The overarching question imparting urgency to this exploration is: Can U.S.-Russian contention in cyberspace cause the two nuclear superpowers to stumble into war? In considering this question we were constantly reminded of recent comments by a prominent U.S. arms control expert: At least as dangerous as the risk of an actual cyberattack, he observed, is cyber operations’ “blurring of the line between peace and war.” Or, as Nye wrote, “in the cyber realm, the difference between a weapon and a non-weapon may come down to a single line of code, or simply the intent of a computer program’s user.”
What are the sources of interest group influence in the politics of U.S. security policy? What causes some groups to thrive and others falter? This seminar offers a theory that influence derives from the distribution of relevant information, the preferences of White House occupants, and public beliefs about the credibility of political actors. The presentation will explore the consequences of this proposition, specifically the emergence of a concentrated group of extra-governmental propaganda organizations that helped forge the Cold-War consensus and build a civilian national security policy apparatus within the Executive.
Please join us! Coffee and tea provided. Everyone is welcome, but admittance will be on a first come–first served basis.