Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons^™

The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, And The 21st Century’S Greatest Dilemma, Peter Khooshabeh, Robert Underwood

Joint Force Quarterly

Mustafa Suleyman’s The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the 21st Century’s Greatest Dilemma explores the transformative and disruptive impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) and synthetic biology (SynBio), highlighting their potential benefits and existential risks. Suleyman, a co-founder of Google DeepMind, examines the "containment problem"—how to manage the unforeseen consequences of these rapidly advancing technologies. He underscores the democratization of power these technologies enable, their global accessibility, and their potential to create profound societal changes. While Suleyman argues that reinforcing nation-states is essential for containment, the book raises questions about whether international cooperation might be a more viable solution. Suleyman presents …

China’S Use Of Armed Coercion: To Win Without Fighting, Ian Forsyth

Joint Force Quarterly

China’s Use of Armed Coercion, edited by James A. Siebens, examines how China employs military and paramilitary forces to coerce and signal without triggering war, offering valuable insights for policymakers and military strategists. The book analyzes over 200 coercive operations (2000–2021) and highlights China’s ability to frame its actions as defensive while advancing its regional ambitions through intimidation, direct deterrence, and coercion. Case studies, such as sovereignty disputes with the Philippines and India, underscore how China’s military actions are calibrated to avoid outright conflict but maximize psychological and political pressure. The book also explores China’s integration of military and …

Polybian Warfare: The First Punic War As A Case Study In Strategic Competition And Joint Warfighting, Casey B. Baker

Joint Force Quarterly

The First Punic War (264–241 BCE) between Rome and Carthage offers timeless lessons on strategic competition and joint warfare, particularly relevant for modern military strategy. This 23-year conflict highlights the challenges of long-term rivalries, where adaptability, alliances, and mastery of new domains like maritime power were critical to success. Rome’s transformation from a land power to a dominant naval force demonstrates the importance of technological innovation, such as the corvus boarding device, and the ability to sustain costly investments in new capabilities. Carthage’s reliance on mercenaries like Spartan general Xanthippus showcases both the advantages and risks of external support, while …

It’S The Chain That Broke It: The Strategic Supply Chains Underpinning National Security, Gregory M. Tomlin

Joint Force Quarterly

Strategic supply chain vulnerabilities threaten the Department of Defense’s (DOD) ability to maintain readiness and protect national security. Global supply chains, often dependent on multiple subcontractor tiers, are highly prone to disruptions from geopolitical events, foreign interference, cybersecurity risks, and shortages of critical materials, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and in delays like those affecting F-35 production. To address these challenges, the DOD must adopt "strategic supply chains" as a core concept in its doctrine, emphasizing continuous risk assessment and safeguards like multisourcing, supply chain nerve centers, and contingency planning. Updating key policies and doctrines, such as Joint Publications …

Bullets, Bandages, And Fairy Dust: Improving Dmo Health Services Support With Wargaming, Debra D. Buckland-Coffey, Robert P. Gerbracht, Kengo Nishida, William R. Gureck

Joint Force Quarterly

Health services support is a critical yet often overlooked component of distributed maritime operations (DMO) and expeditionary advanced base operations (EABO). In exercises and wargames, medical logistics are frequently “fairy dusted”—assumed to function without realistic planning—despite the immense challenges of managing high casualty rates, complex supply chains, and limited evacuation timelines in contested environments like the Indo-Pacific. This article highlights the need for better integration of health services into wargames and exercises, emphasizing the importance of realistic scenarios, multilateral cooperation, and investment in modeling tools. By addressing these gaps, military planners can improve readiness, reduce risks, and better prepare for …

Updating The Tacs/Aags For Large-Scale Combat Operations, Matthew Neuenswander

Joint Force Quarterly

The Theater Air Control System (TACS) and Army Air-Ground System (AAGS) have been critical frameworks for coordinating air and ground operations between the U.S. Army and Air Force since the Vietnam War. Designed to synchronize air support, airspace control, and joint fires, the system has evolved to meet changing military strategies, including today’s shift from counterinsurgency to large-scale combat operations. However, challenges persist, such as gaps in airspace management, fires integration, and resource allocation, particularly with the Air Force’s downsizing of Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) personnel. Conflicting priorities, coalition partner limitations, and new Army structures like the Multi-Domain Task …

