Includes glossary.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 454-494) and index.

Ch. 1. Introduction: What is Security Studies? / Alan Collins -- Pt. 1. Approaches to Security -- Ch. 2. Realism / Charles L. Glaser -- Ch. 3. Liberalism / Patrick Morgan -- Ch. 4. Historical Materialism / Eric Herring -- Ch. 5. Peace Studies / Paul Rogers -- Ch. 6. Social Constructivism / Christine Agius -- Ch. 7. Critical Security Studies: A Schismatic History / David Mutimer -- Ch. 8. Critical Interventions: Subjects, Objects, and Security / Marshall Beier -- Ch. 9. Postcolonialism / Mark Laffey and Suthaharan Nadarajah -- Ch. 10. Human Security / Randolph B. Persaud -- Ch. 11. Gender and Security / Caroline Kennedy and Sophia Dingli -- Ch. 12. Securitization / Ralf Emmers -- Pt. 2 Deeping and broadening security -- Ch. 13. Military Security / Mike Sheehan -- Ch. 14. Regime Security / Richard Jackson -- Ch. 15. Societal Security / Paul Roe -- Ch. 16. Environmental Security / Jon Barnett -- Ch. 17. Economic Security / Jon Barnett -- Ch. 18. Globalization, Development and Security / Nana Poku and Jacqueline Therkelsen -- Pt. 3. Traditional and Non-Traditional Security -- Ch. 19. Coercive Diplomacy: Countering War-Threatening Crises and Armed Conflicts / Peter Viggo Jakobsen -- Ch. 20. Weapons of Mass Destruction / James J. Wirtz -- Ch. 21. Terrorism / James Lutz and Brenda Lutz -- Ch. 22. Humanitarian Intervention / Alex Bellamy -- Ch. 23. Energy Security / Doug Stokes -- Ch. 24. The Weapon Trade / Suzette Grillot -- Ch. 25. Health and Security / Stefan Elbe -- Ch. 26. Transnational Crime / Jeanne Giraldo and Harold Trinkunas -- Ch. 27. Cyber-security / Myriam Dunn Cavelty -- Ch. 28. After the Return to Theory: The Past, Present and Future of Security Studies / Ole Waever and Barry Buzan.

Contemporary Security Studies is the definitive introduction to Security Studies, providing the most accessible, up-to-date guide to the subject available. Bringing together leading scholars in the field, it features an impressive breadth and depth of coverage of the different theoretical approaches to the study of security and the ever-evolving range of issues that dominate the security agenda in the 21st Century.

Throughout the text, students are encouraged to question their own preconceptions and assumptions, and to use their own judgement to critically evaluate key approaches and ideas. To help them achieve this, each chapter is punctuated with helpful learning features including "key ideas", "think points" and case studies, demonstrating the real world applications and implications of the theory.

In addition to covering a wide range of topical security issues--from terrorism and inter-state armed conflict to cybersecurity, health, and transnational crime--the fourth edition features a new chapter on postcolonialism and expanded coverage of critical security studies. The book is supported by an Online Resource Centre designed to help students take their learning further.