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Begin New Search Topic Militarization Political Geography Global Focus

1. The militarization of artificial intelligence and the autonomous weapons

Author:
Andreas Heinz Westhues
Publication Date:
01-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Revista UNISCI/UNISCI Journal
Institution:
Unidad de investigación sobre seguridad y cooperación (UNISCI)
Abstract:
The rise of autonomous weapons technology in recent conflicts demonstrates the increasing militarisation of artificial intelligence. The rapid development of new technologies, such as AI-based targeting systems and autonomous weapons systems, poses significant challenges to the international community. On the one hand, there are potential threats associated with militarised artificial intelligence. On the other hand, there are ethical dilemmas related to algorithmic decision-making and legal liability. While efforts have been made over the past decade to establish a regulatory framework under the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, progress has been hampered by a small group of resistant States. However, recent regional and international conferences have indicated a growing consensus in favour of an international treaty based on a two-tier approach. This approach seeks to prohibit full autonomy and to regulate autonomous functions in weapon systems.
Topic:
Science and Technology, Regulation, Artificial Intelligence, Militarization, and Autonomous Weapons Systems
Political Geography:
Global Focus

2. Contemporary Trends in Militarisation

Author:
Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP)
Publication Date:
07-2024
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP)
Abstract:
This report provides two new approaches to understand the capabilities of the world’s militaries by country. The first analyses and tracks changes in a range of militarisation indicators. The main finding of this approach is that while military expenditure is rising in absolute terms, as a percentage of GDP it has fallen and is around half of the peaks seen at the height of the Cold War. Concurrently, as military sophistication increases, troop numbers are declining, highlighting a growing reliance on technology. The second approach is the development of a new and original methodology that calculates the military capacity of countries by weighting the generations of their military assets. These capability scores substantially change the ranking of countries when compared to traditional approaches that count just the number of military assets, or compare military expenditure. The US has the highest capability score, well ahead of China, which ranks second. Russia follows China closely in third. Countries such as Iran and North Korea, despite having large fleets of fixed wing planes, drop considerably in the rankings, because their assets represent older technology. These trends occur as the world is at a crossroad with the number of conflicts, 59, at an all-time high since WWII. These conflicts are becoming more internationalised, with 92 countries involved in a conflict beyond their borders, rising competition between the major powers, and more middle level powers also becoming more assertive. Unresolved conflicts are at the highest levels since WWII, opening more opportunity for major conflicts to erupt.
Topic:
Armed Forces, Military Affairs, Conflict, Militarization, and Defense Spending
Political Geography:
Global Focus

3. Introduction: The Militarization of Space

Author:
Eliahu H. Niewood and Matthew Jones
Publication Date:
03-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Advanced Military Studies
Institution:
Marine Corps University Press, National Defense University
Abstract:
From a national security perspective, the space domain today is fundamentally different than it was 10 years ago. It is also likely to be very different 10 years from now than it is today. The role of the commercial sector, the nature of development of space capabilities, the ways satellites are gaining access to space, the uses of space capabilities, the organization of the U.S. Department of Defense when it comes to space, and the likelihood of conflict in space all look very different today than they did in the past. This issue of the Journal of Advanced Military Studies considers a variety of these shifts in detail. To provide context and background for the individual articles, this introduction describes some of the connections between the changes and gives an overview of each one.
Topic:
National Security, Militarization, and Satellites
Political Geography:
Global Focus and Space

