Josef Schröfl – författare

The study of asymmetrical warfare extends from the earliest known writings of man to the present day. While the term «asymmetrical warfare» may be unfamiliar to the lay person, the concept is by no means strange to any who have even minimal exposure to historical events. From the biblical story of David and Goliath to Herodotus’ account of the Battle of Thermopylae to the American Revolution asymmetrical warfare has been recounted or documented throughout human history. Latest since 9/11 the phenomenon of asymmetric warfare has become a subject within the international relations. The essays in the book offer a detailed look at various aspects of asymmetrical warfare from the theoretical to the practical to manifestations of asymmetry in recent history. While not a comprehensive list of all the contemporary avenues of research on the subject, the authors provide a sample of the broad range of approaches to the study of asymmetrical warfare.

Current and future adversaries will likely simultaneously employ a combination of different types of warfare. Non-state actors may mostly employ irregular forms of warfare, but will also clearly support, encourage, and participate in conventional conflicts if it serves their ends to do so. Similarly, nation-states may well engage in irregular conflicts in addition to conventional types of warfare to achieve their goals. The emerging theaters of hybrid and cyber-warfare reflect this changing nature of contemporary warfare. They transcend national boundaries, social and economic classes, and political ideologies. In these types of warfare there are no longer any clearly defined enemies, just as there are no longer any clearly defined allies. As a conceptual response to this kind of warfare, the «comprehensive approach» offers the best path forward, but must still be fully refined and analyzed before being applied effectively. This can only be accomplished through a coordinated and coherent strategy, along with regular consultations and interaction among all the actors involved. These factors will not only have enduring consequences for the future structure and training of most armed forces in the world, but they will also affect the politics of international security and defense policy while posing a challenge for theories of politics and international relations. This volume brings together leading international experts from different schools of thought to provide an overview of this topic.

This book provides an overview of the complex discussions on cyberspace, as well as a detailed analysis of the role of the Cyber and Information Space, which corresponds with current state-of-the-art perspectives. By combining neoliberal economic practices with the oligarchic ownership of global communication platforms, opinion-forming giants have firmly established themselves in the digital space in only a few decades. They largely dictate the global public experience and manipulate what the public hears and sees based on their own rules, or algorithms. This new asymmetry of informational power must be acknowledged as a strategic risk. Cybersecurity in the 21st century cannot be separated from questions of public discourse, digital literacy, algorithmic transparency, and platform accountability. Cybersecurity is no longer just an issue of national defence or risk management, it is a defining question of sovereignty, democracy, and societal cohesion.