The notions of hybrid warfare and hybrid threats, together with the related concept of grey zone warfare, continue to feature prominently in current strategic debates. The purpose of this seminar is to explore the legal dimension of these ideas. Collectively, they draw our attention to a set of legal challenges presented by the use of coercive measures below the threshold of force and armed attack and, more generally, to the hostile instrumentalization of law in pursuit of geopolitical objectives.

How are newly enfranchised groups mobilized? I theorize that new electorates are `harder to mobilize', which incentivizes politicians to expend resources on the mobilization of most new electorates in fewer, more geographically concentrated, localities. This results in a greater within-country variation in turnout of new electorates and reduces the difference between turnout of new and established electorates in places with the strongest incentives to engage in mobilization efforts.

Since 2016, there has been intense international scrutiny of Russia’s use of cyber-enabled disinformation and influence campaigns to affect domestic politics of other countries. Analysis has traced uses of viral “fake news” stories and manipulative spread of false, propagandistic, or extremist information to target susceptible populations and exploit societal vulnerabilities – swaying public attitudes, exacerbating ideational cleavages, and sowing doubt in democratic institutions. These incidents are frequently described as “cyberattacks.” Recent changes in U.S.

Reuters Institute seminars “The business and practice of journalism”

The following seminars will be given at 2pm on Wednesdays, normally in the E P Abraham Lecture Theatre, Green Templeton College.
Convenor: Meera Selva