4. Characterizing Future Authoritarian Governance in the Space Domain

Author:
Julian G. Waller
Publication Date:
03-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Advanced Military Studies
Institution:
Marine Corps University Press, National Defense University
Abstract:
Traditionally, discussions of governance beyond Earth have largely been held to the purview of debates about space law and global governance regimes. Yet, the priority of space exploration among ambitious, tech-industry associated billionaires and its continued potential for militarization suggest that a more dynamic approach may be needed, given that state-sponsorship of extraterrestrial colonial projects may be more akin to partnerships between private and public actors rather than nation-states assuming traditional roles as sole sources of decision-making. Permanent settlements in space will require forms of localized government that may look distinct from contemporary models of political order. This article thus asks a provocative question associated with the empirical record of human colonization and settlement in prior eras: What sort of authoritarian governance is most likely to form in human space settlements during the medium term? Reviewing variations on political order in small-scale colonial settlements in light of recent conceptual work on authoritarian rule, the article identifies three theoretical models of governance that may emerge once beyond Earth settlements become permanent fixtures of human society.
Topic:
Authoritarianism, Space, Militarization, Space Governance, Political Order, and Corporate Spacefaring
Political Geography:
Global Focus and Space

5. Civil-Military Cooperation in Disaster and Emergency Response: Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities

Author:
Myriame Bollen and Jori Pascal Kalkman
Publication Date:
03-2022
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Advanced Military Studies
Institution:
Marine Corps University Press, National Defense University
Abstract:
Civilian authorities increasingly request military involvement in national emergencies and (inter)national disasters. This article aims to contribute to our understanding of these new civil-military interactions. The authors first reflect on three themes: (1) guidelines, principles, and goals of civil-military cooperation; (2) domain consensus through civil-military agreement on the allocation of areas of responsibility; and (3) militarization processes. The authors describe how these themes feature in traditional, expeditionary civil-military cooperation and in these new civil-military partnerships. Next, the authors consider the effects of the growing military role in emergencies and disasters on civil-military relations. The article concludes with some recommendations and a research agenda.
Topic:
Crisis Management, Civil-Military Relations, Disaster Management, and Militarization
Political Geography:
Global Focus

6. Aligning Venus and Mars: Striking the Appropriate Balance Between Diplomacy and Defense in International Affairs

Author:
Charles Ray
Publication Date:
08-2020
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
American Diplomacy
Institution:
American Diplomacy
Abstract:
The issue of militarization of American foreign policy is one that has simmered for decades. The American preference for employment of economic pressure and/or military force as a ‘quick-fix’ to deal with international problems instead of a more nuanced diplomatic approach is not a phenomenon of the 20th or 21st century. The increased militarization of U.S. foreign policy of the last decade is a continuation of a trend that has existed in one form or another for most of the nation’s history. The over-reliance on military power in foreign affairs, the militarization of U.S. foreign policy, dramatically increased with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. However, almost from the beginning of the founding of the republic, under pressure from business interests concerned with maintaining or increasing their prosperity or groups interested in maintaining their positions of influence or power, American political leaders have often resorted to use of force for a short-term solution.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, International Affairs, History, and Militarization
Political Geography:
Global Focus and United States of America

7. Keynote Lecture: Militarization Needs Patriarchy: The Brewing Of a Toxic Mix

Author:
Cynthia Enloe
Publication Date:
10-2019
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Austrian Institute for International Affairs (OIIP)
Abstract:
Audio Recording of the Keynote Lecture with Cynthia Enloe from Clark University: Militarization Needs Patriarchy: The Brewing Of a Toxic Mix.
Topic:
Gender Issues, Militarization, and Patriarchy
Political Geography:
Global Focus

8. oiip Podcast with Professor Cynthia Enloe (Clark University) & Professor Saskia Stachowitsch (oiip)

Author:
Cynthia Enloe and Saskia Stachowitsch
Publication Date:
10-2019
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Austrian Institute for International Affairs (OIIP)
Abstract:
Professor Cynthia Enloe (Department of International Development, Women’s and Gender Studies at the Clark University) is talking in this Podcast with Professor Saskia Stachowitsch (director of the oiip, University of Vienna) about militarization and patriarchy , the positions and roles of women in international politics and much more!
Topic:
Gender Issues, Politics, International Affairs, Women, Militarization, and Patriarchy
Political Geography:
Global Focus