Ruth Delaforce - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Ruth Delaforce
Mercenary soldiers are an historical constant. The emergence in the last two decades of a 'ne... more Mercenary soldiers are an historical constant. The emergence in the last two decades of a 'new' type of 'mercenary' – the private security contractor – has been portrayed as a feature of contemporary warfare, reflecting their acceptance by states into the international security framework. Distinctions are drawn between mercenaries and private contractors, with the latter being depicted as a post Cold War phenomenon, where demands for protection from weak states are met by 'private armies.' Key concerns with private contractors are their access to the use of force, notionally a preserve of the state, and their capacity to operate unregulated, without state control. Critics argue that state inertia towards regulation facilitates the privatisation of warfare. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the relationship between private security contractors and states; in particular, the origins and mechanisms that allow private entities to operate, without regulatio...
Policing in a war zone seems paradoxical—maintaining public order, protecting individuals and pro... more Policing in a war zone seems paradoxical—maintaining public order, protecting individuals and property—where (mass) murder and destruction may be recognised and ‘justified’ under the international laws of war. Since 2001, in response to state absence or incapacity, multiple forms of security actors have emerged, as for-profit enterprises, hybrid public–private groups, and community collectives. Operating in regions with little or no regulation, oversight or enforcement mechanisms, these policing arrangements offer opportunities not just to protect individuals, communities, and corporations but also to engage in criminal activity. Theoretical frameworks are proposed to understand this dual capacity for protection and criminal activity, drawing upon the nexus between state-building and organised crime, and the maintenance of order in markets and trade.
Salus Journal, 2013
Intelligence is often regarded as information that is special or different, which must be safely ... more Intelligence is often regarded as information that is special or different, which must be safely kept. When sought, collected or used by the private sector, as opposed to public agencies, concerns are raised on the purpose and propriety of such an activity. However, in an historical context, intelligence collection or sharing between public and private interests for the purpose of national security was not unusual, particularly during the Cold War. Case studies from this era indicate that overlapping concerns were economic success combined with political strategy. Glimpses of these shared interests between the state and business can also be identified in the immediate post-Cold War era, and the aftermath of terrorist attacks in 2001. Perhaps the greatest contemporary change is not that “private” and “public “intelligence is shared between business and state, but the extent of such an enterprise. Further issues related to this change are: state dominance in the public-private relatio...
All material published in Salus Journal is published under a Creative Commons License. Under this... more All material published in Salus Journal is published under a Creative Commons License. Under this licence readers are free to copy and distribute the essays, articles, and reviews under the following conditions: 1) you give attribution to the author(s); 2) the essays, articles, and reviews are not used for commercial purposes without written permission of the author(s); 3) that you do not alter, transform, or build upon the essays, articles, or reviews; and 4) further distribution is based on the "share-alike" principle.
All material published in Salus Journal is published under a Creative Commons License. Under this... more All material published in Salus Journal is published under a Creative Commons License. Under this licence you are free to copy and distribute the essays, articles, and reviews under the following conditions: 1) you give attribution to the author(s); 2) the essays, articles, and reviews are not used for commercial purposes without written permission of the author(s); 3) that you do not alter, transform, or build upon the essays, articles, or reviews; and 4) further distribution is based on the "share-alike" principle.
All material published in Salus Journal is published under a Creative Commons License. Under this... more All material published in Salus Journal is published under a Creative Commons License. Under this licence you are free to copy and distribute the essays, articles, and reviews under the following conditions: 1) you give attribution to the author(s); 2) the essays, articles, and reviews are not used for commercial purposes without written permission of the author(s); 3) that you do not alter, transform, or build upon the essays, articles, or reviews; and 4) further distribution is based on the "share-alike" principle.
Mercenary soldiers are an historical constant. The emergence in the last two decades of a 'ne... more Mercenary soldiers are an historical constant. The emergence in the last two decades of a 'new' type of 'mercenary' – the private security contractor – has been portrayed as a feature of contemporary warfare, reflecting their acceptance by states into the international security framework. Distinctions are drawn between mercenaries and private contractors, with the latter being depicted as a post Cold War phenomenon, where demands for protection from weak states are met by 'private armies.' Key concerns with private contractors are their access to the use of force, notionally a preserve of the state, and their capacity to operate unregulated, without state control. Critics argue that state inertia towards regulation facilitates the privatisation of warfare. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the relationship between private security contractors and states; in particular, the origins and mechanisms that allow private entities to operate, without regulatio...
Policing in a war zone seems paradoxical—maintaining public order, protecting individuals and pro... more Policing in a war zone seems paradoxical—maintaining public order, protecting individuals and property—where (mass) murder and destruction may be recognised and ‘justified’ under the international laws of war. Since 2001, in response to state absence or incapacity, multiple forms of security actors have emerged, as for-profit enterprises, hybrid public–private groups, and community collectives. Operating in regions with little or no regulation, oversight or enforcement mechanisms, these policing arrangements offer opportunities not just to protect individuals, communities, and corporations but also to engage in criminal activity. Theoretical frameworks are proposed to understand this dual capacity for protection and criminal activity, drawing upon the nexus between state-building and organised crime, and the maintenance of order in markets and trade.
Salus Journal, 2013
Intelligence is often regarded as information that is special or different, which must be safely ... more Intelligence is often regarded as information that is special or different, which must be safely kept. When sought, collected or used by the private sector, as opposed to public agencies, concerns are raised on the purpose and propriety of such an activity. However, in an historical context, intelligence collection or sharing between public and private interests for the purpose of national security was not unusual, particularly during the Cold War. Case studies from this era indicate that overlapping concerns were economic success combined with political strategy. Glimpses of these shared interests between the state and business can also be identified in the immediate post-Cold War era, and the aftermath of terrorist attacks in 2001. Perhaps the greatest contemporary change is not that “private” and “public “intelligence is shared between business and state, but the extent of such an enterprise. Further issues related to this change are: state dominance in the public-private relatio...
All material published in Salus Journal is published under a Creative Commons License. Under this... more All material published in Salus Journal is published under a Creative Commons License. Under this licence readers are free to copy and distribute the essays, articles, and reviews under the following conditions: 1) you give attribution to the author(s); 2) the essays, articles, and reviews are not used for commercial purposes without written permission of the author(s); 3) that you do not alter, transform, or build upon the essays, articles, or reviews; and 4) further distribution is based on the "share-alike" principle.
All material published in Salus Journal is published under a Creative Commons License. Under this... more All material published in Salus Journal is published under a Creative Commons License. Under this licence you are free to copy and distribute the essays, articles, and reviews under the following conditions: 1) you give attribution to the author(s); 2) the essays, articles, and reviews are not used for commercial purposes without written permission of the author(s); 3) that you do not alter, transform, or build upon the essays, articles, or reviews; and 4) further distribution is based on the "share-alike" principle.
All material published in Salus Journal is published under a Creative Commons License. Under this... more All material published in Salus Journal is published under a Creative Commons License. Under this licence you are free to copy and distribute the essays, articles, and reviews under the following conditions: 1) you give attribution to the author(s); 2) the essays, articles, and reviews are not used for commercial purposes without written permission of the author(s); 3) that you do not alter, transform, or build upon the essays, articles, or reviews; and 4) further distribution is based on the "share-alike" principle.