To compete and thrive in the 21st century, democracies, and the United States in particular, must develop new national security and economic strategies that address the geopolitics of information. In the 20th century, market capitalist democracies geared infrastructure, energy, trade, and even social policy to protect and advance that era’s key source of power—manufacturing. In this century, democracies must better account for information geopolitics across all dimensions of domestic policy and national strategy.
Speaker: Mathias Frendem, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, International Security Program
How do great powers compete in the contemporary world? With great power wars and territorial acquisitions being rare since 1945, competition instead primarily takes place for influence over minor powers. Influence can be very beneficial, but this is not always the case. Minor powers have considerable agency and often seek to use the great powers to pursue their own aims. The speaker outlines why great powers compete for influence, the main challenges they face, and the best strategies for overcoming these.
Please join us! Coffee and tea provided. Everyone is welcome, but admittance will be on a first come–first served basis.
For more information, email the International Security Program Assistant at susan_lynch@harvard.edu.