Determining Political Objectives, Milan Vego

Joint Force Quarterly

Political objectives are the backbone of national and coalition security strategies, shaping the direction and outcomes of conflicts. Defined by political leaders with input from military advisors, these objectives must strike a balance between goals, resources, and methods to be achievable. However, the process is often complicated by competing priorities, biases, and the need to adapt to changing conditions. History has shown the dangers of mismatched resources, flawed intelligence, and unrealistic ambitions, as seen in conflicts like the Russo-Japanese War, Gulf War, and the Russia-Ukraine war. Clear and well-defined objectives—whether focused on defense, conquest, or diplomacy—are essential for success. Achieving …

Is The Pla Overestimating The Potential Of Artificial Intelligence?, Koichiro Takagi

Joint Force Quarterly

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into its military modernization strategy, or "intelligentization," aiming to develop a world-class military capable of designing future warfare. This article reviews over 370 PLA Daily articles to assess how the PLA envisions AI transforming key areas of warfare, including situational awareness, decisionmaking, unmanned weapons, and cognitive domain operations. While the PLA anticipates significant advantages, it also acknowledges the risks of system malfunctions, biased data, ethical dilemmas, and adversarial manipulation. Despite these limitations, the PLA remains committed to leveraging AI to create new forms of warfare, emphasizing the importance of proactive …

Celtic Security In The Atlantic: How Does Ireland Secure Europe’S Western Flank?, Patrick J. Smith

Joint Force Quarterly

Ireland plays a crucial role in protecting Europe’s western flank, but growing Russian aggression has exposed serious gaps in its security. With a small, outdated naval fleet, limited air capabilities, and inadequate radar systems, Ireland struggles to defend its airspace, waters, and critical undersea cables—vital infrastructure that carries 97% of transatlantic data and underpins global communication and security. These vulnerabilities have made Ireland a target for Russian sabotage and incursions, posing risks to Europe and the transatlantic alliance.

The article explores two paths for Ireland to address these security challenges: joining NATO or seeking Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with …

The Urgency Of Warfighting Renewal: Five Principles For Today’S Professional Military Education, Christopher M. Marcell, Gaylon L. Mcalpine, Reagan E. Schaupp, Joseph L. Varuolo

Joint Force Quarterly

This article highlights the urgent need to reform Professional Military Education (PME) to prioritize warfighting skills and strategic thinking, as called for in the 2018 National Defense Strategy. Despite recent updates to include China and Russia-focused content, PME programs remain misaligned with their core mission of developing leaders proficient in the art and science of war.

A key challenge is the growing number of external requirements unrelated to warfighting—such as climate security and diversity initiatives—that dilute PME’s focus and weaken instructional quality. The authors recommend establishing a central authority to vet these requirements and ensure they align with warfighting priorities. …

Being Believed: Persuasion And The Narrative In Military Operations, Brent A. Lawniczak

Joint Force Quarterly

This article examines the vital role of persuasive narratives in modern military operations, highlighting their power to shape perceptions, influence behavior, and achieve strategic objectives across the competition continuum. Narratives are described as unifying stories that provide context, coherence, and clarity to military actions, ensuring alignment between words and deeds while promoting credibility and unity of effort.

The article also explores the key elements of effective narratives—setting, characters, plot, and moral—and identifies factors that enhance their persuasiveness. These include emotional appeal, simplicity, consistency with audience values, relatable characters, trust in the narrator, and resonance with cultural and historical contexts.

