Question

Which one of the following is not a new source of threat to security?

• A. Terrorism
• B. War
• C. Poverty
• D. Migration

Hint:

Traditional Threat = Military state-on-state combat (War).
Non-Traditional (New) Threat = Human-centric global problems (Terrorism, Poverty, Pandemics, Migration).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding Traditional vs. Non-Traditional (New) Security Threats:
Security studies divide threats into two paradigms:
• Traditional Security Concerns: Primarily state-centric, focusing on military balance, sovereignty, and direct physical borders.
• Non-Traditional New Threats to Security: Focus on global or human security, which transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved by a single nation's military force alone.

Step 2: Categorizing the Given Options:

• Terrorism: A non-traditional threat involving unconventional violence targeting civilians to influence political outcomes.
• Poverty & Development Disparities: Non-traditional threat linked to structural economic deprivation and global human suffering.
• Migration (Unregulated or Forced): Non-traditional threat resulting from conflicts, climate change, or economic failure, putting pressure on receiving nations.
• War: The classic, traditional threat to national security, involving interstate armed conflict.

Step 3: Answering the Question:
Since interstate military conflict (War) has been the dominant security paradigm for centuries, it is categorized as a traditional threat, and hence is not a new (non-traditional) source of threat. Therefore, Option (B) is the correct choice.