International Operational Law for Hybrid Warfare and Terrorism

The course deepens your understanding of the operational legal challenges arising from phenomena associated with the concepts of hybrid warfare and terrorism.

Hybrid warfare refers to strategies that combine various types of means and methods to defeat or otherwise influence an adversary—often in the grey zone between peace and war. A key characteristic of hybrid warfare is that it involves a combination of conventional and unconventional means and methods, which may be difficult to attribute to a specific actor or may fall short of open acts of warfare.

The concept includes, among other things, influence within the cognitive domain, such as deception and influence operations, as well as actions that fall under the term "lawfare". Terrorism is generally described as the threat or use of violence to cause fear or panic, particularly with the aim of influencing political actions.

The course begins with a series of lectures interspersed with self-study. This is followed by a combination of self-directed learning, group work, and seminars, all of which provide students with the foundation needed for the final written take-home examination.