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Global Data Shock : Strategic Ambiguity, Deception, and Surprise in an Age of Information Overload
written by Robert Mandel, 1945- (Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2019), 270 page(s)
Intelligence and security communities have access to an overwhelming amount of information. More data is better in an information-hungry world, but too much data paralyzes individual and institutional abilities to process and use information effectively. Robert Mandel calls this phenomenon "global data shock." He...
Sample
written by Robert Mandel, 1945- (Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2019), 270 page(s)
Description
Intelligence and security communities have access to an overwhelming amount of information. More data is better in an information-hungry world, but too much data paralyzes individual and institutional abilities to process and use information effectively. Robert Mandel calls this phenomenon "global data shock." He investigates how information overload affects strategic ambiguity, deception, and surprise, as well as the larger consequences for inte...
Intelligence and security communities have access to an overwhelming amount of information. More data is better in an information-hungry world, but too much data paralyzes individual and institutional abilities to process and use information effectively. Robert Mandel calls this phenomenon "global data shock." He investigates how information overload affects strategic ambiguity, deception, and surprise, as well as the larger consequences for international security. This book provides not only an accessible framework for understanding global data shock and its consequences, but also a strategy to prepare for and respond to information overload.Global Data Shock explores how information overload facilitates deception, eroding international trust and cooperation in the post-Cold War era. A sweeping array of case studies illustrates the role of data shock in shaping global events from the 1990 Iraqi attack on Kuwait to Brexit. When strategists try to use an overabundance of data to their advantage, Mandel reveals, it often results in unanticipated and undesirable consequences. Too much information can lead to foreign intelligence failures, security policy incoherence, mass public frustrations, curtailment of democratic freedoms, and even international political anarchy. Global Data Shock addresses the pressing need for improved management of information and its strategic deployment.
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Field of Study
Global Issues
Content Type
Book
Author / Creator
Robert Mandel, 1945-
Date Published / Released
2019
Publisher
Stanford University Press
Topic / Theme
General Context: Security Issues, Dissemination of information
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Copyright © 2019 Stanford University Press
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No Miracles: The Failure of Soviet Decision-Making in the Afghan War
written by Michael R. Fenzel, 1967- (Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2017), 193 page(s)
The Soviet experience in Afghanistan provides a compelling perspective on the far-reaching hazards of military intervention. In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev decided that a withdrawal from Afghanistan should occur as soon as possible. The Soviet Union's senior leadership had become aware that their strategy was unraveli...
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written by Michael R. Fenzel, 1967- (Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2017), 193 page(s)
Description
The Soviet experience in Afghanistan provides a compelling perspective on the far-reaching hazards of military intervention. In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev decided that a withdrawal from Afghanistan should occur as soon as possible. The Soviet Union's senior leadership had become aware that their strategy was unraveling, their operational and tactical methods were not working, and the sacrifices they were demanding from the Soviet people and military...
The Soviet experience in Afghanistan provides a compelling perspective on the far-reaching hazards of military intervention. In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev decided that a withdrawal from Afghanistan should occur as soon as possible. The Soviet Union's senior leadership had become aware that their strategy was unraveling, their operational and tactical methods were not working, and the sacrifices they were demanding from the Soviet people and military were unlikely to produce the forecasted results. Despite this state of affairs, operations in Afghanistan persisted and four more years passed before the Soviets finally withdrew their military forces.In No Miracles, Michael Fenzel explains why and how that happened, as viewed from the center of the Soviet state. From that perspective, three sources of failure stand out: poor civil-military relations, repeated and rapid turnover of Soviet leadership, and the perception that Soviet global prestige and influence were inexorably tied to the success of the Afghan mission. Fenzel enumerates the series of misperceptions and misjudgments that led to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, tracing the hazards of their military intervention and occupation. Ultimately, he offers a cautionary tale to nation states and policymakers considering military intervention and the use of force.
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Field of Study
Politics & Current Affairs
Content Type
Book
Author / Creator
Michael R. Fenzel, 1967-
Date Published / Released
2017
Publisher
Stanford University Press
Topic / Theme
Afghanistan and its Borders, Afghanistan: The Soviet Invasion and Civil War, Afghanistan Conflict (1980 -- ), Military aid, Military occupation, Decision making, Wars in Afghanistan, April 27, 1978–, Soviet Intervention in Afghanistan, 1978-1992, 20th Century in World History (1914--2000)
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Copyright © 2017 Stanford University Press
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Rebranding China: Contested Status Signaling in the Changing Global Order
written by Xiaoyu Pu (Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2019, originally published 2019), 171 page(s)
China is intensely conscious of its status, both at home and abroad. This concern is often interpreted as an undivided desire for higher standing as a global leader. Yet, Chinese political elites heatedly debate the nation's role as it becomes an increasingly important player in international affairs. At times, Ch...
