Description
Where are emotions in processes of securitization and desecuritization? How do they operate in establishing “truth effect” in complex, uncertain contexts like the ones that characterise the Anthropocene? Fear is often associated with securitization but it is often unexplored in International Relations and it is not the only emotion to be considered in processes of securitization (Ganz 2023 ). At the same time re-considering emotions can help overcome several divides that characterize the debate, like those between material and ideational factors that are so relevant in discussions about securitization in the Anthropocene and justify the relevance of exploring the material and emotional precondition for “latent securitizations” (Le Billon, Debert and Trombetta 2025) that can be activated.
Building on previous research on ontological security and climate change (Trombetta forthcoming), and analysing President Trump's speeches on climate change and "energy emergency", this paper explores how considering emotions can help explain why some threats are securitised while others are ignored.