EVENTS
Cyber threats don’t stop at national borders—neither should cybersecurity solutions. On February 27 at 16:30 CET, join us to explore the evolving cybersecurity landscape within and beyond Europe.
“The Derecognition of States”, by Gëzim Visoka, is a compelling analysis of the evolving landscape of international recognition and derecognition. The book examines cases such as Taiwan, Western Sahara, and Kosovo, offering new insights into the complexities of sovereingity in modern geopolitics.
For more information about the book, visit: University of Michigan Press.
We are grateful to Gëzim Visoka for sharing his expertise with us, presenting his book, and to our audience for the deep insights and very interesting questions.
This talk will delve into many topics, from memetic warfare to online harassment and from the livestreaming of terrorist attacks to influencer vlogs promoting racial hate, moderating digital content with respect to extremism is an increasingly important aspect of security practices and online safety.
The Security Distillery is excited to invite you for an online lecture with Dr. Irene COSTANTINI on situating Libya in the current discourses and practices of conflict management and resolution. If you want to know more about the Libyan Crisis from 2011 to the present day and the multi-faceted security issues that characterized it, the impacts of Western interventionism and peacebuilding efforts, as well as the relevance of Libya’s case for security studies theory, make sure to save the date!
The Security Distillery is excited to invite you for an online lecture with Dr. Irene COSTANTINI on situating Libya in the current discourses and practices of conflict management and resolution. If you want to know more about the Libyan Crisis from 2011 to the present day and the multi-faceted security issues that characterized it, the impacts of Western interventionism and peacebuilding efforts, as well as the relevance of Libya’s case for security studies theory, make sure to save the date!
The Security Distillery is excited to host the lecture with Mrs. Alessandra Morelli, where we will together engage in topics such as crisis management in hostile environments, the nexus between humanitarian aid and military contexts, counterterrorism and migration.
Join the Security Distillery as we unveil the remarkable efforts to bring justice to victims of heinous crimes committed by the Assad regime in Syria. After the film screening, a Q&A will take place with directors Ronan Tynan and Anne Daly.
Join the Security Distillery for a panel discussion on Space Diplomacy and the Future of Conflict! From the UN Pact for the Future to international politics, including the development of a private-sector space economy, Major Davenport, Dr. Schmitt and Professor Walker give us their take on space diplomacy
In collaboration with Professor of Security and Politics in the Middle East, Pejman Abdolmohammadi, from the University of Trento and two local artists, the Security Distillery is hosting a panel discussion on the feminist freedom movement in Iran. We will look at the role of art and artists as activists and inspirers. We want to know under which conditions the people in Iran are currently creating art and how they are using methods to confront society and its urgent problems. The discussion should convey various aspects that we overlook or take for granted in everyday life and current news coverage.
A hybrid panel with experts and activists hosted by The Security Distillery at Charles University, in Prague.
Since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia six months ago, several Russian diplomats have been expelled from EU member states, but Austria and Switzerland have so far kept a low profile regarding a possible expulsion of diplomats. Among these diplomats are numerous members of the Russian intelligence services.
Linking recent events to Russia’s espionage practices in Austria and Switzerland following WWII, historian and intelligence expert Dr. Adrian Hänni will provide us with a unique insight into the past, present and future of Russian intelligence services in Europe since the Cold War.
This event seeks to examine the foundations of modern Russian hybrid warfare, dating back to the genesis of the Soviet Union and looks into several case studies of Soviet/Russian disinformation efforts that shaped the geopolitical landscape. Taking a comparative look at the AIDS epidemic and coronavirus, as well as the invasions of Afghanistan and Ukraine, Allie Wong will discuss strategic parallels that can be drawn between previous Soviet- and contemporary Russian information operations.
This will also be the opportunity to learn more about Limbik and how its proprietary AI/ML capabilities are reshaping the idea of MDM mitigation, information defence, and societal resilience in a post-truth digital world.
This event will offer an opportunity to discuss the impact of whistleblowing in society and politics; art as evidence; the drone war, tracking and surveillance; uncovering corruption and illicit money flow; fighting discrimination and exposing abuses; whistleblowers’ persecution and protection. Tatiana Bazzichelli will introduce the book Whistleblowing for Change: Exposing Systems of Power and Injustice (Nov. 2021) and discuss any question the audience may have.
This event will offer an opportunity to discuss the applicability of the International Human Rights Framework in cyberspace. It will discuss the impact of digitalisation on a variety of rights, notably the right to freedom of expression and information, the right to association and assembly and the right to privacy – what have been done for their protection and why their applicability in cyberspace remains problematic. The session will also cover censorship, surveillance and the chilling effect as common breaches to human rights. The related exercises will include real-life examples with emphasis on the security impact these phenomena have on individuals and communities. The second part will focus on cybersecurity as a political concept and the impact that different definitions exercise on human rights. The conclusion will touch upon the state of Internet Governance, paying attention to the importance of a multistakeholder environment, and the current cybersecurity-related processes under the UN auspices.
This event looks to draw attention to the persisting use of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in conflict and to provide a structured platform for experts in the field to publicly converse on the subject. Specifically, it aims to address the effects of GBV on the community level as well as its mental health implications. In terms of the latter, concepts such as collective trauma are discussed and the urgent need for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). The case that will be discussed is that of the Yazidi community in Sinjar (Kurdistan, Iraq).
