COMPLEXITY AND SIMPLICITY - LANDMINES, PEACE AND SECURITY IN CENTRAL-AMERICA

The basic argument put forward is that whilst the security debate with in international relations has made important advances, especially, in developing ontological and epistemological challenges, complexity in intellectual endeavour cannot hide the simple truth of insecurity felt by post-war communities living in the context of landmines. Since lan dmines have traditionally been regarded as a legitimate weapon in the search for national (military) security this very practical issue seem s to have evaded the increasingly theoretical excursions of a discipli ne desperate to catch up and show its credibility in this area. Furthe rmore, actual studies of landmines have tended to concentrate on certa in areas implying the problem less widespread than it actually, is. Ac cordingly, this article adumbrates recent theoretical developments in security and stresses their importance. However it also seeks to stres s the importance of action in the real world; it does this in part by looking at the issues of landmines in the post-conflict situations of Nicaragua and El Salvador.