The Perception of Security and Youth: A Practical Example

This investigation presents the perspective that Spanish postgraduate students have on security. The data compiled here encompass the results of a research study involving Spanish Master’s students with backgrounds in international law and international relations. This study aims to conceptualize what security means for young adults, with the concept of security being extracted from their own opinions. This is a qualitative investigation of students who are pursuing their studies in international and security fields. In their coursework, they study matters related to security, and therefore their opinions are well grounded. The results indicate that the concept of security is progressively more ambiguous and distant from those of conventional standards, where personal, economic, environmental, and border security (as well as other aspects of security) intertwine. The concept itself is increasingly more ambiguous and closer to the idea of human security. Young people have a greater perception of insecurity, and they demand more to ensure that the State and different institutions fulfill their responsibility of guaranteeing security. They also feel more committed to participating in different aspects that construct their very open sense of security.