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.”
Defense, Emerging Technology, and Strategy
The Defense, Emerging Technology, and Strategy (DETS) program has a dual mission to (1) advance policy-relevant knowledge and strategy on the most important challenges at the intersection of security and emerging technology; and (2) prepare future leaders for public service in relevant arenas.
Diplomacy and International Politics
The Diplomacy and International Politics Program examines the future of diplomacy and conflict prevention, and also supports research and teaching on global political relations through initiatives on the Middle East, the Gulf, and South Asia.
Environment and Natural Resources
The Environment and Natural Resources Program (ENRP) is at the center of Harvard Kennedy School's research and outreach on public policy that affects global environmental quality and natural resources management.
International Security
The International Security Program (ISP) addresses the most pressing threats to U.S. national interests and international security. The program supports young scholars with its fellowship program and sponsors and edits the quarterly journal International Security, a leading peer-reviewed journal of security affairs that provides sophisticated analyses of contemporary security issues and discusses their conceptual and historical foundations.