How is disinformation a threat to national security? Illustrate with an extended example. If useful, identify an actual or potential foreign adversary.

Description

Final Research Essay Instructions

The research essay tests understanding and application of the major themes and concepts from the course to a contemporary national security challenge.

Pick one of the following:

3) How is disinformation a threat to national security? Illustrate with an extended example. If useful, identify an actual or potential foreign adversary.

Pro-Tips

For all questions, you are welcomed to use supporting evidence or examples from other FVEY countries (Canada, NZ, AUS, UK & US, who may face similar challenges). The implications and consequences for Australia should be clearly explored.

When in doubt, a narrow paper of in-depth analysis is superior to a broad paper that attempts to cover everything about the topic superficially.

Your preliminary research should include a selection of the relevant supplementary readings, links and video resources from throughout the course, with additional independent research using the library (e-journals), think tank and government publications, Gapminder, Ted talks or any other credible sources identified in Lectures 1-6. Do Not conduct a random internet search, start with the provided course materials for the relevant week and go from there.

Supplementary sources:

• NATO Cyber Law Toolkit: Scenario 1 on foreign interference (elections) https://cyberlaw.ccdcoe.org/wiki/Scenario_01:_Election_interference

• Sally White, ” ‘We’ll Hunt You; ASIO Warns Right Wing Extremists and Foreign Spies”, Canberra Times, 24 Feb 2020. https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6646427/nazis-in-suburbs-are-a-growing-threat-asio/

• David Brophy, “Australia’s China Debate in 2018” in China Story Yearbook 2018: Power, edited by Jane Golley, Linda Jaivin, Paul J. Farrelly and Sharon Strange. Canberra: ANU Press, 2019.

• US Senate Intel Committee Releases Second Volume of Bipartisan Report on Foreign Interference in the 2016 election. https://www.burr.senate.gov/press/releases/senate-intel-committee-releases-bipartisan-report-on-russias-use-of-social-media-

• “How to Spin a War” Russia If you’re Listening (podcast) with Matt Bevin, ABC Radio, Season 3, Episode 3 (4 November 2019) https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/russia-if-youre-listening/how-to-spin-a-war/11663196

• Singer Brooking 2019 Like War: The Weaponization of social media (attached PDF)

• David Brophy – Australia’s China Debate (attached PDF)

• Scientific communication in post-truth society (attached PDF)

• Michael Clarke, Jennifer S. Hunt and Matthew Sussex, “Shaping the post-Liberal Order: China’s influence and interference in Australia and the United States” Orbis 64, 2 (Jan 2020): 207-229.

• Shanto Iyengar and Douglas S. Massey, “Scientific Communication in a Post-Truth Society” PNAS, 2018. https://www.pnas.org/content/116/16/7656 How can we address national security issues without a firm grasp of science, facts and a shared reality? Note the sources of information mentioned in the piece, do these have reach to, or an audience/equivalent in Australia?

 

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