The overarching question imparting urgency to this exploration is: Can U.S.-Russian contention in cyberspace cause the two nuclear superpowers to stumble into war? In considering this question we were constantly reminded of recent comments by a prominent U.S. arms control expert: At least as dangerous as the risk of an actual cyberattack, he observed, is cyber operations’ “blurring of the line between peace and war.” Or, as Nye wrote, “in the cyber realm, the difference between a weapon and a non-weapon may come down to a single line of code, or simply the intent of a computer program’s user.”
6 Special Initiatives
American Secretaries of State
The Future of Diplomacy Project at Harvard Kennedy School in partnership with the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School has launched a new initiative entitled, “American Secretaries of State: Diplomacy, Negotiation and Statecraft.” This project is chaired by Professor Nicholas Burns of the Harvard Kennedy School, Professor James Sebenius of the Harvard Business School and Professor Robert Mnookin from Harvard Law School.
An Economic View of the Environment
Robert N. Stavins is the A.J. Meyer Professor of Energy & Economic Development, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Director of the Harvard Environmental Economics Program, Director of Graduate Studies for the Doctoral Program in Public Policy and the Doctoral Program in Political Economy and Government, Co-Chair of the Harvard Business School-Kennedy School Joint Degree Programs, and Director of the Harvard Project on Climate Agreements.
Cuban Missile Crisis
Designed to help policymakers, students, and interested citizens draw lessons from these critical events half a century ago, this site not only provides background on the crisis that brought the world to the brink of nuclear disaster in October 1962 but also offers tools to understand how it can inform contemporary policy.
Elbe Group
As US and Soviet forces converged in Germany in the final days of WWII, soldiers from both armies met at the River Elbe near Torgau. That historic meeting of comrades, united in the face of common threats, is the inspiration for the creation of a unique group, the Elbe Group.
Russia Matters
The aim of Russia Matters is to improve the understanding of Russia and the U.S.-Russian relationship among America’s policymakers and the concerned public. It does so by showcasing the best expertise on Russia and its relationships with the rest of the world, by providing relevant factual data and by offering related digests of news and analysis.
Thucydides's Trap
Welcome to the Harvard Thucydides's Trap Project, where you can find information about Graham Allison's new book "Destined for War," explore the Thucydides's Trap Case File, and learn more about the defining challenge of the 21st century.