Confidence building measures as soft power? : a contribution to the study of international cybersecurity

Abstract

The topic of this thesis is“CBMs and international cooperation within cybersecurity”. The central research question it examines is: How can the use of CBMs in diplomacy enhance international cooperation within cybersecurity? In order to investigate this issue, I decided to conduct a number of in-depth interviews with experts within this field; these two groups of experts primarily consist of diplomats and researchers. Myfindings can be divided in two parts; the first concerns consequences of the emergence of the network society for diplomacy; the second part regards possibilities and limits of CBMs within international cybersecurity.Issues related to transparency, terminology and imageconstitute the core of these findings. The studydemonstrates that communication is a fundamental part of confidence building. Whileagreeing on specificmultilateral CBMs within cybersecurity appears to be a difficult task at this early stage of international discussions, efforts at reaching agreement on cyber CBMs can be a type of CBM in itself.CBMs createmutualunderstanding, build relations and ultimately reduce the risk of misunderstanding and misperceptions which could lead to wrong decisions and the escalation of conflicts.Soft power represents a useful way to approach these issues as soft power and CBMs can be mutually reinforcing.