This book stems from the need to rethink the transformation of the concepts of security and human rights within the discipline of international relations, using the example of Russia. In the post-Cold War era, it has become increasingly clear that the understanding of security cannot be limited to military threats and state-centric approaches; a new field of discussion has emerged where individuals, social structures, and normative values ​​are placed at the center of security. However, recent regional conflicts, authoritarian tendencies, and the erosion of international human rights mechanisms clearly demonstrate how fragile this transformation is. This study is situated precisely at the intersection of these fragilities.

Russia, due to its historical legacy, geopolitical location, and political structure, offers one of the most striking examples of the debate on security and human rights. In a political tradition where the emphasis on state sovereignty is strong, the protection of individual rights, compliance with international norms, and the human dimension of security have often been relegated to secondary importance. In addition, structural dynamics such as digitalization, income inequality, and regional disparities have further complicated how security and human rights are experienced in daily life. This book examines Russia not merely as a “country example,” but as an analytical lens that reveals the fundamental contradictions of the contemporary international system.

My primary aim as editor in bringing this work together was to offer a perspective that considers security and human rights not as two separate fields, but as interacting, and at times even tense, relationships. Therefore, the book brings together studies produced on different levels, starting with conceptual and theoretical analyses, and including topics such as the digital realm, socioeconomic inequalities, international legal mechanisms, and armed conflicts. While each chapter offers an independent contribution, the book as a whole reveals how the military, legal, economic, and humanitarian dimensions of security complement or sometimes contradict each other.

This book adopts a particularly interdisciplinary approach. Drawing on literature from international relations, international law, political science, and sociology, the chapters clearly demonstrate that security and human rights cannot be explained by a single theoretical framework. At the same time, the analyses conducted within the context of Russia are not merely descriptive; they are approached from a critical and questioning perspective. The aim is not to repeat existing policies or international responses, but rather to open up a discussion on the structural causes and long-term consequences behind these processes.

This work does not claim to produce any ideological defense or opposition. On the contrary, it is the product of an effort to maintain academic distance and analytical clarity in a period when discussions in the fields of security and human rights are often overshadowed by political polarization. The book's fundamental assumption is that the permanence of security is directly linked to the protection of human rights. The idea that security approaches that exclude or relegate human rights are not sustainable in the long run for either states or societies forms the common ground of this study.

This book is written primarily for academics working in the fields of international relations, security studies, and human rights; but also for graduate students, researchers, and all readers who wish to critically follow policy-making processes. It also aims to be a reference source for readers seeking to understand Russia not only as a geopolitical actor but also in its social, legal, and humanitarian dimensions.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the authors who contributed to the creation of this work for their meticulous academic work and constructive collaboration. Each chapter provides a unique perspective to the literature on security and human rights; and as a whole, these contributions allow us to see more clearly the fundamental problems facing the contemporary international order. I hope that this book will make a modest contribution to rethinking the relationship between security and human rights and to discussing a more humane and inclusive understanding of security.