Military …

The Art Of Campaigning: Joint Planners Working At The Intersections Of Everything, Mary Bell, Edgar M. Hollandsworth, Thomas J. Snukis, Jeffrey Turner, Luke P. Bellocchi, Nicholas Anthony, Steve Tribble, Chris Botterbusch, Justin D. Harper

Joint Force Quarterly

This article examines the evolution of military campaigning from traditional large-scale combat operations to ongoing efforts that shape the global environment and achieve long-term strategic goals. It highlights the role of Combatant Command Campaign Plans (CCPs) in aligning national strategies with operational objectives and addressing modern challenges like cyber, cognitive, and information warfare.

Key topics include the importance of a Combatant Commander’s (CCDR) vision, the integration of global and regional plans, and the use of strategic wargaming to refine approaches. The article also addresses challenges such as delays in guidance, fragmented planning structures, and adapting to dynamic environments.

Finally, it …

Adopting A Data-Centric Mindset For Operational Planning, Jeremiah Hurley, Morgan Greene

Joint Force Quarterly

The Department of Defense (DOD) is investing heavily in advanced technologies, but its true advantage lies in adopting a data-centric mindset that prioritizes the collection, integration, and use of data to drive faster, smarter decision-making. To modernize its outdated operational planning processes, the DOD must replace static tools like PowerPoint and spreadsheets with real-time data visualizations, automated systems, and standardized data collection templates. By formalizing a "data-first" culture, operational planning can identify and address critical information gaps, improve battlefield awareness, and accelerate mission execution. This approach enables commanders to make more informed decisions while unlocking the full potential of artificial …

Preparing For Adversary Employment Of Nonstrategic Nuclear Weapons: Tactical Effects, Operational Impacts, Strategic Implications, James H. Gifford

Joint Force Quarterly

For over 30 years after the Cold War, the U.S. largely dismissed the threat of tactical nuclear weapons on the battlefield. However, recent nuclear threats from adversaries like Russia have highlighted the need to revisit U.S. strategies. Tactical nuclear weapons differ from strategic ones by their delivery systems, not their destructive power. On the battlefield, they could cause casualties, disrupt missions, and overwhelm medical resources. Operationally, they could create logistical challenges, civilian panic, and delays in military responses. Strategically, even a limited nuclear strike could escalate quickly, requiring leaders to carefully balance deterrence, messaging, and responses to avoid all-out nuclear …

Risk: A Weak Element In U.S. Strategy Formulation, Frank Hoffman

Joint Force Quarterly

This article explores the critical but often overlooked role of risk analysis in U.S. national security decision-making, emphasizing its importance in strategy formulation and execution. Risk, defined as the potential for adverse outcomes tied to uncertainties, is frequently misunderstood or ignored, leading to flawed assumptions, bias-driven decisions, and costly strategic failures. Using examples from Iraq, Afghanistan, and the operation to capture Osama bin Laden, the article illustrates how inadequate risk management has hampered strategic outcomes. It highlights the need for a consistent framework for assessing risk, broader than current military doctrine, to address political, economic, and diplomatic risks. Recommendations include …

Executive Summary, William T. Eliason

Joint Force Quarterly

This issue of Joint Force Quarterly explores the fall of Bashar al-Asad’s regime in Syria, marking a major geopolitical shift with significant implications for the Middle East and beyond. It examines the role of U.S. and NATO strategies in this outcome and raises critical questions about post-conflict support and the future military posture in the region.

Key topics include managing risk in U.S. national security decisions, the strategic implications of Russia’s vast nonstrategic nuclear arsenal, and the rising role of artificial intelligence in military planning. Insights are provided on enhancing joint warfighting capabilities, improving military education, and modernizing command systems …

Joint Force Quarterly, Issue 116, 1st Quarter 2025, National Defense University Press

Joint Force Quarterly

Joint Force Quarterly 116 explores key challenges and innovations in military strategy, operations, and global security. The Forum section examines how the U.S. approaches risk in its strategy, the impact of nonstrategic nuclear weapons, and the importance of using data-driven methods in planning military operations.

In JPME Today, articles focus on how joint military campaigns succeed, the role of storytelling and persuasion in operations, and the urgent need to modernize professional military education.