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written by Xiaoyu Pu (Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2019, originally published 2019), 171 page(s)
Description
China is intensely conscious of its status, both at home and abroad. This concern is often interpreted as an undivided desire for higher standing as a global leader. Yet, Chinese political elites heatedly debate the nation's role as it becomes an increasingly important player in international affairs. At times, China positions itself not as a nascent global power but as a fragile developing country. Contradictory posturing makes decoding China's...
China is intensely conscious of its status, both at home and abroad. This concern is often interpreted as an undivided desire for higher standing as a global leader. Yet, Chinese political elites heatedly debate the nation's role as it becomes an increasingly important player in international affairs. At times, China positions itself not as a nascent global power but as a fragile developing country. Contradictory posturing makes decoding China's foreign policy a challenge, generating anxiety and uncertainty in many parts of the world. Using the metaphor of rebranding to understand China's varying displays of status, Xiaoyu Pu analyzes a rising China's challenges and dilemmas on the global stage. As competing pressures mount across domestic, regional, and international audiences, China must pivot between different representational tactics. Rebranding China demystifies how the state represents its global position by analyzing recent military transformations, regional diplomacy, and international financial negotiations. Drawing on a sweeping body of research, including original Chinese sources and interdisciplinary ideas from sociology, psychology, and international relations, this book puts forward an innovative framework for interpreting China's foreign policy.
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Field of Study
Business & Economics
Content Type
Book
Author / Creator
Xiaoyu Pu
Date Published / Released
2019
Publisher
Stanford University Press
Topic / Theme
China and International Relations, Economic development, Nationalism, International trade, International relations, Diplomacy, Politics & Policy, Sociology
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2019 Stanford University Press
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Afghanistan:Transition under Threat
edited by Mark Sedra, fl. 2008 and Geoffrey Hayes, 1947- (Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2008), 346 page(s)
Many have questioned the wisdom of the international intervention in Afghanistan in light of the escalation of violence and instability in the country in the past few years. Particularly uncertain are Canadians, who have been inundated with media coverage of an increasingly dirty war in southern Afghanistan, one i...
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edited by Mark Sedra, fl. 2008 and Geoffrey Hayes, 1947- (Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2008), 346 page(s)
Description
Many have questioned the wisdom of the international intervention in Afghanistan in light of the escalation of violence and instability in the country in the past few years. Particularly uncertain are Canadians, who have been inundated with media coverage of an increasingly dirty war in southern Afghanistan, one in which Canadians are at the frontline and suffering heavy casualties. However, the conflict is only one aspect of Afghanistan’s comp...
Many have questioned the wisdom of the international intervention in Afghanistan in light of the escalation of violence and instability in the country in the past few years. Particularly uncertain are Canadians, who have been inundated with media coverage of an increasingly dirty war in southern Afghanistan, one in which Canadians are at the frontline and suffering heavy casualties. However, the conflict is only one aspect of Afghanistan’s complicated, and incomplete, political, economic, and security transition.In Afghanistan: Transition under Threat, leading Afghanistan scholars and practitioners paint a full picture of the situation in Afghanistan and the impact of international and particularly Canadian assistance. They review the achievements of the reconstruction process and outline future challenges, focusing on key issues like the narcotics trade, the Pakistan—Afghanistan bilateral relationship, the Taliban-led insurgency, and continuing endemic poverty. This collection provides new insight into the nature and state of Afghanistan’s post-conflict transition and illustrates the consequences of failure.Co-published with the Centre for International Governance Innovation
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Field of Study
Business & Economics
Content Type
Book
Contributor
Mark Sedra, fl. 2008, Geoffrey Hayes, 1947-
Date Published / Released
2008
Publisher
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Topic / Theme
General Context: Security Issues, Afghanistan and its Borders, Afghanistan Conflict (1980 -- ), Economic development, Politics, Social security, Taliban Insurgency, Afghanistan, September 2002-, Taliban Rule, Afghanistan, 1994-2001, Wars in Afghanistan, April 27, 1978–, Sociology, Politics & Policy, Diplomacy, 21st Century in World History (2001– )
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Copyright © 2008 Wilfrid Laurier University Press
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Canada and the Middle East:In Theory and Practice
written by Center for International Governance Innovation (CIGI); edited by Bessma Momani, fl. 2015 and Paul Heinbecker, 1941- (Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2007), 243 page(s)
Canada and the Middle East: In Theory and Practice provides a unique perspective on one of the world’s most geopolitically important regions. From the perspective of Canada’s diplomats, academics, and former policy practitioners involved in the region, the book offers an overview of Canada’s relationship wit...
