Securitization of the Subject Field of the Crisis in Dynamics: an Example of Management of the Transboundary Mekong River Basin

The study is a historical retrospective of the international crisis. The conceptual basis of the study was the theory of securitization developed by the Copenhagen School of International Relations. To conduct the study, the securitization of the water issue and methods of managing the river basin without any effective international regime were studied as a key factor in the emergence of a crisis in ensuring resource security. The subject field of the crisis is characterized and the international context and factors influencing the stages and phases of the conflict are outlined. Using the example of the situation around the joint management of the Mekong River basin in Southeast Asia, the dynamics of the crisis are demonstrated, and an analysis of its current state is carried out. The mechanism of securitization of the “water issue” is identified, the boundaries, subject field, dynamics, and current state of the crisis around the Mekong River are determined, and possible ways to resolve it are outlined. The authors’ hypothesis is that the prospects for resolving the crisis depend on the ability and desire of the parties to engage in dialogue, which are expressed at a low level due to external factors influencing the development of the crisis in question. The key conclusion of the study is that external influence on the development of the crisis and the imbalance of political and economic power of the participants slow down its resolution.