The Commentary section highlights Ireland's strategic role in securing Europe’s western flank and evaluates whether China’s military overestimates the potential of artificial intelligence.

The Features section dives …

Agu's Scientific Legacy, Eileen E. Hofmann, Tissa Illangasekare, Francis A. Macdonald, Michael J. Mcphaden, Anne Meltzer, Imke De Pater, Susan J. Roberts, Anne M. Thompson

OES Faculty Publications

The AGU community is a resource for insights into how past research has influenced today's science and will continue to inform the Earth and Space sciences of the future. To capture the voices and opinions from this community, three interviews were held at the 2024 AGU Meeting and broadcast on AGUTV. The interviews with Richard Alley, Susan Lozier and Rana Fine aligned with the daily themes for the 2024 AGU Meeting. The interviewees shared insights from their experiences about the importance of science and how science has shaped their careers and society.

Identifying Intangible And Biocultural Heritage Elements Toward Environmental Understanding: Engaging Stakeholders Through Art, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Grounded in a case study in Barbuda in the Caribbean, this research examines sustainability from the perspective of what arts and heritage can contribute to community engagement and local and broader understandings about the environment. This article documents a growing body of literature recognizing the role of arts and culture, including local knowledge and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), in climate change endeavors. Art and TEK present expansive world views. Contextual information situates research done on the island of Barbuda pre- and post-Hurricane Irma. Visual arts workshops engaged community members in mixed methods research. Results documented cultural elements, particularly intangible and …

Healing Communities With Police Divestment: Seeking Abolition Through Transformative Reform And Community-Government Collaboration, Jessica E. Gillson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Concerns about the efficacy and sustainability of the U.S. carceral system have persisted throughout the country’s history, recently fueling renewed activism and bipartisan calls for reform. However, proposed solutions remain divisive. This thesis first defines the current status of our prison systems, then explores collaborative alternatives to incarceration and policing that support communities and break cycles of incarceration.

Focusing on partnerships among local governments, community organizations, justice-involved individuals, and law enforcement, this study examines holistic approaches to crime prevention, reentry, and reintegration. Using an interdisciplinary framework incorporating restorative justice, community resilience, and systems theory, it investigates how community-based strategies can …

Civilian Manufacturing And National Defense: Strategic Planning For Globalization's Challenges, Izeck Kohler

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This thesis examines the interconnection between civilian manufacturing and national defense within the context of globalization. The study aims to identify the challenges faced by the United States in maintaining its manufacturing capabilities and to propose strategic solutions to address these challenges. Through a comprehensive analysis of historical data, case studies, and policy recommendations, the research highlights the critical role of specialized and process manufacturing sectors towards national defense. The findings suggest that the creation of a federal executive department, strategic investment, diversification, policy re-evaluation, and collaborating with allies are essential for sustaining national defense capabilities. The study concludes with …

Norfolk Core Redevelopments And Population Disruption Dispersal, Sumner Darling

Institute for the Humanities Master's Papers, Projects, and Capstones

This project is an analysis of the racial impacts of the redevelopment of the downtown area of Norfolk, Virginia in the period of 1939-1959. The overall goal is to understand the ethnic and racial impacts of redevelopment and how populations were treated differently during the two styles of redevelopment that were employed in the city. The existing research on this topic tends to focus on the segregation of the education system in the city over the community population segregation. This makes it difficult to find sources that show the impacts of other factors like redevelopment of minority communities. Through research …

Invisible No More: Looking And Listening Locally To Build Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Resilience, Anjali Thakore

CMC Senior Theses

The ubiquity of sexual violence, with its devastating physical and psychological consequences, has rendered conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) one of the most effective and enduring “invisible crimes” of war. Despite receiving growing attention across academic, political, and activist circles, wartime sexual violence remains pervasive in contemporary conflict zones. Against the backdrop of these frequent and recurring violations, this thesis explores the dissonance between high-level rhetorical commitments to preventing and punishing CRSV and on-the-ground realities. What soon emerges is a troubling pattern in which gendered violence—and women’s lived experiences more generally—while increasingly visible in theory, remains marginalised in practice. By investigating …

