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.”
Biography
Gregor Kossmann is a Research Assistant at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, supporting the academic and administrative work of the Future of Diplomacy Project. An undergraduate student at the college, he is pursuing a degree in social studies – Harvard’s combination of philosophy, history, political science, and economics – with an emphasis on American foreign policy. Having lived in five countries across three continents he is passionate about international affairs, more specifically researching on the topic of reputation, anti-Americanism, and trust (or lack thereof) in political institutions. Other interests include national security concerns arising from climate change, political polarization, and the geopolitical challenge of the Arctic. Academics aside, Gregor is a varsity on Harvard’s internationally-acclaimed Debate Team, and holds various leadership roles in Harvard’s renowned Institute of Politics and premiere undergraduate think tank, as well as the Undergraduate Foreign Policy Initiative, hoping to eventually pursue a career in diplomacy grounded in research-driven policy.
Last Updated: Apr 20, 2023, 10:04am