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Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI)

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Handbook of Security Science

Abstract

This chapter introduces the concept of ethical, legal, and social issues – known as ELSI – as it is relevant to security science research and security science-informed practice. After defining ethical, legal, and social issues, the chapter addresses main ELSI domains and discusses how to address those in security science. Arguments are illustrated using examples from domains such as critical infrastructure protection and novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) response. Subsequently, the chapter demonstrates the relevance of ELSI analysis in security science for risk assessment and vulnerability analysis. It argues for a comprehensive approach to ELSI assessment and consideration in security science that actively involves members of the public in the process of exploring ethical, legal, and social issues. Selected public participation methods are recommended. Moreover, the chapter discusses the use of ELSI to address the security vs. liberty dilemma in security science and the real-world security practice that it may inform and offers criteria for “good security science” that embeds assessing and addressing of ELSI throughout the research and dissemination process. The chapter concludes by arguing that security science should provide a better connection of the disciplines involved in its research undertakings. Security science should establish networked expertise to foster deliberate planning and well as rapid decision support capability for crisis management.

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Acknowledgments

Parts of the original research results on that this chapter is based received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreements n° 261633 (FOCUS – Foresight Security Scenarios) and n° 261741 (VITRUV – Vulnerability Identification Tools for Resilience Enhancements of Urban Environments). This publication reflects only the authors’ views and the Union is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. The authors would like to particularly acknowledge the contributions made to project deliverables used toward this chapter by Rosemarie Stangl and Florian Fritz, formerly Institute for Security Research, Sigmund Freud University Vienna; Juha Ahokas, Cross-border Research Association (CBRA); Brooks Tigner, SecEUR Sprl; Rachel Suissa, University of Haifa; and Tom Sorell, University of Warwick.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CEUSS | Center for European Security Studies and AMC Wirtschaftsakademie GmbH – Austrian Management Center, Vienna, Austria

    Andrea Jerković

  2. School of Public Affairs, The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), Penn State Harrisburg, Middletown, PA, USA

    Alexander Siedschlag

Authors
  1. Andrea Jerković
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  2. Alexander Siedschlag
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Correspondence to Andrea Jerković .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    Anthony J. Masys

Section Editor information

  1. School of Public Affairs, The Pennsylvania State University – Penn State Harrisburg, Middletown, USA

    Alexander Siedschlag

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Jerković, A., Siedschlag, A. (2021). Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI). In: Masys, A.J. (eds) Handbook of Security Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51761-2_37-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51761-2_37-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-51761-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-51761-2

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