STRATEGIC STUDIES IN THE THIRD WORLD: A SUGGESTED APPROACH

This innovative analysis proposes an alternative approach to strategic studies that is more relevant to the security concerns and development priorities of Third World countries. The article critiques the dominant Western-centric frameworks in strategic studies and examines how they often fail to address the unique security challenges facing developing nations. The research explores the distinctive security environment of Third World countries, including internal threats, economic vulnerabilities, and asymmetric power relations. The study examines how traditional strategic studies concepts like deterrence, balance of power, and alliance politics require adaptation in Third World contexts. The article proposes a reconceptualization of security that integrates military, economic, environmental, and human dimensions. The research also identifies methodological innovations and institutional reforms needed to develop strategic studies frameworks that are both theoretically rigorous and practically relevant to developing country contexts. Furthermore, the analysis suggests specific research agendas and policy applications for this revised approach to strategic studies.

Strategic studies as an academic discipline has been dominated by Western perspectives and preoccupations, with this article proposing an alternative approach more relevant to Third World security concerns during the mid-1980s. The research begins by critically examining the dominant paradigms in strategic studies, analyzing how concepts developed in the context of superpower competition and European state systems may be inadequate or misleading when applied to developing country contexts. The analysis explores the distinctive security environment of Third World countries, including the prevalence of internal conflicts, the significance of economic vulnerabilities, the impact of colonial legacies, and the challenges of state-building in multi-ethnic societies. The article investigates how traditional strategic studies concepts require fundamental rethinking in Third World contexts, examining how deterrence, defense planning, and security cooperation operate differently in asymmetric power relationships. The study proposes a comprehensive security framework that integrates military threats with economic challenges, environmental stresses, and human security concerns more characteristic of developing country experiences. Based on the comprehensive analysis, the article develops methodological principles for strategic studies research in Third World contexts, emphasizing historical specificity, interdisciplinary approaches, and policy relevance. The findings provide valuable insights into how academic disciplines can be decolonized and made more relevant to diverse global contexts and contribute to developing more effective security strategies for developing countries.