Psychology of fear and security in international politics

Subject Areas : social psychology

Sadegh Shahvarpoor najafabadi ¹ , Hamed Mohagheghnia ² , Reza ghanavati ³

1 - PhD student, Department of International Relations, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran.
2 - Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran.
3 - Master of Geography and Urban Planning

Received: 2024-09-30 Accepted : 2025-01-11 Published : 2025-03-17

Keywords: Social Psychology, Securitization, Fear, International Politics,

Abstract :

The aim of this article is to examine how governments can use fear as a tool to influence public behavior and attitudes, and how this process can lead to transformations in international relations and international security policies. This research also analyzes some of the negative and long-term consequences of using fear in policymaking and highlights the ethical and legal challenges associated with it.The methodology of this research is qualitative analysis, which examines the impact of collective fear on securitization and security policies in the United States after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Using qualitative content analysis, the findings indicate that governments use fear as a tool to legitimize security policies and present it as a means to advance objectives that are controversial within society.Negative consequences of using fear in policymaking include the weakening of civil rights, increased government powers, violations of privacy, and more. In conclusion, based on the findings, the research emphasizes that fear-based securitization can have negative impacts on international human rights as well

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