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Two major challenges

Bridging the Gap: Theory and Practice in Cybersecurity Policy Johan Eriksson The Swedish Institute of International Affairs www.ui.se johan.eriksson@ui.se. Two major challenges. Bridging the gap between political and technical expertise Bridging the gap between theory and practice.

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Two major challenges

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  1. Bridging the Gap: Theory and Practice in Cybersecurity PolicyJohan ErikssonThe Swedish Institute of International Affairswww.ui.sejohan.eriksson@ui.se

  2. Two major challenges • Bridging the gap between political and technical expertise • Bridging the gap between theory and practice

  3. Bridging the gap between political and technical expertise • Technical experts dominate research and development in cybersecurity • How? • Why? • Is this a problem? • Social science can help answer questions about for example: • The political context of cybersecurity • The identity, motives, and organizational forms of adversaries • The symbolic-political effects of attacks and countermeasures • Obstacles and opportunities for policy coordination across bureucratic, public-private, and international boundaries

  4. How to bridge the gap between political and technical expertise • Insightful individuals in both camps must take the lead • Appreciate that it takes time to reach an understanding of each others’ perspectives • Do not seek a single joint approach: see differences in methodology as complementary advantages • Join focus on concrete issues, such as particular events or infrastructures • Economic incentive: cross-disciplinary collaboration is supported by major research funds • Fora for cross-disciplinary research, e.g. Journal of Information Technology & Politics

  5. Swedish research collaboration on cybersecurity • CATS/National Defence College and the Swedish Institute of International Affairs • Information operations, cybersecurity, threat analysis • Social science approach • National IT security research network for PhD students (computer science) • Defence Research Establishment (mainly technical expertise) • Royal Technical University, and Kista Science Center • Technical expertise, computer science • Lindholmen Science Park, Security Arena (lindholmen.se) • Public-private partnership (Ericsson, IBM, Volvo, Chalmers Technical University, Göteborg University) • Crisis management and CIP, computer science focus

  6. How to bridge the gap between theory and practice • From research and analysis to policy and action • The two cultures • What can researchers contribute with? • Conditions for policy impact

  7. Usable research? • Research as data – instrumental utilization • Improving the factual knowledge-base of policy • Research as ideas – conceptual utilization • Shaping practitioners’ understanding of the nature and consequences of problems and alternative responses • Research as arguments – symbolical utilization • Legitimating decisions which have already been made, or supporting critique of decisions

  8. Conditions for utilization • Research as data is more likely to be used: • When there is consensus on values and interests • Absence of conflict within and between agencies • When decision makers (or their staff) are analytically sophisticated • When input of research into policy is institutionalized

  9. Conditions for utilization, continued • Research as ideas is more likely to be used: • When a crisis opens opportunities for reform, creating a demand for new ideas • When there is consensus that there is a need for a new policy • When decision makers are intellectually inclined (”thinkers” more than ”doers) • When a new idea fits within the overarching policy paradigm

  10. Conditions for utilization, continued • Research as arguments is more likely to be used: • In parliaments and in courts • When there is conflict over basic values and interests • After the fact: when decisions have already been made

  11. If you have lots of time to read: Eriksson, J. & G. Giacomello, eds (2007) International Relations and Security in the Digital Age (Routledge). Eriksson, J. & G. Giacomello (2006) The Information Revolution, Security, and International Relations: (IR)relevant Theory?, International Political Science Review, 27(3): 221-244. Eriksson, J. (2006) Power Disparity in the Digital Age. In O.F. Knudsen (ed.) Security Strategies, Power Disparity and Identity: The Baltic Sea Region (Ashgate Publishing). Contact: johan.eriksson@ui.se Tel +46 (0)8 511 768 21 Thank You!

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