Cities have been researched mostly in terms of its economic, technological, and social value and significance. Despite some changes in this respect, there is still a need to research cities as a fascinating phenomenon, also in respect of its capabilities to increase human security on a local and global scale. In this context, the article examines the new paradigm of urban development within the human security, namely the right to the city. The author indicates to the growing role of cities for human security and to mutual relations between the right to the city and the concept of human security. The subject matter is indeed as fascinating as fascinating are cities themselves. They are dynamic, energetic, innovative and constantly evolving. The general thesis of the article is that cities adopting the adequate model of urban development such as the one envisioned in the right to the city may and do greatly contribute to human security. 

The author analyses the manifestations of cities’ growing role for ensuring the national/international as well as environmental and human security. Cities of today increasingly participate in international relations – they internalize, implement and enforce international law, sometimes independently of their States’ international legal obligations, for example when they pledge to implement human rights conventions or environmental law obligations that their own States did not pledge to fulfill. In this way they contribute to international peace and security. On the basis of those manifestations, the author attempts to explain the possible position of cities on the international plane and according to international law – whether they should be accorded greater autonomy or international legal personality. The author also indicates that the role of cities in the area of different aspects of security is growing.

Czym jest patologia? Co leży u podstaw jej zaistnienia? Jaką formę przybiera ona w rękach przedstawicieli władzy? I wreszcie jaki ma wpływ na bezpieczeństwo jednostki żyjącej w danym państwie? Zamierzeniem autorki niniejszego artykułu jest ukazanie zależności pomiędzy patologią władzy występującą w państwach dysfunkcyjnych1 a destabilizacją bezpieczeństwa ich obywateli. Obszarem poddanym eksploracji w poniższym tekście jest region Afryki Subsaharyjskiej2, z dwóch zasadniczych powodów. Po pierwsze dlatego, że właśnie tam (według corocznych rankingów Fragile States Index3) znajduje się najwięcej państw dysfunkcyjnych w skali globu, a po drugie dlatego, że z raportów opracowywanych przez różne instytucje rządowe, organizacje międzynarodowe i think tanki wynika, że skala tego problemu w Afryce zdecydowanie przewyższa niekorzystną sytuację w innych regionach świata. Odpowiedzi na zadane pytania autorka formułować będzie w oparciu o analizę literatury dotyczącej problematyki tematu, analizę danych publikowanych w wyżej wspomnianych raportach międzynarodowych, tj. Democracy Index, Freedom in the World Report, Corruption Perception Index, Human Development Index, Global Terrorism Index, i badania własne prowadzone od lat w wielu krajach Afryki Subsaharyjskiej.

Modern governments in modern states in third world countries are overwhelmed with social circumstances that have forced citizens to resort to self-help. Also, prevalent unclear demographic and globalization issues are sometimes neutral lines of justification for either transit or destination posture of the West African states. Concisely, poverty issues have continuously permeated the West Africa region’s fabric, and the challenges seem protracting. It has implications for mobility, (women) trafficking, and human security, among others. The quantitative approach adopted profiled index while evaluating and descriptive methods explained the content. Among other findings, lack of national data and proper immigration service is obvious. Thus, adequate data for national planning is recommended. Further, ongoing regional and national initiatives for possible integration and collaboration to address challenges are advocated.

Selected Dimensions of Human Freedom in the Armed Forces of a Democratic State

The article reviews the scientific literature on selected dimensions of human freedom, being the subject of influence of the Polish Armed Forces. The aim of the article is to examine their nature and the manner of their interconnection through institutional and legal mechanisms. The conceptual framework of the article is determined by the use of the concept of consilience, useful in the analysis of the operation of public institutions, using approaches in the field of: politics, security, law, public management, praxeology, human resource management and the functional-interpretative paradigm and moderate constructivism. This article shows the understanding of individual security from the perspective of legal respect for selected dimensions of freedom of a member of the armed forces.

Health security as a dimension of international security

Health security is a dimension of international security, resulting from the securitization of its threats. The article proposes to include health security in the second generation of non-military dimensions of security (the first generation being those proposed by the Copenhagen school). The aim of the article is to analyze the specificity, i.e., autonomization, of health security in relation to: 1) the specificity of threats; 2) securitization of these threats; 3) determination of the referent object; 4) ensuring health security. The focus was on the structure of the phenomenon and the structure of each of its elements. Firstly, the specificity of securitization of health threats by a political entity such as the United States was analyzed in particular. Secondly, the human individual was taken into account as susceptible to health hazards. Thirdly, actions for health security were analyzed at the level of the international system and at the level of national health care systems.