Introduction

In contemporary societies, security has become a highly contested topic and is very difficult to define. The crucial question of what it means to provide security for citizens, to be or feel safe or to make someone or something secure, provokes a variety of answers. This introduction highlights the aims and intent of the volume The Cultural Construction of Safety and Security. We explain how the articles in the volume seek to contribute to the interdisciplinary effort of analysing security cultures by specifically bringing out the value of humanities research. Insights from history, art history, literary studies and philosophy can help in generating a deeper understanding of the norms, beliefs and emotions underlying perceptions of safety and security