crises of our time by emphasizing protection, empowerment, and resilience. Organized into eight thematic sections, the Handbook brings together leading scholars and practitioners from around the world to address the political, economic, environmental, health, and technological dimensions of human security. From the UN's "Four Freedoms" to the Sustainable Development Goals, contributors trace the evolution of people-centered security thinking and its practical implications for governance at all levels. Through diverse case studies, the volume highlights both the promise and the complexity of implementing human security approaches in an era of global interdependence and growing authoritarianism. The result is an essential guide for understanding the challenges and benefits of safeguarding human dignity in research and policy, towards a more inclusive security paradigm.

Derek S. Reveron is Lecturer at Harvard University Extension School and Faculty Affiliate at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. He teaches applied strategy and problem-solving, linking theory to policy in complex security environments. His research focuses on how human security complements traditional national security by centering on individuals' rights, safety, and dignity amid global challenges such as cyber threats, maritime insecurity, and war. His career bridges scholarship and practice, with fieldwork and collaborative projects in dozens of countries. David P. Polatty IV is a Senior Fellow at Brown University's Watson School of International and Public Affairs and senior advisor to humanitarian intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations. He spent over four decades in U.S. government service in multiple leadership roles, as both a civilian professor at the U.S. Naval War College and Captain in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He has also spent over a decade in senior leadership and advisory roles for humanitarian NGOs and IGOs. He has authored and co-authored over two dozen academic articles. Summer Marion is Assistant Professor in the Department of Global Studies at Bentley University. Her research investigates global governance, global health politics, and the environment, with a focus on transnational actors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she contributed to the Pandemics & Borders Project examining cross-borders measures that states implement during infectious disease outbreaks. Her career is informed by experience as an editor at the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and past work in policy research and teaching innovation at Harvard University.