Category: Security Policy & Defence
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Dual-use GovTech and Civilian Protection
Dual-use GovTech turns citizens into “security sensors”: civilians supplying security-relevant data. While they can boost resilience and improvement, they may also raise DPH and cyber-reprisal risk.
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What is Nihilistic Violent Extremism?
-What is NVE? How is it linked to terrorism, and how can it be countered? NVE is a form of violence driven not by ideology but by hatred toward society and misanthropic worldviews. Often targeting minors, some groups or subgroups may engage in terrorism. Responses to NVE include youth education and reporting encouragement or global…
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Europe’s Missing Ground Layer
Main question: can Europe develop unmanned ground systems without dependency or legal ambiguity? Argument: quadruped robotics should be treated as a specialised support layer, not as autonomous weapons. Conclusion: Europe needs interoperable, modular and human-controlled ground robotics governance.
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Beyond Sanctions
Main Question Has Western strategy accurately assessed North Korea’s true strategic role beyond its nuclear program? Argument North Korea is a central node in a Russia–Iran–North Korea axis, sustaining Russia’s war through munitions and troops, and enabling Iran’s missile capabilities, while receiving advanced technology in return. Conclusion North Korea is a neglected transregional enabler linking…
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Bridging Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Security
RQ: Can NATO and the IP4 build a deeper, structured partnership now that the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security theatres have merged? Arg: The political and institutional conditions exist for comprehensive NATO-IP4 integration, offering notable advantages in supply chains, maritime security, intelligence, and deterrence. Conc: As confidence in American leadership of NATO erodes, institutionalising direct NATO-IP4…
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The Attribution Problem at Sea
This brief examines whether the concept of the attribution problem can be applied to sabotage of critical underwater infrastructure (CUI) in the Baltic Sea. It argues that while technical attribution is often possible, political, legal, and discursive constraints limit clear attribution. Applying Rid and Buchanan’s (2015) Q-Model, it shows that ambiguity persists across all stages.
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Regionalising Maritime Domain Awareness in SEA
– what are the challenges inhibiting a comprehensive MDA strategy in SEA? – On a technical and governance level, SEA states are uncoordinated – states should work towards building up information sharing capacity and trust rather than solely looking to external actors.
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Philippine Energy Security: The 2026 Crisis
– How can the Philippines mitigate national security threats from “single-source” energy reliance and Maritime chokepoint disruptions? – The Philippines must pivot from a “passive importer” to a leader in Strategic Energy Alliances, integrating resource development into national defense and security policy. – Transitioning offshore basins from “planned” to “producing” and resolving West Philippine Sea…
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Escalation in the Dark
This article asks how China’s nuclear expansion affects escalation risks in a crisis, particularly over Taiwan. It argues that the key shift is not the size of China’s arsenal, but the growing uncertainty surrounding decision-making, driven by reduced transparency and compressed timelines. It concludes that deterrence is becoming less predictable and increasingly shaped by perception,…
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PDSF 2026
Main question: How can sovereignty be protected in a volatile, disrupted world? Argument: Power now depends on resilience, partnerships, chokepoints, and institutions able to challenge their own assumptions. Conclusion: Sovereignty today cannot mean isolation; it requires strong alliances, diversified dependencies, diplomacy, and honest debate.