Understanding hybrid warfare

Abstract

As the introduction to the special section on hybrid warfare, this paper establishes the contours of the contemporary debate about the topic, outlines the arguments made by the three papers that follow, and locates hybrid warfare in the broader realm of strategic thought. Enhancing the conceptual basis that hybrid war is grounded in allows us to understand the broader strategic implications of ambiguous uses of force. Collectively, the papers in this section offer fresh insight into non-Western perspectives of the concept, create original typologies for understanding the actors involved in its prosecution, and analyse the implications for international norms and institutions.