Ontological Security in World Politics: State Identity and the Security Dilemma

TLDR

Ontological security, like physical security, is a constant motive for states, yet realists argue that uncertainty prevents them from escaping security dilemmas, and states may rigidly adhere to routines that affect their security-seeking. The article proposes that states seek ontological security in addition to physical security, conceptualizes this need from individuals to states, and applies it to the security dilemma. The authors argue that ontological security is achieved by routinizing relationships with significant others, leading actors to become attached, and they scale this individual-level concept to states to analyze the security dilemma. The study finds that ontological security-seeking can make states reluctant to escape dilemmatic conflict, as even dangerous routines provide security, thereby explaining seemingly irrational conflict and opening avenues for research on the stability of other political outcomes.

Abstract

This article proposes that in addition to physical security, states also seek ontological security, or security of the self. Ontological security is achieved by routinizing relationships with significant others, and actors therefore become attached to those relationships. Like its physical counterpart, the ontological security motive is a constant. But states may adhere to routines rigidly or reflexively, and variation in attachment style has implications for security-seeking. This article conceptualizes the individual-level need for ontological security, scales it up to states, and applies the ontological security-seeking assumption to the security dilemma. Realists argue that states want to escape security dilemmas but uncertainty prevents them. Ontological security-seeking suggests that states may not want to escape dilemmatic conflict. Because even dangerous routines provide ontological security, rational security-seekers could become attached to conflict. Ontological security-seeking sheds new light on seemingly irrational conflict, and suggests lines of research into the stability of other outcomes in world politics.