Gender and Security in International Relations: Understanding Narrative Approach to Security

The article critically analyses the concept of security in the discipline of International Relations. With the focus on war and states, the idea of security has become oblivious of how force and organised violence along with security policies affect bodies. With the aim to demystify certain foundational assumption of the security discourse, the article uses gender as a categorical variable while analysing security. By applying gender lens to the idea of security, it tries to understand the growing militarisation of security in the discourse of security. The article proposes that a gender lens be used to understand and evaluate the security policies so that the comprehensive impact of ‘security policies’ on ‘bodies’ (individuals) can be comprehensively understood. In this context, the article notes importance of ‘a narrative approach to security’ to have a more comprehensive understanding of the implications of security policies.