When you think of war, what does your mind conjure? Would you think of whispers and shadows? Of unseen foes, faces lit by the dim glow of a computer monitor? Forces that seek to disrupt societies by utilizing the complex infrastructure we inhabit daily? While the term ‘netwar’ is rarely encountered, it’s something we have all experienced or witnessed. Whether it’s a distant relative on Facebook spreading news from a disreputable source to the violent dissidents of the January 6th riot, organized and mobilized via the internet, netwar is ubiquitous. From cyber warfare tactics that disrupt critical infrastructure to information warfare campaigns designed to shape public opinion, the evolving landscape of netwar challenges traditional notions of conflict. This lecture will expose and elucidate the notion of netwar and how we can better prepare ourselves in this interconnected landscape.
Speaker: Dr. Joan Donovan