Strategic and Security Studies

This research area addresses the definitional ambiguities and methodological challenges in conceptualizing grand strategy, a core idea in strategic studies concerning a state's long-term plan integrating military, diplomatic, and economic priorities. Understanding grand strategy's definition and operationalization is crucial for coherent theoretical development and empirical research in international relations and security policy, given its centrality in guiding state behavior and policy formulation.

This theme investigates how strategic communication functions as a vital mechanism in contemporary national security, encompassing information management, public opinion shaping, and countering hybrid threats such as misinformation and psychological operations. Its significance lies in integrating communication strategies with defense and security objectives to enhance societal resilience and safeguard national interests.

This research area explores the increasing role of coordinated scientific research, technology development, and innovation policies in strengthening national and regional security. It investigates institutional mechanisms, intergovernmental cooperation, and the impact of research on security autonomy and capability-building, especially within the European Union and member states. The focus is on aligning defense needs with national innovation systems to address emerging security challenges efficiently.

This theme focuses on the understanding of military security as an integral part of national security systems, emphasizing its intersection with economic management and structural state capacities. It considers military spending impacts on macroeconomic indicators, the strategic allocation of resources, and the complex trade-offs states face in securing populations amid diverse external and internal threats in a globalized world.

This research area examines decentralized, community-based policing models as innovative responses to internal security challenges in fragile contexts. It investigates the operational effectiveness, recruitment policies, training programs, and overall impact of regional police forces on crime reduction and public trust enhancement, providing insights into governance adaptations to security deficits in complex social environments.

This area explores the socio-political and economic factors underpinning persistent insecurity in zones affected by insurgency. It focuses on the interplay between governance failures, ungoverned spaces, and terror group activities within local political economies. Understanding these interactions is vital for designing community-driven policies aimed at regaining state authority and curbing violent extremism.

This theme examines the application of classical and modern geopolitical theories—such as Heartland Theory, Sea Power, and Rimland Theory—to understand and interpret the behavior of major and emerging global powers. It integrates case studies on alliances, regional conflicts, and strategic partnerships to analyze ongoing shifts in international relations and security balances.

This area investigates how national narratives, especially in states facing hostile environments, serve as tools for internal cohesion and external alignment affecting security policy formation. It combines political science and international relations theory to understand the strategic-cultural foundations and structural pressures driving narrative construction and its implications on national security.

This research theme delves into the transformations in the security landscape induced by globalization, non-state actors, and unconventional threats such as terrorism and cyber warfare. It examines theoretical shifts, methodological challenges, and the implications for state security functions in a world where internal-external security divisions erode and new governance paradigms emerge.

This theme explores state responses to maritime security challenges through military agreements, defense concepts, and public engagement. It assesses how countries navigate great power competition, assert territorial sovereignty, and enhance deterrence capabilities via alliances, technology acquisition, and community involvement in sensitive maritime theaters.

This research scope investigates how hybrid warfare tactics—including political, economic, psychological, and military methods—affect internal democratic resilience and external geopolitical orientations. It scrutinizes the effectiveness of Western support and highlights the challenges of authoritarian influence eroding pro-Western policies in vulnerable states.

This theme explores the nexus between internal security fragility, outdated legal frameworks, porous borders, and arms proliferation, assessing their impact on national stability. It critically examines state capacity deficits and governance quality as key drivers of illegal arms flows and associated violence, emphasizing policy and institutional reform needs.

This theme investigates the multifaceted consequences of social media censorship on citizen participation, economic activity, and public health communication. It evaluates the tension between political security preservation and adverse impacts on economic livelihoods and health advocacy, analyzing policy trade-offs and proposing recommendations for balancing security and civil rights.

This area examines the strategic feasibility and politico-military implications of defending near-border urban centers in the Baltic region against Russian aggression. It analyzes Russian logistical constraints observed in Ukraine, technological trends favoring defense, and the political imperatives driving territorial defense decisions within the NATO context.