How can nations project power in cyberspace? In light of the increasing dependency of modern society on all aspects of cyberspace, and the equally increasing breadth and scope of cyber attacks, this question is far from being merely academic. While it might seem obvious that an event as momentous as the advent of the new "cyber domain" would demand new forms of policymaking, many Western liberal democracies have struggled to make the evolutionary leap so clearly required. This is particularly unfortunate not only because, superficially at least, countries such as Russia and China have seemed to aggressively harness cyberspace for national power purposes. The paradox is that many Western governments are already dealing with the core challenges associated with cyberpower—namely, how different types of actors should work together—but in a different and seemingly unrelated fields: for instance within so-called "fragile states" policies. Unfortunately, the lessons learned are not being communicated, and cyber policymakers often seem to be stuck trying to reinvent the wheel.
It is remarkable that one of the most important dimensions of state cyberpower—namely the role of the non-state actors—is mostly emphasized within countries where the state is paramount; for instance within Russia and China. In liberal democracies, where non-state actors play a decisive role in all aspects of cyberspace, their importance for state cyberpower is only marginally understood. This failing is even more remarkable when one considers that many of the challenges that liberal democratic policymakers face within cyberpower, including cooperation with non-state actors, are not unique to cyber, but are simply facets of the evolving diffusion of political power.
A key question is how the state/non-state relationship is constructed. The seminar will illustrate how three fundamentally different approaches exist to this cooperation and will show how these approaches are useful in understanding fundamental strengths and weakness of a nation's cyberpower.
Please join us! Beverages provided. Everyone is welcome, but admittance will be on a first come–first served basis.
