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The CSS aligns subject matter experts from academia, government and industry to counter threats to security globally.

The CSS delivers detailed multidisciplinary analysis of the motivation, actions and locations of groups and individuals seeking to undermine the stability of democratic governments, the legitimacy of global business and the efficacy of international charities.
Providing reassurance in times of uncertainty, the CSS works closely with its clients and partners to develop bespoke strategic insight and deliver tailored threat mitigation solutions.
All students in the School of Society and Culture have access to the CSS's expertise through their courses. Students and academics across the University and beyond are welcome to contribute their perspectives, comments, and analyses to the Centre's ongoing efforts.

Our mission

New advances create new risks

The rapid technological advances of the past 50 years have enabled unparalleled global interconnectivity, accelerated international trade, and produced a multitude of socio-political ties. These advances have, however, created opportunities for certain state and non-state actors to degrade the freedoms of a liberal worldview, to challenge the stability of geopolitical alignment, and to threaten the prospect of sustained global order through malign sub-threshold hybrid activity.

Malign hybrid activity

Malign hybrid activity ─ such as cyber attacks, full-spectrum information operations, the deployment of proxy forces, international market manipulation, subversion and sabotage ─ is actively promoted among illiberal autocratic governments and non-state actors seeking to exploit the ambiguity of the sub-threshold environment. Actions such as these represent a significant threat to the foundations of the Rules-based International Order. Crucially, they jeopardise the security, stability and innovative potential of free market economies while compromising the welfare of those who challenge the falsehoods of authoritarian dogma.
The precise nature and finite structure of contemporary hybrid threats is poorly understood. Nevertheless, their harmful influence on democratic international relations and the maintenance of global security continues to attract attention.

Understanding and countering hybrid threats

The primary goal of hybrid threats analysis is to identify, map and counter contemporary hybrid threats and the actors associated with them. This goal is accomplished by aligning subject matter experts with specific problem areas while fostering a collaborative approach. Global discourse is actively encouraged through a multidisciplinary approach and a diverse range of analyses and publications.
In furtherance of this mission, the Centre for Sea Power and Strategy places a strategic focus on addressing hybrid threats. This commitment is realised through a variety of means, including corporate workshops, academic conferences, and specialised briefings. These initiatives are specifically designed to foster new individual relationships and reinforce existing collaborations, particularly in the context of preparedness. This concerted effort aims to enhance our understanding of hybrid threats and bolster our capabilities for countering them effectively.
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