The India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) collective and the socio-political construction of security

[摘要] English: The focus of this thesis is on the formation and functioning of the India-Brazil-SouthAfrica (IBSA) collective. The study aims towards an understanding of whether and towhat extent the IBSA collective is socio-politically constructed with respect to itssecurity collaboration. At the outset it should be noted that the concept of 'security' asused in this study reflects post-Cold War trends in security thinking and regionalism.As such, IBSA's security collaboration is placed in the context of evolving debatesand practices related to regional security community-building and the fostering ofhuman security. The IBSA collective's constituted form of security shows theoppositional forces of national needs and the challenges of working towards globalequity, all the while providing (contested) leadership positions from within the globalSouth. On one hand this may help to ensure greater equity in world affairs, while onthe other hand vested and parochial national interests detract from this effort. Theseparadoxes highlight the hybrid nature of the IBSA collective's composition, anenduring theme in the study. This forms the context from which the study embarks. Inthe debate that surrounds the degree and manner in which IBSA can attempt to shapeand enhance the elements of human-centric security, the study conceptually derivesan integrated approach that is founded upon critical social constructivism andpostcolonialism, compacted in the shape of 'pillars' that lay out a conceptualframework diagram.The synthesised theories are empirically applied to three functional areas ofcooperation �?maritime trade, energy and defence cooperation �?through theconsistent application of the 'pillars' noted above. The qualitative case study designhighlights the inclusion of issues that enhance trustworthiness, so that the study canascertain if associated aspects of human security with sectoral IBSA cooperation havebeen enhanced. With respect to maritime trade cooperation the study finds minimalyields, although the causal link between increased intra-IBSA trade and IBSA tradecooperation efforts could not be established for certain. In terms of energycooperation, the study determines that adequate projects have come on stream, andthat the complexity of the issues requires time for knowledge transfers. The studyfinds that the defence cooperation presently effects a minimal enhancement ofphysical and/or military security, but that its very nature makes long-term dividendsprobable. All three (of sixteen) IBSA working groups place emphases on constitutivediscourse, dialogue, socialisation and identity-formation. They not only symbolise thetenets of social constructivism at work �?from the bottom up �?but also definetrilateral relations and provide continuity and strength to the IBSA socio-politicalstructure. The study thus provides greater understanding of the IBSA collective'ssecurity collaboration. It confirms that �?to varying gradations �?sectoral cooperationenhances aspects of regional human security, and shows that the IBSA collective hashad embryonic successes at international level, where great potential lies.

[发布机构] University of the Free State