Social and Political Challenges and the Vulnerability of National Security in Libya: A Theoretical Analysis of the Interaction of Institutions, Economy, and Migration (2011–2025)

Abstract

This study examines the interaction among political, social, and institutional challenges and their implications for Libyan national security during the period 2011–2025. It addresses a central problematic: that political division and weak institutional unification do not operate in isolation from unemployment, poor public services, displacement, migration, and oil dependency; rather, they mutually reinforce and reproduce state fragility. Utilizing a qualitative descriptive analysis of peer-reviewed studies, official documents, and relevant international reports, the study draws upon the expanded security approach and select concepts from the "risk society" theory. The analytical review reveals that weak institutional capacity serves as an intervening mechanism linking political division to deteriorating services, resource management, and social pressures. However, these explanatory findings cannot be statistically generalized due to the absence of empirical field data. The study concludes that enhancing Libyan national security requires consolidating state institutions, improving governance and public services, diversifying the economy, and managing migration and displacement within a framework that safeguards both security and human rights, while strictly linking these policies to enforceable political arrangements.