Faltered States: The Rise, Fall, And Containment Of Psychedelic Science In The United States, Baxter Brew

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis traces the history of psychedelic science in the United States and its implications for policymaking. In the postwar period, psychedelic researchers were enabled by a unique convergence of optimism in medical science and structural flexibility. But their hope blinded them to the deeper tensions of their field. As institutions grew increasingly rigid and risk-averse, the space for psychedelics began to close. Some scientists responded by fortifying the walls around them, developing socially and professionally acceptable research methods. Others tried to escape these walls entirely. But neither approach could prevent psychedelics from being squeezed out of formal inquiry. Yet …

Trust On Trial: How U.S. Foreign Policy Eroded Public Trust, Rawan Al-Samarrie

Undergraduate Research Posters

Public trust in the U.S. government has declined sharply over the past several decades, falling from roughly 75% in the late 1950s to almost 15% today. This project examines how major U.S. foreign policy decisions, specifically during the Vietnam War, the post-9/11 Global War on Terror, and the ongoing conflict in Palestine, have contributed to this erosion of trust. Through qualitative analysis of historical records, public opinion data, and scholarly assessments of U.S. military actions and their global consequences, the research identifies recurring patterns in how government narratives, media framing, and revelations of human rights violations shape public perception. Findings …

40 Years Passing By In (A) “Heartbeat”, Christopher Janney

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

This article outlines the forty-year history go Christopher Janney’s iconic performance work “HeartBeat.” Trained as an architect and jazz musician, Janney combines these two disciplines to create large interactive light/sound installations and performances. On the one hand, he attempts to make architecture more like music, more “alive” using real-time sensing devices as on his “Harmonic Convergence” installation on the Miami International Airport. On the other hand, he attempts to make music more like architecture, more physical more visual. In his “HeartBeat” performance, a dancer wears a heartbeat device that amplifies his/her heartbeat in “real time.” Over this pulse, live musicians …

Yoga Sūtra Book Four And The Yogabindu, Christopher Key Chapple

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

Four themes from the fourth pāda of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra are examined here: karma (IV:2-13), individuality (IV:16), humility (IV:20-22), and freedom (IV:29-34). Affirmations and variant interpretations of these four are provided from Haribhadra Virahāṅka’s Yogabindu, most likely composed a century or two later.

Collective Karma: From The Yogasūtra To Taylor Swift, Zoë Slatoff

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

The Indian knowledge traditions speak at length about karma, which is divided into three categories—accumulated (saṃcita), ripe (prārabdha), and future (kriyamāṇa). While much is said about our individual karma and how it affects our repeated reincarnation in cyclic existence, how does this affect others and how do others affect us? In other words, as this paper explores, what is our reciprocal and collective karma?

Painting Liberation: A Visual Ontology Of The Interplay Of Mind And Consciousness In Book Four Of The Yoga Sūtras, Melissa Townsend

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

This presentation explores how artistic practice can illuminate philosophical questions about the nature of mind, consciousness, and liberation as articulated in Book Four of the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali. Through a series of paintings that visually translate these sūtras, I propose that art offers a unique, experiential means of engaging with the complex relationship between citta (mind) and puruṣa (consciousness).

The paintings function as a form of “visual ontology,” inviting viewers to engage with abstract philosophical concepts in a sensory, tangible way. By depicting the interplay between the mutable processes of the mind and the unchanging awareness of consciousness, these …

Front Matter - Zamani 1, No. 2, Editors Note

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

The editors are pleased to present to you the second issue of Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies. Volume 1 Number 2 has a collection of research and forum articles as well as book reviews. There are four articles that builds from field research with different themes spanning from neolithic to the postcolonial periods. The themes include new neolithic dating; smallpox control in early colonial period in the former German East Africa (now Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi); evasion of colonial taxation; and the connection between land legislations and land conflicts among the peasant and pastoral communities. There are also …