Hybrid Warfare: An interdisciplinary Initiative
A new 海角社区 interdisciplinary initiative on hybrid warfare and conflicts seeks to bring together researchers from fields such as political science, computer science, psychology, law, communication, and war studies to address one of the most complex security challenges of the 21st century. The initiative is grounded in the understanding that hybrid threats do not respect disciplinary boundaries, and neither can the responses to them.
As defined by NATO (2026), “Hybrid methods of warfare – such as propaganda, deception, sabotage and other non-military tactics – have long been used to destabilise adversaries. What is new about attacks seen in recent years is their speed, scale and intensity, facilitated by rapid technological change and global interconnectivity.”
This definition highlights why hybrid warfare has become increasingly relevant: the convergence of digital platforms, artificial intelligence, cyber capabilities, and global information networks has dramatically amplified the reach and effectiveness of non-military tactics. Propaganda can be micro-targeted and automated, cyber sabotage can occur at high speed, and disinformation can spread globally..
The initiative responds to a growing need for interdisciplinary collaboration. We need to contextualize state and non-state actors’ strategies, to analyze digital infrastructures and rethink detection methods, to examine regulatory gaps and accountability frameworks, and to study resilience, trust, and societal vulnerability to manipulation.
By integrating these perspectives, the initiative aims to move beyond siloed approaches and develop a more holistic understanding of hybrid threats.. In an environment where the boundaries between war and peace are increasingly blurred, such cross-disciplinary cooperation is essential for both academic insight and real-world security.
The initiative is coordinated by the Digital Democracy Centre. Members of the inception coordination committee:
Claes Holger de Vreese (Digital Democracy Centre)
Ingvild Bode (Center of War Studies)
(IMADA, computer science)
Postdocs: André Rodarte, Louise Alison Tumchewics,
Contact: ddc@sdu.dk