Russian Adaptation to Sanctions: The Military Industrial Complex and Regional Dynamics

December 2024 No Comments

Speaker: Elina Ribakova (Peterson Institute for International Economics; Director of the International Program at Kyiv School of Economics.) Date: 10 December 2024 Speaker Session Summary The Russian economy has proven stubbornly resilient to Western sanctions. Ms. Ribakova discussed this resilience through two lenses: the military industrial complex and the economic convergence of Russia’s regions. While […]

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International Collaboration in U.S. Integrated Deterrence: A Partner Perspective

November 2024 No Comments

Authors: LTG (Ret), Dr. Dennis Gyllensporre (Swedish Defence University); MG (Ret) Bengt Svensson, Swedish Defence University This publication was released as part of the SMA project “21st Century Strategic Deterrence Frameworks.” (SDF) For more information regarding this project, please click here. Publication Preview This non-paper, prepared at the Swedish Defence University (SEDU), investigates the dynamics […]

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Escalation Management in the Early Stages of International Crisis

November 2024 No Comments

Authors: Dr. Kyle Beardsley (Duke University), Dr. Jonathan Wilkenfeld (START University of Maryland), & Phuong Pham (Duke University) This publication was released as part of the SMA project “21st Century Strategic Deterrence Frameworks.” (SDF) For more information regarding this project, please click here. Publication Preview: This report evaluates how crisis actors respond to adversary actions […]

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Strategic Culture – A Complex Model for a Complex Concept

November 2024 No Comments

Speaker: Dr. Larry Kuznar (NSI, Inc.) Date: 19 November 2024 Speaker Session Summary In recent years, strategic culture has regained attention as US policymakers work to integrate deterrence strategies with allies and partners while understanding the strategic cultures of adversaries, like China and Russia. Dr. Kuznar explored the components of an actor’s strategic culture, how […]

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American Statecraft and the Challenge of Emerging Powers

October 2024 No Comments

Speakers: Dr. Christopher S. Chivvis (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) & BeatrixGeaghan-Breiner (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) Date: 23 October 2024 Speaker Session Summary The United States has primarily focused on China’s geopolitical rise over the past two decades and the implications of a near-peer competitor to US interests. However, several other emerging state powers […]

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The CCP-ification of Pacific Islands: What it Means for U.S. Strategy and What Can Be Done

October 2024 No Comments

Speaker: Cleo Paskal (Foundation for the Defense of Democracies) Date: 8 October 2024 Speaker Session Summary China is expanding its influence in many Asia-Pacific countries by offering economic incentives and other forms of “good will,” which Chinese Communist Party (CCP) members use to fosters political corruption. This political corruption allows the CCP to build political […]

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The Origins of the War in Ukraine

October 2024 No Comments

Speaker: Michael Kimmage (Catholic University of America) Speaker Session Summary Russia seeks to dominate both Ukraine’s territory and its political future. Dr. Kimmage analyzed Russia’s motivations for initiating the war, as well as the failures of the United States, Europe, and Ukraine in deterring the invasion. He argued that Russia’s goals extend beyond Ukraine’s sovereign […]

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Emerging Military Technologies: Putting Policy Before Profit

September 2024 No Comments

Speakers: Dr. Michael Brenes, William Hartung (Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft) Date: 25 September 2024 Speaker Session Summary There is growing concern among some scholars that the pursuit of economic incentives may push US military technology advancements ahead of the establishment of proper policies and security measures, prioritizing profits over policy. Mr. Hartung added that […]

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CONCESSIONS TO THE LIMITED POWERS: Considerations of Low-Yield Nuclear Weapons, Asymmetrical Capability, and Extended Deterrence

September 2024 No Comments

Authors: Bob Williams (Georgetown University) & Dr. James Giordano (Georgetown University Medical Center) This publication was released as part of the SMA project “21st Century Strategic Deterrence Frameworks.” (SDF) For more information regarding this project, please click here. Publication Preview Quite recently, nuclear strategy scholars Kier Lieber and Daryl Press posited that arms’ tables have […]

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Ukrainian Resistance to Russian Disinformation: Lessons for Future Conflict

September 2024 No Comments

Speaker: Todd Helmus and Khrystyna Holynska (RAND) Date: 19 September 2024 Speaker Session Summary A key element of Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion has been its ability to counter Russian disinformation. In their recent report for RAND, Dr. Helmus and Dr. Holynska discuss Ukraine’s approach to combating disinformation and the lessons that the United […]

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