The staff members of the Center for Security Studies under the leadership of Dr. Oldřich Bureš were participating in the research grant P408/11/0395 awarded by the Czech Science Agency Privatization of Security: Role of Private Sector Actors in Countering Contemporary Security Threats.
In the 2011-2015 period, the research project analyzed the phenomenon of security privatization. In addition to examining the less researched aspects of the use of private military and security companies, the project investigated other areas, where private security actors have become increasingly visible and active, including the global efforts to fight terrorist financing, critical infrastructure protection, cybersecurity etc. The project also explored the dark side of security privatization, including the involvement of various private producers, intermediaries, and transportation companies in the illicit trade of small arms, diamonds, and other natural resources, as well as allegations of human rights and other international law violations by various private security actors. A related important goal was to analyze the legal, economic, and political pros and cons of possible regulation frameworks for activities of private security actors. Finally, at the theoretical level, it is increasingly clear that states are no longer the only security providers both internally and externally.
Publications from this research project are available in the publications section of our webpage.