851-0657-00L Digital Technologies and Armed Conflict
| Semester | Spring Semester 2025 |
| Lecturers | M. Vignati, F. Brugger |
| Periodicity | non-recurring course |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Abstract | Digital technologies are increasingly present in the context of armed conflicts, and they are primarily provided by private technology companies. This course presents current trends, analysing the risks involved in the digitisation of conflicts, both for civilians (as means and victims) and for private technology companies as the main actors of this transformation. | |||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | Students will learn how digital technologies are impacting modern conflicts and what are the actual and future trends in this domain. Students will focus on the implications for tech companies, understanding the new challenges from a technological, policy and legal perspective. | |||||||||||||||
| Content | 1. Technology in Warfare and the Dual-Use Dilemma 2. Technology in Humanitarian Action 3. International Humanitarian Law IHL 4. AI and Warfare 5. Hybrid and Unconventional Warfare, focus on Cognitive Warfare 6. Technology Companies and Armed Conflict 7. Digital Risks in Armed Conflicts and the Human Costs 8. Cyber Operations in Armed Conflict 9. Responsible Tech in Humanitarian Settings 10. Legal Challenges and Potential Future Scenarios | |||||||||||||||
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