Defense and Security Studies Commons^™

Review Article: Monetary Power And National Security. A 10th Anniversary Review Of Paul R. Viotti’S The Dollar And National Security: The Monetary Component Of Hard Power (Stanford, Ca: Stanford University Press, 2014), Ricardo Crespo

Space and Defense

In this ten-year retrospective, Ricardo A. Crespo reassesses Paul R. Viotti’s The Dollar and National Security (2014) as a foundational text bridging the fields of monetary policy and national security. Viotti’s central thesis—that military power ultimately depends on a stable and privileged monetary foundation—has only grown more relevant amid today’s weaponization of finance and the geopolitics of sanctions. Crespo highlights Viotti’s argument that sustaining the U.S. dollar’s global dominance requires cooperative security and international consensus, noting how historical parallels—from the sterling gold standard to Bretton Woods—illustrate the fragility of monetary hegemony under fiscal mismanagement or political fragmentation. The review situates …

Plan To Fail By Failing To Plan: Deterring Prc Nuclear Force Expansion, Mark Tang, Grace Buettner

Space and Defense

This article argues that the United States must adapt its nuclear deterrence strategy to counter the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) accelerating nuclear force expansion. As Beijing seeks to achieve nuclear parity with Washington—projecting up to 1,500 warheads by 2035—the authors contend that U.S. strategy must evolve from Cold War-era models to meet the Indo-Pacific’s unique strategic challenges. They propose the establishment of a Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) A-10 Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration Division, modeled after its European counterpart, to enhance regional nuclear planning, integration, and allied assurance. The paper emphasizes the concept of escalation domination, arguing …

Earth’S Orbital Prison: Codifying Customary Law To Prevent Environmental Catastrophe In Space, Jacob Cook

Space and Defense

This article argues that the accelerating proliferation of space debris in low Earth orbit (LEO) poses an existential threat to the sustainability of the orbital environment—one comparable in strategic gravity to nuclear deterrence during the Cold War. Drawing on liberal internationalist theory and the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), the paper asserts that deliberate satellite destruction through anti-satellite (ASAT) testing and negligent debris generation risk triggering a self-sustaining cascade of collisions known as the Kessler Syndrome. Existing treaties, including the Outer Space Treaty and the Artemis Accords, lack enforceable mechanisms to prevent such catastrophic harm. To fill this …

Enabling The Decisive Advantage, Mallory Stewart

Space and Defense

In her keynote address at the 2025 USSPACECOM Legal Conference, former Assistant Secretary of State Mallory Stewart argues that law, norms, and international cooperation are central to maintaining the United States’ “decisive advantage” in outer space. She emphasizes that rules and standards—far from constraining innovation or strategic flexibility—enhance predictability, reduce risk, and empower responsible competition. Stewart highlights the success of initiatives such as the Artemis Accords, the U.S. commitment to forgo destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) tests, and the global expansion of Space Situational Awareness (SSA) agreements as examples of how legal and normative frameworks reinforce stability and collaboration. She …

Space, Law, And National Security, Stephen Whiting

Space and Defense

In his address to the 2025 USSPACECOM Legal Conference, General Stephen Whiting underscores the indispensable role of legal professionals in shaping the future of military space operations and maintaining the rules-based international order in an increasingly contested domain. He outlines the rapid transformation of the space environment driven by commercial innovation, technological proliferation, and the accelerating threat landscape posed by adversaries such as China and Russia. The speech highlights U.S. Space Command’s three “moral responsibilities”: ensuring the delivery of space capabilities to the joint force and allies, protecting and defending critical space assets, and safeguarding the joint force from space-enabled …

Allied Abandonment And Nuclear Proliferation: Lessons From South Korea’S Secret Nuclear Program, Joseph W. Brown

Space and Defense

This article examines South Korea’s clandestine nuclear weapons program of the 1970s as a historical case study for understanding how perceptions of allied abandonment can drive nuclear proliferation. Drawing on alliance theory and archival evidence, the paper situates Seoul’s nuclear ambitions within the context of U.S. burden-shifting under the Nixon Doctrine, subsequent troop withdrawals, and diplomatic retrenchment across East Asia. Despite the continued U.S. military presence, South Korean leaders interpreted American rhetoric and policy actions as signaling a waning commitment to the alliance, prompting the initiation of a secret weapons program under President Park Chung-hee. The study identifies two enduring …

In Defense Of Space Offense, Alexander R. Kleitz

Space and Defense

This article argues that in the unique physical and operational environment of outer space, offensive operations hold intrinsic advantages over defensive ones. Drawing upon classical military theorists such as Clausewitz and Corbett, the author contends that the traditional dominance of the defensive form of war—rooted in terrestrial conditions—does not extend to celestial conflict. The transparency and remoteness of the space domain neutralize key defensive benefits, such as proximity to supply bases, concealment, and fortified positions, while also diminishing the factors that typically cause terrestrial offensives to culminate. Consequently, space conflict favors the side that seizes and maintains the initiative through …

Raising Public Awareness On Space Themes: Analysis Of Brazilian Space Policy Using Data From Google Trends, Andrea Felippe Cabello, Michele Melo

Space and Defense

This study examines whether Brazil’s national space policy goal of increasing public awareness of space activities has been met, using Google Trends data as a proxy for public interest. While public perception surveys are scarce outside the United States, web-based data provide a cost-effective and timely alternative for gauging public engagement. The authors analyzed two decades (2004–2024) of Brazilian search activity related to space topics, institutions, technologies, companies, and missions. Results show no clear upward trend in public interest, suggesting that Brazil’s stated policy objectives of raising awareness have not yet translated into measurable outcomes. Although searches related to government …

