The Strength of Weakness: Weaponized Information

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dc.contributor.authorThomas, Raymond Christopheren
dc.contributor.committeechairWeisband, Edwarden
dc.contributor.committeememberNelson, Scott G.en
dc.contributor.committeememberLuke, Timothy W.en
dc.contributor.departmentPolitical Scienceen
dc.date.accessioned2017-05-20T08:00:12Zen
dc.date.available2017-05-20T08:00:12Zen
dc.date.issued2017-05-19en
dc.description.abstractThe Russian Federation has recently implemented a foreign policy strategy aimed at subverting the West’s ability to deter Russia from destabilizing its neighbors. This strategy combines elements of conventional military strategy with “weaponized information” in order to achieve success in the political and military arenas of conflict. “Weaponized Information” goes beyond the “network-centric” warfare envisioned by cyber security experts, focused instead upon the development of “fake news,” disinformation, and encouraging conflicting media narratives. This thesis explores this strategy through Thomas Schelling’s framework of deterrence elucidated in Arms and Influence and uses recent events in Ukraine, Syria, the United States, and Europe to describe the development and implementation of “weaponized information” in 21st Century international conflicts.en
dc.description.abstractgeneralBeginning with the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014, this thesis will examine the development of Russia’s strategy of “weaponized information.” “Weaponized information” includes: “fake news,” election tampering, disinformation, and hacking. Weaponized information compliments conventional military operations in order to keep Russia’s adversaries from realizing they are under attack and keeps Russia’s adversaries from intervening against Russia. This thesis examines the historical reasons Russia has developed this strategy, how it intersects with theory on how to stop adversaries from intervening against a country’s actions, and provides real-world examples of how and where weaponized information is used. Understanding these events will better prepare the United States and the West to defend themselves against aggressive states that seek to harm them. This thesis also attempts to provide to combine understanding of this military strategy with academic work on how to analyze it to better prepare future scholars who research in this field.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Artsen
dc.format.mediumETDen
dc.identifier.othervt_gsexam:11705en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/77694en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectDeterrenceen
dc.subjectWeaponized Informationen
dc.subjectInformation Warfareen
dc.subjectUkraineen
dc.subjectRussiaen
dc.subjectUnited Statesen
dc.subjectForeign Policyen
dc.subjectFake Newsen
dc.subjectHybrid Warfareen
dc.titleThe Strength of Weakness: Weaponized Informationen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplinePolitical Scienceen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Artsen

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