Social isolation in the modern world: anthropological threats to international security

Aim. To show that social isolation (voluntary and forced) creates anthropological threats to international security.

Methods. Based on an interdisciplinary synthesis of theories of anomie, alienation, ressentiment, risk society, learned helplessness and the human security concept, social isolation is analyzed as a multidimensional phenomenon; hikikomori (voluntary self-isolation) and cancel culture (forced exclusion) are examined as its illustrative forms.

Results. The analysis shows that social isolation leads to degradation of human capital, demographic crises, weakening of international cooperation, individual radicalisation and lone wolf terrorism, while cancel culture is transformed into a tool of hybrid warfare (using the example of Russia’s «cancellation»).

Research implications. The necessity is substantiated of revising traditional approaches to security, including the problems of social isolation on the agenda of international organizations, and developing ethical and legal norms for digital platforms.

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