Fully revised to incorporate recent developments, this third edition of Understanding Global Security analyses the variety of ways in which people's lives are threatened and/or secured in contemporary global politics. The traditional focus of Security Studies texts: war, deterrence and terrorism, are analysed alongside non-military security issues such as famine, crime, disease, disasters, environmental degradation and human rights abuses to provide a comprehensive survey of how and why people are killed in the contemporary world. New to this edition: Greater coverage of the evolving theoretical literature on security, including more analysis of critical theory perspectives and emerging schools of thought. A revamp of the sections examining the causes of inter-state war and counter-terrorism strategies. Analysis of key recent developments including the global economic recession, Haiti earthquake of 2010 and Fukushima nuclear disaster of 2011. New quantitative analysis of the impact of global crime and environmental change. Greater evaluation of the divergences in how human security is interpreted and the future prospects for this way of thinking and acting in international relations. User-friendly and easy to follow, this textbook is designed to make a complex subject accessible to all. Key features include: ‘Top ten’ tables highlighting the most destructive events or forms of death in that areas throughout history. Boxed descriptions elaborating key concepts in the fields of security and International Relations. ‘Biographical boxes’ of key individuals who have shaped security politics. Further reading and websites at the end of each chapter guiding you towards the most up-to-date information on the various topics. Glossary of political terminology. This highly acclaimed and popular academic text will continue to be essential reading for everyone interested in security.