The Neuropolitical Imaginaries of Cognitive Warfare
(2024) In Security Dialogue- Abstract
- The concept of cognitive warfare is currently gaining ground in the policy discussion and in academic research as a way of conceptualizing the ‘weaponization of the neurosciences.’ Introducing the STS-inspired concept of ‘neuropolitical imaginaries’ and assessing discussions on cognitive warfare launched by the NATO Innovation Hub in 2017, this article explores how the contemporary turn to the brain sciences in defence and security reimagines politics. The article argues that seeing the human mind as increasingly vulnerable to external interference redefines the nature of human agency by giving precedence to the skilful ‘cartographer’ employing neuroscientific techniques and methods for persuasion. This emerging vulnerability of the human... (More)
- The concept of cognitive warfare is currently gaining ground in the policy discussion and in academic research as a way of conceptualizing the ‘weaponization of the neurosciences.’ Introducing the STS-inspired concept of ‘neuropolitical imaginaries’ and assessing discussions on cognitive warfare launched by the NATO Innovation Hub in 2017, this article explores how the contemporary turn to the brain sciences in defence and security reimagines politics. The article argues that seeing the human mind as increasingly vulnerable to external interference redefines the nature of human agency by giving precedence to the skilful ‘cartographer’ employing neuroscientific techniques and methods for persuasion. This emerging vulnerability of the human mind reshapes security into a zero-sum game for ‘cognitive superiority’, making brain science scholars authorities in security. Finally, speaking to the literature on security expertise and science in security, the article argues that the envisaged arms race for cognitive superiority gives rise to a neuro-security dilemma: as the neurosciences becomes entangled with security, neuroscientific practices simultaneously arise as a core vulnerability, making their work conditional upon compliance with security practices. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/8a00d596-5205-4be2-ac7c-8fbec3aea285
- author
- Ördén, Hedvig LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- in press
- subject
- keywords
- critical security studies, cognitive warfare, neuroscience, science and technology studies (STS), securitization, hybrid warfare
- in
- Security Dialogue
- publisher
- SAGE Publications
- ISSN
- 0967-0106
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 8a00d596-5205-4be2-ac7c-8fbec3aea285
- date added to LUP
- 2024-03-18 09:57:18
- date last changed
- 2024-03-18 11:03:37
@article{8a00d596-5205-4be2-ac7c-8fbec3aea285,
abstract = {{The concept of cognitive warfare is currently gaining ground in the policy discussion and in academic research as a way of conceptualizing the ‘weaponization of the neurosciences.’ Introducing the STS-inspired concept of ‘neuropolitical imaginaries’ and assessing discussions on cognitive warfare launched by the NATO Innovation Hub in 2017, this article explores how the contemporary turn to the brain sciences in defence and security reimagines politics. The article argues that seeing the human mind as increasingly vulnerable to external interference redefines the nature of human agency by giving precedence to the skilful ‘cartographer’ employing neuroscientific techniques and methods for persuasion. This emerging vulnerability of the human mind reshapes security into a zero-sum game for ‘cognitive superiority’, making brain science scholars authorities in security. Finally, speaking to the literature on security expertise and science in security, the article argues that the envisaged arms race for cognitive superiority gives rise to a neuro-security dilemma: as the neurosciences becomes entangled with security, neuroscientific practices simultaneously arise as a core vulnerability, making their work conditional upon compliance with security practices.}},
author = {{Ördén, Hedvig}},
issn = {{0967-0106}},
keywords = {{critical security studies; cognitive warfare; neuroscience; science and technology studies (STS); securitization; hybrid warfare}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{SAGE Publications}},
series = {{Security Dialogue}},
title = {{The Neuropolitical Imaginaries of Cognitive Warfare}},
year = {{2024}},
}