Decoding the New Geopolitics of Cyberspace, Hybrid Operations and Emerging Technologies and Their Impact on States and Society

Our expert, Christina Schori Liang, contributed Chapter 12 to the book "Negotiating Identity Conflicts in a Fragmenting World Order" edited by Paul Willem Meerts and Mark Anstey from the Processes of International Negotiations (PIN) Program.

In cyberspace, the legacy of 70 years of creating a rules-based system of international relations and international law is in retreat. A blend of cyber power, intelligence, surveillance, and emerging technologies in combination with critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and dependency on the private sector is creating new operational, strategic, military, and diplomatic challenges. This chapter examines the evolving landscape of cyberspace and its impact on geopolitics, national security, and society. The initial section will describe the evolution and development of security aspects related to cyberspace. The second section will discuss how states are employing hybrid operations in their national and geopolitical struggles. The third section will focus on the role of non-state actors. A key component of the chapter will be to analyse how new and emerging technologies are becoming important destabilizing elements in both national and geopolitical security. Cyberspace poses significant challenges to international security by disrupting established frameworks, including the distinction between domestic and international boundaries. Additionally, it offers a vast information network that processes data, giving individuals access to information on various issues. Overall, cyberspace has fundamentally transformed how states approach national security, governance, diplomacy, and international relations.