Andrea Schneiker – författare

This book examines the self-representation and identity politics of Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs).

PMSCs have become increasingly important over the past few decades. While their boom is frequently explained in functional terms, such as their cost-efficiency and effectiveness, this book offers an alternative explanation based on an analysis of the online self-presentations of forty-two US- and UK-based companies. PMSCs are shaping how they are perceived and establishing themselves as acceptable and legitimate security actors by eclectically appropriating identities more commonly associated with the military, businesses and humanitarian actors. Depending on their audience and clients’ needs, they can be professional hero warriors, or promise turn-key security solutions based on their exceptional expertise, or, in a similar way to humanitarians, reassure those in need of relief and try to make the world a better place. Rather than being merely public relations, the self-referential assertions of PMSCs are political. Not only do they contribute to a normalization of private security and reinforce an already ongoing blurring of lines between the public and private sectors, they also change what we deem to be ‘security’ and a ‘security actor’.

This book will be of much interest to students of private military companies, critical security studies, military studies, security studies and IR.

This book examines the self-representation and identity politics of Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs).

PMSCs have become increasingly important over the past few decades. While their boom is frequently explained in functional terms, such as their cost-efficiency and effectiveness, this book offers an alternative explanation based on an analysis of the online self-presentations of forty-two US- and UK-based companies. PMSCs are shaping how they are perceived and establishing themselves as acceptable and legitimate security actors by eclectically appropriating identities more commonly associated with the military, businesses and humanitarian actors. Depending on their audience and clients’ needs, they can be professional hero warriors, or promise turn-key security solutions based on their exceptional expertise, or, in a similar way to humanitarians, reassure those in need of relief and try to make the world a better place. Rather than being merely public relations, the self-referential assertions of PMSCs are political. Not only do they contribute to a normalization of private security and reinforce an already ongoing blurring of lines between the public and private sectors, they also change what we deem to be ‘security’ and a ‘security actor’.

This book will be of much interest to students of private military companies, critical security studies, military studies, security studies and IR.

Das Buch liefert in komprimierter Form einen Überblick über die wichtigsten unterschiedlichen theoretischen Zugriffe auf Sicherheit in den Internationalen Beziehungen und erläutert, was daraus für die wissenschaftliche Analyse relevanter Akteure, Strukturen und Prozesse folgt. Dies wird anhand konkreter Beispiele illustriert. Der Fokus liegt dabei auf Sicherheitsakteuren, -strukturen und -prozessen jenseits des Staates.