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written by Center for International Governance Innovation (CIGI); edited by Bessma Momani, fl. 2015 and Paul Heinbecker, 1941- (Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2007), 243 page(s)
Description
Canada and the Middle East: In Theory and Practice provides a unique perspective on one of the world’s most geopolitically important regions. From the perspective of Canada’s diplomats, academics, and former policy practitioners involved in the region, the book offers an overview of Canada’s relationship with the Middle East and the challenges Canada faces there. The contributors examine Canada’s efforts to promote its interests and value...
Canada and the Middle East: In Theory and Practice provides a unique perspective on one of the world’s most geopolitically important regions. From the perspective of Canada’s diplomats, academics, and former policy practitioners involved in the region, the book offers an overview of Canada’s relationship with the Middle East and the challenges Canada faces there. The contributors examine Canada’s efforts to promote its interests and values—peace building, peacekeeping, multiculturalism, and multilateralism, for example—and investigate the views of interested communities on Canada’s relations with countries of the Middle East.Canada and the Middle East will be useful to academics and students studying the Middle East, Canadian foreign policy, and international relations. It will also serve as a primer for Canadian companies investing in the Middle East and a helpful reference for Canada’s foreign service and journalists stationed abroad by providing a background to Canadas interestsand role in the region.Co-published with the Centre for International Governance Innovation
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Field of Study
Global Issues
Content Type
Book
Contributor
Bessma Momani, fl. 2015, Paul Heinbecker, 1941-
Author / Creator
Center for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)
Date Published / Released
2007
Publisher
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Topic / Theme
General Context: Security Issues, Peace processes, International trade, Diplomacy, International relations, Politics & Policy
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2007 Wilfrid Laurier University Press
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From Civil Strife to Peace Building: Examining Private Sector Involvement in West African Reconstruction
edited by Hany Besada (Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2009), 313 page(s)
From Civil Strife to Peace Building examines peace-building efforts in the fragile West African states of Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Côte d’Ivoire, with a focus on the role of the private sector in leading the reconstruction initiatives. Given that aid and debt relief, the traditional remedies for dependency an...
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edited by Hany Besada (Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2009), 313 page(s)
Description
From Civil Strife to Peace Building examines peace-building efforts in the fragile West African states of Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Côte d’Ivoire, with a focus on the role of the private sector in leading the reconstruction initiatives. Given that aid and debt relief, the traditional remedies for dependency and underdevelopment, have not been effective, the private sector is increasingly viewed as a major player in the revival of regional eco...
From Civil Strife to Peace Building examines peace-building efforts in the fragile West African states of Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Côte d’Ivoire, with a focus on the role of the private sector in leading the reconstruction initiatives. Given that aid and debt relief, the traditional remedies for dependency and underdevelopment, have not been effective, the private sector is increasingly viewed as a major player in the revival of regional economies. Private sector support, however, requires government intervention to improve investment climates, curb corruption, strengthen the security sector, and reduce the cost of doing business.The contributors discuss ways in which West African governments can encourage the greater involvement of business in humanitarian support with incentives that demonstrate alignment with business objectives and profit margins, making humanitarian support simple and, more importantly, profitable and sustainable for both local and foreign investors.Co-published with the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)
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Field of Study
Business & Economics
Content Type
Book
Contributor
Hany Besada
Date Published / Released
2009
Publisher
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Topic / Theme
Peace Building in Africa, Conflict management, Economic conditions, Postwar reconstruction, Peacekeeping, Economic development, Politics & Policy, Sociology, Diplomacy
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2009 Wilfrid Laurier University Press
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The Independence of South Sudan: The Role of Mass Media in the Responsibility to Prevent
written by E. Donald Briggs and Walter E. Soderlund (Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2014), 183 page(s)
The Responsibility to Protect, the report of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS), focused on three international responsibilities in the area of human security: the responsibility to prevent, the responsibility to react, and the responsibility to rebuild. The report acknowled...
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written by E. Donald Briggs and Walter E. Soderlund (Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2014), 183 page(s)
Description
The Responsibility to Protect, the report of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS), focused on three international responsibilities in the area of human security: the responsibility to prevent, the responsibility to react, and the responsibility to rebuild. The report acknowledged the difficulty of identifying countries likely to experience widespread civil violence and then predicting when this would occur. B...
