The online magazine Human Security has been published since 2015 by the Human Security Association. Its chairman and publisher is Anders Mellbourn. The Association has no political affiliation.
We publish articles on broad aspects of human security at www.manskligsakerhet.se and defend human rights, democracy and the rule of law as core dimensions of human security and necessary conditions for international peace and security. Our articles are categorized as either analysis, reflection or debate. Human Security focuses on current issues and provides background analyses and topics that tend to be given limited attention in considerations of human security.
PUBLISHING, POLICY AND PURPOSE. Our articles are published during January through June and September through December. Texts are published in Swedish and more exceptionally in English. All articles can be accessed at our website www.manskligsakerhet.se for free.
Our ambition is to promote critical reflection and generally shift the focus from the state as the subject of security to individuals and groups. Our publishing has highlighted and will continue to give attention to acute threats against human security in ongoing conflicts as well as more long-term threats against life, health and freedom, such as climate change, epidemics, poverty, limits to the rule of law, racism, and violence against women and children as well as ethnic and other minorities.
During 2024 a range of geographical regions and themes will be given special attention. They include i a Russian aggression against Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East, EU elections, the Swedish NATO-process, presidential elections in the US and developments in Southern Africa and Taiwan.
Human Security will also address ideas and issues that give hope and identify solutions, while challenging violence, oppression and repressive and discriminatory power structures.
During 2020-22 Human Security received financial support from the government agency the Folke Bernadotte Academy. Since the termination of that support Human Security has no financial means other than to cover basic costs such as maintaining its website and is therefore unable to remunerate writers.
EDITORIAL BOARD: Members of the editorial board are volunteers. They have a background in i a diplomacy, journalism, research, civil society and development.
Publisher: Anders Mellbourn, who is the chair of the Swedish OSCE Association, a political scientist and journalist, a former Director of the Swedish Institute of International Affairs and the editor in chief of Dagens Nyheter.
Editor in chief: Gerd Johnsson-Latham who for forty years served in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the UN and the World Bank. She led work on MFA reports on human rights and the rule of law and served as the chairperson of Kvinna till Kvinna
Lotta Schüllerqvist, journalist, i a correspondent for Dagens Nyheter in Jerusalem and freelancer in the Middle East. She worked for Omvärlden and Utrikesmagasinet and is actively engaged in Reporters without Borders.
Johan Schaar, with experience from the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, Sida and MFA. Currently an Associate Senior Fellow with SIPRI, former chair of ALNAP and vice chair of the Expert Group for Aid Studies.
Jöran Hök, former journalist with Göteborgsposten, Omvärlden and several local papers. Has worked at Gothenburg University on peace and development research and as a lecturer on media with a focus on Eastern Europe.
Marcus Meyer, active in civil society and youth organizations, i a in Belarus and the Middle East. Now works on digital capacity development at the City of Stockholm.
Carin Wall, former journalist and diplomat with a focus on development, ODA and Africa. Ambassador in several West African countries and Algeria; formerly with the Nordic Development Fund in Helsinki.
Torbjörn Lodén, sinologist, professor emeritus of Chinese language and culture at Stockholm University with a focus on Chinese history. Author of several books and articles on China.
Karin Henriksson, journalist, former correspondent for Svenska Dagbladet, including in the US; author of several books on the US.
Trainees: Norah Lång, journalist, autumn 2023 to early 2024; Mariam Mandekov, international law, and Michelle Petersen, Swedish Defence University, spring 2024.
WRITERS: Among our contributors are ministers of foreign affairs, diplomats, researchers, journalists, representatives of civil society, including youth activists. Human Security has also provided space for writers in exile who, because of restrictions in the freedom of speech in their home countries – i a Belarus, Turkey and the Democratic Republic of Congo – are unable to critically examine power structures, corruption, arbitrary detention, limitations in the independence of the judicial system etc.
TARGET GROUPS AND READERS: Our readers include decision-makers, civil society actors, researchers, journalists and the interested public. We find that many readers look for previous publications and authors of interest.
EXTERNAL CONTACTS: The editorial board regularly participates in events such as the Book and Library Fair in Gothenburg and The Swedish Forum for Human Rights (MR-dagarna). Human Security has published the anthology “Fredens framtid” (The Future of Peace) together with The Swedish Development Forum (FUF). In 2023 collaboration was initiated with the magazine New Eastern Europe in Warsaw. Human Security regularly gives attention to research reports and similar from academic institutions.
