JASON Institute

Today’s security landscape looks drastically different from that after the end of World War II, not only in regards to the type of threats actors face, but also where these threats are located. The same is true for NATO, who has gone beyond the borders of Europe and into a particularly contentious region: The Middle East. This has pushed NATO into new territory in terms of activities and operational environment. From regional dialogues to capacity building missions, NATO has expanded its roots in the Middle East, requiring its diplomatic actors to negotiate with leaders from extremely different political traditions than the typical western or post communist democracy in Europe. In this episode of the Jason Lustrum podcast series, Berenice Cabanne delves into the complexities of NATO engagement in the Middle East with Dr. Kevin Köhler, Assistant Professor of Comparative Politics at Leiden University, and former Research Advisor at the Middle East Faculty of the NATO Defense College in Rome. Tune in to this episode to learn more about the where, when, how, and why of NATO in the Middle East.

Since its establishment at the end of World War II, NATO has been a prominent actor in security and defense, particularly for Western Europe. However, it is no secret that overtime, NATO has faced innumerable challenges in the context of a dynamic security environment, not the least with the end of the Cold War in 1989. While territorial defense remains the core objective of NATO, the organization has also had to cope with new challenges, internal and external. In this episode, Berenice Cabanne takes a deep dive into these challenges and changes with Dr. Niels van Willigen, associate professor of International Relations at Leiden University and Senior Analyst in the Peace & Security Section of the Global Governance Institute. Tune in to this episode to learn more about how NATO has evolved in the face of the changing security landscape, and the major challenges facing the organization today.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has changed the nature of crime. With more and more people staying at home and having to resort to online shopping, cybercrime has experienced a meteoric rise. In the sphere of online scams, social engineering is the umbrella term coined to describe the various tactics used by cyber criminals. As JASON Institute’s first podcast episode, Bérénice Cabanne interviewed Dr. Tommy van Steen, a professor of Cybersecurity Governance from Leiden University. 

Tune in to this podcast to know more about the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ of social engineering and how to stay safe on the internet!