Global Trends and Transitions in Security Expertise

The scope of Security and International Affairs research has expanded tremendously since the end of the Cold War to include topics beyond the realm of war studies or military statecraft. The field-once devoted solely to the study of conventional military and nuclear security issues-has diversified to include foci often considered nontraditional, including peace and conflict, political, economic, environmental, and human security. In this exciting new volume, McGann has undertaken a quantitative and qualitative study of SIA think tanks, looking at global and regional trends in their research. He argues that the end of the Cold War marked a fundamental shift within the field of defense and security studies among think tanks and academics. Tracking the evolution of security as understood by researchers and policymakers is vital as the world follows the path of the Four Mores: more issues, more actors, more competition, and more conflict. As we move forward into a world of rapid change and ubiquitous uncertainty, think tanks will only become more prominent and influential. The volume concludes with an assessment of the future of Security and International Affairs studies and raises the possibility of a return to a traditional security focus driven by recent events in Europe and the Middle East. This will be an important resource for students and scholars of security studies, global governance, and think tanks.

James G. McGann is a senior lecturer in International Studies at the Lauder Institute, Director of the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) and Senior Fellow, Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania.

Introduction 1. What is a "Security and International Affairs Think Tank"? 2. What is "Expertise"? 3. What is "Security Studies"? 4. What is Security Expertise? 5. Methodology 6. Think Tank Trends and Regional Breakdown by Security Foci 7. Case Studies 8. Conclusions and Areas for Future Research Appendix