2016 was a watershed moment for the reshaping of the media landscape– or was it? This panel looks to discuss the post-truth narrative played out in recent years and impact of disinformation on the realm of public debate. What sort of world are we living in? And what are the most pertinent security threats to come? This expert panel takes the format of an informal discussion between industry leaders. This talk addresses the state of disinformation in 2020, with a view to scoping out the shape of the security threats in the years to come.
An expert discussion with industry professionals, hosted by The Security Distillery at the University of Glasgow.
Dr. Sean McFate will lead a lecture detailing the growth of PMSCs in recent decades and what their prominence could mean for the future.
Private Military & Security Companies (PMSCs) occupy a number of diverse roles within the security sector, with their services being contracted by both private and public entities for the purposes of intelligence, security, and analysis. With the growing presence of PMSCs in conflict/post-conflict zones around the world, there is a need to critically assess the role that these private entities play in global governance and the potential benefits and harms they may offer.
This lecture will be based around this topic with the goal of educating attendees on the basics of private military & security companies and the role they play within the current international system.
Dr. Sean McFate is a foreign policy expert, author and novelist. He is a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, a Washington DC think tank, and a professor of strategy at the National Defense University and Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Additionally, he serves as an Advisor to Oxford University’s Centre for Technology and Global Affairs.
The Zoom link for the event will be sent out to all attendees on the day of the event via email.
The impacts of the COVID-19 upon the refugee and migrant crisis will be discussed by a panel of four experts in the field.
As the border lockdowns brought on by the spread of COVID-19 have begun to ease, the persisting refugee and migrant crisis that began prior to the pandemic is expected to complicate the delicate balance countries have found in combating the spread of the virus. As such this may cause increased tensions surrounding already stigmatized migrant and refugee camps, potentially causing one crisis to deepen the other. This panel looks to provide a platform for the intricacies of this dilemma to be discussed.
Panelists
Myra Dahgaypaw has worked as a human rights advocate at the United Nations with the Burma Fund United Nations Office. Prior to taking on the managing director position, she fulfilled the roles of campaign coordinator and policy advisor at the U.S Campaign for Burma.
Dan Sullivan is the senior advocate for human rights at Refugees International. Dan focuses on Myanmar, Sudan, South Sudan, and other areas affected by mass displacement.
Niemat Ahmadi is a native of North Darfur, and serves as Founder and President of Darfur Women Action Group. She previously worked as the Director of Global Partnerships for United to End Genocide.
Yasmine Taeb serves as Senior Policy Counsel for Demand Progress. She's an experienced human rights lobbyist and previously served as Senior Policy Counsel at the Center for Victims of Torture directing the organization's advocacy on refugees and asylum seekers.
Moderator
Mac Hamilton is a second year international masters student in security, intelligence (IMSISS), and strategic studies focusing on peace and security in Africa and the Middle East. Prior to joining IMSISS, Mac was the Youth Coordinator for the Aegis Trust, where she managed STAND: The Student-Led Movement to End Mass Atrocities.
The passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865 brought slavery to an end in the United States of America. Yet, inequality laid the groundwork for the development of a vicious prison industrial complex backed by legislation. As the gulf widens between communities, many face a future threatened by the same entities of law and order expected to protect them. Join the Security Distillery's virtual discussion with Dr. James Kilgore on injustice, inequality and incarceration during the global pandemic while exploring avenues for future prison reform.
Dr. James Kilgore is a writer, an educator, and a social justice activist who teaches and works at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He spent six years in prison, during which time he drafted his three published novels. He is the author of Understanding Mass Incarceration: A People’s Guide to the Key Civil Rights Struggle of Our Time (2015) and appeared as a commentator in Ava DuVernay's critically-acclaimed documentary 13th (2016).
In this first entry in the Security Distillery's workshop series we will be focusing on programme development in humanitarian response. Dr Caitriona Dowd will be leading the workshop which will introduce participants to the process of developing project proposals, seeking funding, and incorporate key aspects of design such as contextual analysis, needs assessments, and partnerships.
Caitriona Dowd is Assistant Professor in Security Studies at DCU's School of Law and Government. Caitriona has led graduate-level teaching on the governance of violent conflict, international security in global politics, the political economy of violent conflict and research methods. In her previous role as a peace and conflict specialist in the humanitarian sector, Caitriona worked in Somalia, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Mali, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Afghanistan.
Since the passage of discriminatory acts relating to citizenship in December, India has been in a state of political unrest. The laws infringe on the secular nature of the Indian constitution and threaten the lives of millions including individuals in the North-Eastern states, Dalits, Muslims and trans* people. Peaceful protests have been violently repressed by police while Hindu nationalist violence against Muslims and other minorities has led to a rising death toll across the country. The abolishment of Kashmir's special status and over 205 days of communication blockade has further endangered the lives of millions in India's northernmost state.
* Dr. Arpita Chakraborty, Post-Doctoral Researcher, Ireland India Institute
* Harikrishnan Sasikumar, PhD researcher, DCU
* Mohd Tahir Gabie, Kashmiri journalist and PhD student, DCU
* and featuring the voices of lawyers, students, and activists on-the-ground in India
Join us to learn about the escalating situation and how the EU and Republic of Ireland can help end the violence in the world's largest democracy.
Henry Grattan Building, Room 114
Student Presentations : Right-Wing Extremism: EU, UK and US
Expert Panel Discussion : Countering Violent Extremism
The lecture will address the following:
The impact of disinformation on OSINT and social media intelligence
NGOs and intelligence gathering in humanitarian conflicts
CEE intelligence agencies’ response to disinformation campaigns
