One of the best podcasts analyzing China's political warfare with specific and candid recommendations on how to respond. mwi.westpoint.edu/irregular-warf… via Modern War Institute

Our team is hiring a Post-Doctoral Associate to assist with data analysis, writing, and other aspects related to the development of the Global Responses to Asymmetric Threats project. Take a look at the application here: start.umd.edu/careers/irregu…

Can Western & African private military companies compete with Wagner? In our latest piece, we argue that they have the expertise to promote more effective security management approaches for African states currently reliant on Wagner’s assistance. blog.icoca.ch/western-africa…

We're hiring an hourly Research Assistant to help with our Global Responses to Asymmetric Threats project! Consider applying, remote work start.umd.edu/careers/resear…

We wish you all Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! We're excited to share with you the latest in our research in 2024.

We'd love to recommend a new book on the secret history of women in the CIA by Liza Mundy. In particular, we enjoyed a section that highlights a group of women who were the first to identify Al Qaeda as a significant threat and mapped the organization's networks.

Interesting analysis from US Institute of Peace on how Russia’s ‘hybrid war’ tactics pose a significant threat to the stability of neighboring nations usip.org/publications/2…

Research on the impact of counterinsurgency operations often focuses on broad outcomes or the # of insurgents/civilians killed. The new measure of conflict impact on civilians developed by ACLED can be particularly useful in future COIN research. shorturl.at/kmr15

According to a new report, disinformation campaigns seeking to manipulate African information systems have surged nearly fourfold since 2022, triggering destabilizing and antidemocratic consequences. africacenter.org/spotlight/mapp…

A new publication from START researcher Thomas Guarrieri examines the effects of targeted strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Read more: go.umd.edu/3JbcyAz

Check out how you can use our Global Responses to Asymmetric Threats (GRAT) portal in your research and teaching!

In a new Irregular Warfare Initiative article, START's E. Radziszewski (Irregular Warfare and Conflict Assessment Group) discusses how her team's new GRAT portal can be harnessed for understanding government responses to asymmetric threats and refining strategic approaches to irregular warfare. Read more: go.umd.edu/3wyMZqD

In our latest study we find that pro-Kremlin messages reflected a significant sensitivity to international and domestic costs linked to the Bucha massacre and NATO's membership offer to Finland & Sweden. 👇

Very interesting podcast from Irregular Warfare Initiative on China's police/domestic security training abroad and why the U.S. can't compete in this area (so far). shorturl.at/KolJf

How do countries influence their allies to enhance cooperation in conflict? Explore our study of Poland’s and U.S.’s role in impacting Germany’s sanction policies in the context of the War in Ukraine, featured in this edited volume

Did you know that a government's reliance on armed non-state actors is the most frequently studied tactic in research on the use of military power in counterinsurgency, 2002-2022? To learn more about its effectiveness & that of other tactics see our report rb.gy/zpjo9p

Our latest study shows that pro-Russian messages disseminated widely on Weibo on and after the global media began to report on the Bucha massacre and included multiple themes, highlighting that authoritarian states are sensitive to domestic views of other authoritarian states

Our extensive analysis of academic articles published on information operations reveal that research on how governments respond to IO threats & with what outcome is understudied. Check out IO literature addition to our GRAT portal!