03

The ongoing corona pandemic will certainly lead to a variety of security policy implications, which we will investigate thoroughly in due time. However, some of our existing publications on resilience and disaster preparedness can already help us to better understand how societies react to emergencies such as the one we are facing today.

In this Journal of Strategic Studies article, Richard J. Harknett and CSS’ Max Smeets argue that cyberspace has opened a new dimension of power politics in which cyber campaigns could potentially become a salient means, alternative to war, for achieving strategic advantage.

The corona crisis confronts us all, including the CSS at ETH Zurich, with completely new challenges. To help contain the coronavirus, we will implement the provisions set out by the Federal Council and ETH Zurich as well as make our own contribution. In concrete terms, this means that until further notice all CSS employees will work from home, all events are cancelled or have been postponed and all CSS-​taught courses will take place online. 

While religious issues are not the primary drivers of the conflict in and around Ukraine, religion has played a significant role in it, according to CSS Cora Alder, Palwasha Kakar and Leslie Minney. Not only have religious rhetoric and traditions become part of an increasing polarization in Ukrainian society, centuries-old orthodox institutions have also been deeply changed through the conflict.

Even though a series of armed groups have demobilized and violence has declined over recent decades, peace remains partial in Colombia, argues Enzo Nussio in this new CSS Analysis. The current peace process with the FARC insurgency shows why Colombia has such difficulty achieving a complete peace.

What is taught in a course on cybersecurity? In this paper, CSS Senior Researcher Max Smeets, Trey Herr and Arthur Laudrain address this question by reviewing two dozen university syllabi to identify key literature in the field, create an overview of best practices, as well as identify core concepts and readings.