Strategic Communications and Challenges for Democracies

Dr. Neville Bolt discusses strategic communications, their implications around the world, and the challenges for Western democracies. What is China trying to say when it speaks to the world? What is Russia trying to achieve? How does ISIS practice strategic communications? Is strategic communication limited to states? What is the most burning issue Western democracies must address considering strategic communications?

The Threat of Russia's Disinformation Effort

Dr. Todd C. Helmus (from 14:07) talks about Russia's disinformation campaign and the violent extremism pursued by terror organizations and individuals. What threat does Russia's disinformation effort pose to national security? How can it affect us in day to day interactions and among different sectors of society? What can we learn from it? What are the most effective methods to counter the phenomenon? To what extent can states blunt the incentive of those who are drawn to violent extremism? Can we identify and track lone wolf terror activity?

The Amazon Fires and Brazil's Foreign Relations

Dr. Vinicius de Carvalho (from 25:10) describes Brazil's strategic communications in the context of foreign relations, and in relation to the Amazon fires and the reaction of the Brazilian government to the event. What really happened in the Amazon rainforest, and how did it develop into an international crisis? What can we learn about the importance of strategic communication? What are the challenges that Brazil faces, and how can it cope with them? What is the role of information sharing in constructing policy, and what is the impact of fake news?