Dr. Matthew Jenkins ('23) will discuss what drives states to pursue a space policy and the competitive landscape that is outer space.

About the Lecture: 

The lecture provides a historical overview of space competition, highlighting what drives states to go to space. The lecture concludes with an overview of the new landscape of space power competition in 2023 and highlights the role of non-state actors, commercial space, and dual-use systems including how they all combine to make space less transparent, and more unstable than it has ever been.

About the Speaker: 

Dr. Matthew Jenkins (’23) had spent 16 years serving in the U.S. Air Force and Space Force, where he built and operated satellites to support the military and the Intelligence Community. He was ready to learn additional skills beyond engineering. After falling in love with strategic-level policy during an assignment on Capitol Hill, he decided to pursue IWP’s Doctor of Statecraft of National Security to connect his technical expertise to an in-depth understanding of space policy issues. As a result, he has interfaced with the National Space Council at the Executive Office of the President and briefed the House Homeland Security Committee staff on emerging space challenges.

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The Changing Dynamics of Outer Space Competition with Dr. Matthew Jenkins

About the Lecture:
**This lecture is part of the Asia Initiative Lecture Series**

For 25 years after the end of the Cold War, most of the national security community assumed that nuclear weapon use was unlikely to be part of any future war. But over the last few years, North Korea has made regular threats of nuclear weapon use and Russia also threatened nuclear weapon use associated with its invasion of Ukraine. Moreover, the Chinese nuclear weapon force is rapidly expanding. These developments appear to make future nuclear weapon use more possible, especially limited nuclear weapon use. The escalatory implications of limited nuclear weapon use have not been well researched. This situation forces us to reevaluate more broadly the national security risks in many regions, and especially in Korea.

This briefing addresses four major security developments on the Korean peninsula that contribute jeopardy to the national security of South Korea, the United States, and other U.S. allies. Nuclear weapon use is of course a major issue, but so is North Korean instability. Another issue is the dramatic decline in the size of the ROK Army, the result of demographic challenges and political choices, especially when coupled with the ROK decision to only partially fund its plan to offset its manpower reductions with technology versus manpower tradeoffs. And the potential for third party intervention, and especially Chinese intervention, further complicates Korean security. These four issues are developed, and suggestions made for how South Korea and the United States can at least partially mitigate these challenges.”


About the Speaker:
Bruce W. Bennett is a Senior International/Defense Researcher at The RAND Corporation. He is an expert in Northeast Asian security issues, having visited the region over 125 times and written much about Korean security. His research addresses issues such as the North Korean military threats, countering the North Korean nuclear threat and provocations, future ROK military force requirements, Korean unification, the Korean military balance, and potential Chinese military intervention in North Korea. Dr. Bennett specializes in “asymmetric threats” such as weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and how to counter those threats with new strategies, operational concepts, and technologies. He has recently completed reports on the current North Korean nuclear, chemical, biological, and cyber threats, and teaches a class at the Pardee RAND Graduate School on “Understanding Nuclear Forces.” He has worked with the Pentagon and with US commanders in Northeast Asia and the Persian Gulf on these subjects. He has facilitated a large number of seminar/war games to address these issues. Dr. Bennett received a Ph.D. in policy analysis from the Pardee RAND Graduate School (1979 dissertation on “Uncertainty in ICBM survivability”) and a B.S. in economics from the California Institute of Technology.

Addressing The Evolving Security Challenges In Korea - 20240304 150517 - Meeting Recording 1

About the Lecture: Until about two decades ago, Israel imported 98 percent of its energy requirements from far off places on the globe. Although located in a region rich in oil and gas, relation of political enmity with the producers effectively rendered the Jewish state an energy island, isolated from intra-regional energy trade and electricity grids. Securing energy supply from abroad has always been a major concern of Israeli policymakers. However, with the discovery of natural gas in its Mediterranean waters, Israel’s energy-dependent status is changing rapidly. Today, close to 70 percent of Israel’s electricity is generated from natural gas; the rest comes from imported coal. Israel’s transportation still relies exclusively on imported oil, a small amount of which is also used in industrial, residential and commercial sectors. To meet its growing energy requirement and vulnerability vis-à-vis the imports of fossil fuels, Israel – similar to other large energy consumers, such as, India, China and Turkey – has evolved a multi-faceted energy security strategy, which has six essential components. These include, broadening of import; pursuit of proximate supply sources; constant search for indigenous energy; development of renewables and alternatives; ensuring physical security of energy installations; and promotion of energy efficiency. This lecture will talk about each of these components and assess the on-going transformation of Israel’s energy status from import-dependency to energy self-sufficiency that is underpinned by the gas discoveries.

About the Speaker: Dr. Sujata Ashwarya is Associate Professor in the Centre for West Asian Studies [Middle Eastern], Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India. She received her MPhil and PhD degrees in West Asian Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She was awarded research fellowships at the Rothberg International School, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel; Maison des Sciences de l’Homme (MSH) and Centre d’Etudes et des Recherches Internationales (CERI), Paris; and the Schusterman Centre for Israel Studies, Brandeis University, USA. She was also affiliated as a researcher at the Faculty of World Studies, University of Tehran, Iran. Her research interests cover a wide range of areas related to politics, economics and international relations of West Asia. Of primary focus are the domestic development, foreign policy and strategic-security issues (especially those related to Iran, Iraq and Israel), politics of energy, conflict and peace-making, and themes related to civil society and democratization in the region. She also has a strong interest in exploring India’s West Asia policy. A frequent traveler, Dr Ashwarya has presented more than 50 research papers in national and international conferences and seminars. She has more than 30 published research articles and has written, edited and co-edited 5 books. Her books include, Israel’s Mediterranean Gas: Domestic Governance, Economic Impact, and Strategic Implications (Routledge, 2019), Contemporary West Asia: Perspectives on Change and Continuity (co-edited; Routledge, 2019); India-Iran Relations: Progress, Problems and Prospects (Routledge, 2017); Essays on Iran and Israel: An Indian Perspective(Knowledge World, 2014); and Civil Society, Democracy and State in West Asia (edited; New Century, 2010).

Israel’s Energy Security and Strategy: Changing Dynamics in the Age of Gas

The Institute of World Politics is a graduate school of national security and international affairs, dedicated to developing leaders with a sound understanding of international realities and the ethical conduct of statecraft, based on knowledge and appreciation of the principles of the American political economy and the Western moral tradition.

**Please note that the views expressed by our guest lecturers do not necessarily reflect the views of The Institute of World Politics.**

Addressing The Evolving Security Challenges In Korea - 20240304 150517 - Meeting Recording 1

The Institute of World Politics

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