Students’ research. Securitization of Vaccines in Lithuania: Dual Typology, Origins, and Implications

Project idea

The main goal of this project is to improve the student’s research competencies by implementing research that analyses a new phenomenon – the securitization of vaccines. The project allows formulating a dual typology of vaccines’ securitization and overviewing the origins of this phenomenon, its’ drivers and some implications that this process may have to the Lithuanian national security. Bearing in mind the novelty and scarce research of these processes both in Lithuania and internationally, this investigation could lay the foundation for the typology of vaccine securitization based on the empirical case of Lithuania and contribute to the field of public health securitization. In relation to the current developments of the pandemic in Lithuania, the interviews of this research could reveal a unique perspective to the processes of vaccines’ securitization, that have not been researched in Lithuania before. The results of this research are relevant for the Lithuanian security because the pandemic has provided new ways for hostile countries to abuse the health sector by spreading their influence, harming Lithuanian national security, and national interests. The results are also important internationally as the pandemic, vaccination processes, and their challenges are relevant both to the EU and other regions. Also, the dual typology could provide methodological basis to research vaccines’ securitization process abroad. After concluding this investigation, the results will be presented to the Lithuanian academic community, decision-makers and public officials. Additional dissemination possibilities will also be sought. The results of this project will be useful both in academic field for developing the implementation of securitization theory, and in practice, providing a new outlook to the state and health threats to Lithuanian and the EU security.