AI-genererad illustration av krigsfartyg, soldater och bombplan som flyger över ett landskap med berg i bakgrunden.

Don’t miss the final lectures in the Soldiers and Stuff series

Henrique Garbino is a PhD candidate at the Department of War Studies, conducting research on landmines, demining, and civil–military cooperation, among other topics. He is also the organiser of the lecture series Soldiers and Stuff. Here, he shares some unexpected insights and feedback from participants.

What response have you received to the lecture series?

– Informally, I’ve heard from colleagues and students that they really appreciate the lectures. Some PhD students even joke that this is the “best course”, as it’s very concrete and not as abstract as many other doctoral-level courses.

What broader purpose do the lectures serve?

– The main goal is really to build a bridge across the language barrier between civilians who work with or study the military. Internally, another aim is to increase interaction between civilian and military staff, as well as between students from both groups.

Have you gained any unexpected insights yourself during the lectures?

– In the lecture on Non-kinetic means of warfare, Pontus Weström speaks about information, and Alan Swell lectures on cyber. For me, it’s been fascinating to realise how central and widespread information is in warfare in general – not only in what’s often referred to as hybrid warfare. And it’s not just “the others” who use information as a tool (for example, propaganda from Russia or China); the West does so as well.

– In the second part of the lecture, it was rewarding to gain a better understanding of some basic yet crucial concepts in the cyber domain, such as phishing, ransomware, DoS/DDoS (Denial of Service / Distributed Denial of Service), Man-in-the-Middle (MitM), SQL Injection, Zero-Day Exploit, Insider Threat, Password Attacks, and Supply Chain Attack. What do these terms mean – and how are they used?

What are you most looking forward to in Jann Kleffner’s lecture Law of Armed Conflict?

– A bit of hope. Jann’s lecture is very comprehensive, and he has tremendous experience in his field. At a time when international law sometimes seems to have lost its significance, his lecture serves as an important reminder that it remains highly relevant.