Measuring Human Security: Overcoming the Paradox

There are six existing methodologies for measuring human security . Each uses a different definition and each measures a different combination of threats. They all, however, are subject to the same paradox – that the broader the definition of included harms, the more difficult meaningful measurement becomes. Over the past year and half, I have developed a new methodology for measuring the broad UNDP conception of human security that addresses this problematic. It uses sub national data to map and spatially analyze regionally relevant human security threats. The methodology is introduced below and will be described in detail in an upcoming Liu Institute for Global Issues report, and in several academics articles.