means by which people solve problems, satisfy their needs, and simultane­ously prepare to confront new problems and meet emerging needs. When a new problem is detected in the field of security, culture will conceive and produce an appropriate response to that problem and provide adequate in­struments that security structures can use to“master” the problem. Synthetic features imply that cultural and security factors can be treated as variables within unified analytical systems. This does not mean merely harmonizing terminology or creating new terms, nor imposing a set of cat­egories across the entire field. It is more about integrating different types of theories and concepts so that meaningful assertions can be formulated, encompassing results isolated within separate research areas. We begin by exploring the concept of culture. The Concept of Culture The analysis of the concept of culture helps to clarify the symbolic mean­ings and positive values- both implicit and explicit- embedded in a particu­lar way of life within a certain culture. The analysis also encompasses the examination of elements of the way of life(which, according to proponents of different definitions, do not necessarily fall within the domain of cul­ture); the organisation of state institutions; the structure of institutions that express or govern social relations; characteristic forms of communication among members of society; traces of creative human activity in institutions and behavioural patterns- all of which can be situated within the context of a way of life in relation to security and insecurity(Stanarević, 2012). In today’s world, culture represents an integral part of both societal and individual life. If we attempted to define it through the lens of complete scientific objectivity, it would be difficult to isolate culture as a distinct field or object of observation. Similarly, establishing an objective judgment about culture is challenging because every interpretation, even scientific, is conditioned by the context in which it arises. The characteristics of culture such as dynamism, heterogeneity, and variability place it within the fields of social, psychological, political, economic, and spiritual life, but also with­in the domain of security. The renowned cultural theorist Raymond Williams emphasized in his works that culture is“ordinary”, which can mean, among other things, that it is part of the lives of all classes and social groups and encompasses a multi­tude of everyday practices. He also noted that,“ as a complex organism or a 22 NATIONAL SECURITY CULTURES- A VIEW FROM THE BALKANS