The Responsibility to Protect, the report of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS), focused on three international responsibilities in the area of human security: the responsibility to prevent, the responsibility to react, and the responsibility to rebuild. The report acknowledged the difficulty of identifying countries likely to experience widespread civil violence and then predicting when this would occur. But the authors of this book submit that if ever a case of a “responsibly to prevent” was possible to anticipate, South Sudan was it.A Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) ended the Sudanese second civil war in 2005 with a call for a referendum to be held in South Sudan in 2011 to determine the region’s future, In the event, an overwhelming majority voted for independence for the region. The question that motivated this book is whether the CPA would set in motion a process resulting in yet another brutal conflict, and, if that conflict was widely predicted, what should be the response of the international community in terms of “responsibility to prevent”?Mass media coverage has been identified as an important factor in mobilizing the international community into action in crisis and potential crisis situations; however, the impact of media reporting on actual decision-making is unclear. Thirty-plus years of research has demonstrated consistent agenda-setting effects, while a more recent stream of research has confirmed significant framing effects, the latter most likely to occur in cases where advocacy framing is used. This book examines the way in which the press in Canada and the United States interpreted the potential for violence that accompanied South Sudan’s independence in 2011, and whether or not their governments had a responsibility to prevent.
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Field of Study
Politics & Current Affairs
Content Type
Book
Author / Creator
E. Donald Briggs, Walter E. Soderlund
Date Published / Released
2014
Publisher
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Topic / Theme
Sudan and its Borders, Public opinion, Politics & Policy
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2014 Wilfrid Laurier University Press
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Studies in International Governance, Syria, Press Framing, and the Responsibility to Protect
written by Tom Pierre Najem, Walter E. Soderlund and E. Donald Briggs, in Studies in International Governance (Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2017), 241 page(s)
The Syrian Civil War has created the worst humanitarian disaster since the end of World War II, sending shock waves through Syria, its neighbours, and the European Union. Calls for the international community to intervene in the conflict, in compliance with the UN-sanctioned Responsibility to Protect (R2P), occurr...
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written by Tom Pierre Najem, Walter E. Soderlund and E. Donald Briggs, in Studies in International Governance (Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2017), 241 page(s)
Description
The Syrian Civil War has created the worst humanitarian disaster since the end of World War II, sending shock waves through Syria, its neighbours, and the European Union. Calls for the international community to intervene in the conflict, in compliance with the UN-sanctioned Responsibility to Protect (R2P), occurred from the outset and became even more pronounced following President Assad's use of chemical weapons against civilians in August 2013...
The Syrian Civil War has created the worst humanitarian disaster since the end of World War II, sending shock waves through Syria, its neighbours, and the European Union. Calls for the international community to intervene in the conflict, in compliance with the UN-sanctioned Responsibility to Protect (R2P), occurred from the outset and became even more pronounced following President Assad's use of chemical weapons against civilians in August 2013. Despite that egregious breach of international convention, no humanitarian intervention was forthcoming, leaving critics to argue that UN inertia early in the conflict contributed to the current crisisSyria, Press Framing, and The Responsibility to Protect examines the role of the media in framing the Syrian conflict, their role in promoting or, on the contrary, discouraging a robust international intervention. The media sources examined are all considered influential with respect to the shaping of elite views, either directly on political leaders or indirectly through their influence on public opinion. The volume provides a review of the arguments concerning appropriate international responses to events in Syria and how they were framed in leading newspapers in the United States, Great Britain, and Canada during the crucial early years of the conflict; considers how such media counsel affected the domestic contexts in which American and British decisions were made not to launch forceful interventions following Assad's use of sarin gas in 2013; and offers reasoned speculation on the relevance of R2P in future humanitarian crises in light of the failure to protect Syrian civilians.
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Field of Study
World History
Content Type
Book
Author / Creator
Tom Pierre Najem, Walter E. Soderlund, E. Donald Briggs
Date Published / Released
2017
Publisher
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Series
Studies in International Governance
Topic / Theme
General Context: Security Issues, Syria (2011 - Present), Military occupation, Military aid, Journalism, Civil war, Public opinion, Syrian Civil War, 2011-, 21st Century in World History (2001– )
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Copyright © 2017 Wilfrid Laurier University Press
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Under Contract: The Invisible Workers of America's Global War
written by Noah Coburn (Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2018), 409 page(s)
War is one of the most lucrative job markets for an increasingly global workforce. Most of the work on American bases, everything from manning guard towers to cleaning the latrines to more technical engineering and accounting jobs, has been outsourced to private firms that then contract out individual jobs, often...