Costly Signals In Space: Increasing Credibility Via Strategic Disclosure, Wendy N. Whitman Cobb

Space and Defense

As space becomes an increasingly vital domain for national security, debates persist about how much secrecy should surround U.S. military space programs. This article argues that the strategic declassification and disclosure of selected space capabilities can strengthen U.S. deterrence by enhancing the credibility of deterrent threats. Drawing from theories of costly signaling and audience costs, the paper introduces strategic disclosure as a novel form of costly signal. Such disclosure imposes bureaucratic and operational costs while exposing capabilities to potential adversary countermeasures—thereby demonstrating resolve and seriousness of intent. In tandem, greater public transparency about space programs cultivates informed domestic audiences capable …

Space And Defense Vol. 16 No. 2 Editor's Note, Damon Coletta

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Space And Defense Vol. 16 No. 2 Table Of Contents, Editors Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Space And Defense Vol. 16 No. 2 Front Matter, Editors Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Space & Defense Volume 16 Issue 2 Fall 2025 (Whole Issue), Editors Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Mass Layoffs And Its Potential Security Risk, Riley M. Mcdonough

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

This research paper aims to understand the threats posed to the United States' protection of national security regarding the use of OSINT. This paper identifies the risks associated with displaying personal information, such as security clearances. Understanding the Potential national security risks that mass layoffs by Doge may cause. Examine how foreign actors exploit this information and how layoffs impact their efforts to recruit potential spies.

Review Of Sheila A. Smith, Japan Rearmed: The Politics Of Military Power, Timothy C. Hebb

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

Sheila Smith, a long-time political scientist focused on Asia-Pacific studies and an expert on Japan specifically, would publish possibly her most influential work in 2019: Japan Rearmed: The Politics of Military Power. In this well-researched work of hers, she gives the reader an in-depth yet concise look at the reasons for Japan’s rearmament, the history of their Self Defense Force, and the challenging political situation that was built in the wake of a world war that still affects them today. This book goes over much of what is needed to understand why Japan’s military is in the shape it is …

Chinese Communist Party Infiltration Of U.S. Pacific Islands: Protecting American National Security Through Defending Strategic Pacific Assets, Contessa Amedore

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

Many Americans picture the U.S.’s Western most border to be the coast of California. However, when threats have historically formed in the Pacific, U.S. Pacific Island territories have served as the nation’s first line of defense. Today, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have slowly but ambitiously deployed new age or ‘unrestricted’ warfare tactics against the United States and allies in their long awaited plan to assume global hegemony. Their illegal infiltration and psychological operations have gone past Taipei and reached American soil in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. This paper examines how the (CCP) uses unrestricted warfare …

Securitizing Kinmen: China’S Gray Zone Strategy And The Evolution Of The Kinmen Model, Ian Murphy

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

This paper examines the evolving dynamics of cross-strait relations through the lens of securitization theory, focusing on China’s strategic deployment of what it calls the Kinmen Model and its implications for regional security. While existing discourse predominantly concentrates on a potential full-scale invasion of Taiwan, this study shifts attention to the strategic significance of the outlying islands and the nuanced employment of securitization to exert indirect control. Utilizing Vuori’s (2008) framework for analyzing securitization in non-democratic contexts, this research conducts a discourse analysis of nineteen Chinese language media sources to dissect the speech acts employed by Chinese media and their …

Heutagogy In Education: Transforming The Learner Experience, Andrej Iliev, Nevena Serafimova, Anita Ilieva Nikolovska, Dimitar Bogatinov, Aleksandar Petrovski, Biljana Karovska

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

Heutagogy (pronounced hyoo-tuh-goh-jee), derived from the Greek word "heureske," meaning "to discover," is closely related to heuristic learning. Coined by Hase and Kenyon in 2000, heutagogy refers to self-determined learning that operates independently of traditional teaching structures. Unlike pedagogy and andragogy, which emphasize teacher-directed instruction, heutagogy shifts the focus to learner autonomy, allowing students to choose what and how they learn.

Heutagogy represents a shift from teacher-centered to learner-centered education, grounded in two key philosophical approaches: humanism and constructivism. Humanism places the learner at the center of the educational process, while constructivism emphasizes active, self-determined learning. Although andragogy, which focuses …

Curriculum Insertion Proposal For The Academic-Military Education: The Rising Of Unmanned Aerial Systems (Uas/Drones) In Modern Combat, Tiago Marques Dos Santos Filho

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

The use of drones in the latest generation of combat has revolutionized military operations, offering new tactical and strategic-operational capabilities. Based on the author's practical experience and reference literature, using UAS in urban combat, peacekeeping missions, and jungle operations has proven to be extremely effective, providing significant advantages in terms of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and air support. Equipped with high-resolution cameras and advanced sensors, drones allow the collection of real-time critical information, assisting quick and accurate decision-making. This background raises the question of whether it is relevant to formally address this topic in academic-military undergraduation. The main hypothesis, that the …

Reforming Military Curriculum In The Era Of Big Data: Case Study Of The Albanian Armed Forces Academy, Etleva Smaci Assoc Prof

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

The digital revolution and the emergence of Big Data have profoundly impacted modern military operations. As data becomes a strategic asset, military education must evolve to prepare officers not only for traditional combat but also for data driven decision-making.

This case study explores how the Albanian Armed Forces Academy can reform its military curriculum to meet the demands of the Big Data era. The analysis is based on a review of contemporary literature and a survey conducted among students enrolled in the technology program at the Faculty of Defense and Security.

Findings indicate that students perceive the integration of big …