Towards a global security studies: what can looking at China tell us about the concept of security?

Existing scholarship has demonstrated that theorising about security is Eurocentric. This leaves us with a partial account of the concept security, which presented as universal. in turn generates explanatory problems because we are only seeing part picture. Yet there have been few attempts to move beyond critiques Eurocentrism examine ‘elsewhere’. paper takes China its starting point, asking: what can looking at tell security? In answering this question, makes two contributions. First, it presents new empirical findings, building conceptual history China. Drawing on 140 key texts dating 1926–2022, traces emergence and evolution through three explicit concepts. postcolonial insights demonstrates these concepts hybrid, evolving out multiple domestic international influences. They similarities well differences Eurocentric dominates International Security Studies (ISS) produce discrete approach towards overlooked discipline uses ‘Europe explain Asia’. Second, considering insights, universal underpins ISS misleading. Differences matter for understanding policy. Consequently, I argue need provincialize security: truly global studies necessity provincial one attuned difference similarity.