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written by Noah Coburn (Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2018), 409 page(s)
Description
War is one of the most lucrative job markets for an increasingly global workforce. Most of the work on American bases, everything from manning guard towers to cleaning the latrines to more technical engineering and accounting jobs, has been outsourced to private firms that then contract out individual jobs, often to the lowest bidder. An "American" base in Afghanistan or Iraq will be staffed with workers from places like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, th...
War is one of the most lucrative job markets for an increasingly global workforce. Most of the work on American bases, everything from manning guard towers to cleaning the latrines to more technical engineering and accounting jobs, has been outsourced to private firms that then contract out individual jobs, often to the lowest bidder. An "American" base in Afghanistan or Iraq will be staffed with workers from places like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Turkey, Bosnia, and Nepal: so-called "third-country nationals." Tens of thousands of these workers are now fixtures on American bases. Yet, in the plethora of records kept by the U.S. government, they are unseen and uncounted—their stories untold.Noah Coburn traces this unseen workforce across seven countries, following the workers' often zigzagging journey to war. He confronts the varied conditions third-country nationals encounter, ranging from near slavery to more mundane forms of exploitation. Visiting a British Imperial training camp in Nepal, U.S. bases in Afghanistan, a café in Tbilisi, offices in Ankara, and human traffickers in Delhi, Coburn seeks out a better understanding of the people who make up this unseen workforce, sharing powerful stories of hope and struggle.Part memoir, part travelogue, and part retelling of the war in Afghanistan through the eyes of workers, Under Contract unspools a complex global web of how modern wars are fought and supported, narrating war stories unlike any other. Coburn's experience forces readers to reckon with the moral questions of a hidden global war-force and the costs being shouldered by foreign nationals in our name.
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Field of Study
Politics & Current Affairs
Content Type
Book
Author / Creator
Noah Coburn
Date Published / Released
2018
Publisher
Stanford University Press
Topic / Theme
Afghanistan and its Borders, Military aid, War, Globalization, Liberalism, Labor contracts, United Nations Intervention in Afghanistan, October 7, 2001-, September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001, United States Intervention in Afghanistan, December 22, 2001-, Afghans, 21st Century in World History (2001– ), 20th Century in World History (1914--2000)
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Copyright © 2018 Stanford University Press
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Asia's Regional Architecture
written by Andrew Yeo, fl. 2008 (Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2019), 264 page(s)
During the Cold War, the U.S. built a series of alliances with Asian nations to erect a bulwark against the spread of communism and provide security to the region. Despite pressure to end bilateral alliances in the post-Cold War world, they persist to this day, even as new multilateral institutions have sprung up...
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written by Andrew Yeo, fl. 2008 (Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2019), 264 page(s)
Description
During the Cold War, the U.S. built a series of alliances with Asian nations to erect a bulwark against the spread of communism and provide security to the region. Despite pressure to end bilateral alliances in the post-Cold War world, they persist to this day, even as new multilateral institutions have sprung up around them. The resulting architecture may aggravate rivalries as the U.S., China, and others compete for influence. However, Andrew Y...
During the Cold War, the U.S. built a series of alliances with Asian nations to erect a bulwark against the spread of communism and provide security to the region. Despite pressure to end bilateral alliances in the post-Cold War world, they persist to this day, even as new multilateral institutions have sprung up around them. The resulting architecture may aggravate rivalries as the U.S., China, and others compete for influence. However, Andrew Yeo demonstrates how Asia's complex array of bilateral and multilateral agreements may ultimately bring greater stability and order to a region fraught with underlying tensions. Asia's Regional Architecture transcends traditional international relations models. It investigates change and continuity in Asia through the lens of historical institutionalism. Refuting claims regarding the demise of the liberal international order, Yeo reveals how overlapping institutions can promote regional governance and reduce uncertainty in a global context. In addition to considering established institutions such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, he discusses newer regional arrangements including the East Asia Summit, Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the Belt and Road Initiative. This book has important implications for how policymakers think about institutional design and regionalism in Asia and beyond.
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Field of Study
Politics & Current Affairs
Content Type
Book
Author / Creator
Andrew Yeo, fl. 2008
Date Published / Released
2019
Publisher
Stanford University Press
Topic / Theme
Asia-Pacific Security, NATO, Diplomacy, Geography, International trade, International relations, Cold War, 1945-1989, Asians
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2019 Stanford University Press
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