Bridging the Gap’s New Voices in National Security workshop, “Wargaming the Future,” was held in collaboration with the MIT Security Studies Program Wargaming Lab and the Berkeley Risk and Security Lab. The workshop, held on November 15, 2024, featured a keynote conversation with Joseph Cyrulik, Director of the Strategic Futures Group at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and expert panels with Ben Jensen, Andrew Reddie, Erik Sand, Jacquelyn Schneider, Sebastian Bae, Ruby Booth, Benjamin Norwood Harris, and Erik Lin-Greenberg.

BTG Directors Erik Lin-Greenberg and Andrew Reddie organized the workshop, along with support from New Voices Rapporteur Suzanne Freeman. Read the summary report from the workshop here.

On September 20, 2024, Bridging the Gap and the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) brought together an invited group of scholars and practitioners to the New Voices in National Security workshop, “Deterring Hostage Taking and Wrongful Detention.” Scholars Dan Altman, Dani Gilbert, Reid Pauly, Susan Allen, Peter Dyrud, and Beatrice Lau spoke about coercion theory and how policymakers might apply its lessons to deterring hostage taking and wrongful detention. The event featured a keynote conversation at dinner with Joshua Geltzer, Deputy Assistant to the President, Deputy White House Counsel, and Legal Advisor to the National Security Council. Roger D. Carstens, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs at the US Department of State, gave remarks at the workshop lunch, as well.

The event was convened by BTG Director Dani Gilbert and Senior Vice President and Director of the Middle East Program at CSIS, Jon Alterman with support from rapporteur Leah Hickert, who wrote the summary report of the workshop (see here).

On November 3, 2023, Bridging the Gap convened the New Voices in National Security workshop, “Bridging in the Valley: Technology, Politics, and Governance” at the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) at Stanford University. Scholars and private industry panelists Jeffrey Ding, Jared Dunnmon, Josh Goldstein, Elaine Korzak, Tim Marple, Vivek Mohan, Michael Sellitto, Sarah Shirazyan, Sarah Shoker, Mark Stewart, Brandon Williams, Baobao Zhang, and Chenny Zhang offered their remarks on the ways in which Silicon Valley and innovation have become a venue for state competition, as well as a deep dive on AI issues—from the risks posed by the technology to the governance arrangements that might mitigate them. The event also featured a keynote conversation with former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, Colin Kahl.

The workshop was convened by BTG Director Andrew Reddie and BTG Senior Advisor Jim Goldgeier with support from New Voices Rapporteur Jane Darby Menton, who developed this summary.

On October 6, 2023, Bridging the Gap hosted the New Voices in National Security workshop, “Deterrence Today and Tomorrow: Opportunities and Challenges,” in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State’s Policy Planning Staff. Facilitated conversations between scholars Nicholas Anderson, Marianna Budjeryn, Austin Carson, Fiona Cunningham, Matthew Fuhrmann, Mariya Grinberg, Joshua D. Kertzer, Nadiya Kostyuk, Nicholas Miller, Tong Zhao, and practitioner participants covered the topic of deterrence in today's complex international environment.

Many thanks to BTG Directors Erik Lin-Greenberg and Rachel Whitlark, New Voices Rapporteur Wright Leo Smith, along with State’s Policy Planning Staff’s Alexander Bick and Matan Chorev for organizing the workshop.

On September 29, 2023, Bridging the Gap and the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum convened scholars and practitioners to the New Voices in National Security workshop, “Atrocity Prevention: Tools and Strategies.” Scholars Anjali Dayal, Meghan Garrity, Daniel Krcmaric, Omar McDoom, Rhiannon Neilsen, and Gary Uzonyi discussed policy questions related to different aspects of atrocity prevention strategies, tools, and multilateral cooperation around preventive action. The event included a keynote conversation with Anne Witkowsky, Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations at the U.S. Department of State.

The Washington Quarterly published an article by Anjali Dayal titled "Preventing Mass Atrocities with a Divided UN Security Council" based on her presented remarks from the workshop.

The workshop was organized by BTG Senior Advisor Bruce Jentleson and BTG Senior Director Jordan Tama, and USHMM SSCPG Research Director Lawrence Woocher, HMM SSCPG Associate Research Fellow Daniel Solomon, and HMM SSCPG Research Assistant Tallan Donine, along with New Voices Rapporteur Laurel Holley. Holly compiled this summaryfrom the workshop.

On November 4, 2022, Bridging the Gap and New America brought together an invited group of New America scholars and practitioners at the New Voices in National Security workshop, “Emerging Technology and International Security: Challenges and Opportunities.” Scholars David Arceneaux, Kerry Chávez, Paige Cone, Julie George, Evan Perkoski, Ryan Shandler, and Sanne Cornelia J. Verschuren spoke to the risks emerging technologies present to international stability and strategies for managing those risks. The event also featured a keynote conversation with Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Bonnie Jenkins. Kerry Chávez published an article “Learning on the Fly: Drones in the Russian-Ukrainian War” with Arms Control Today based on her presented remarks from the workshop and conversations with other attendees.

The workshop was convened by BTG Directors Erik Lin-Greenberg, Andrew Reddie, and Rachel Whitlark and New America Senior Researcher Alexandra Stark with support from New Voices Research Fellow Laura Luca.

On September 23, 2022, Bridging the Gap convened the New Voices in National Security workshop, “Sanctions and the War in Ukraine: Lessons Learned” at the Duke in DC Center. Scholars Aaron Arnold, Bryan Early, Caileigh Glenn, Bruce Jentleson, Will Norris, Maria Shagina, Natalie Thompson, and Audrye Wong offered their remarks on takeaways from the Russian invasion of Ukraine regarding the global economy and financial system, as well as lessons learned for potential future crises between the U.S. and China. The event also featured a keynote conversation with Counselor to the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Alexander Parets. The Washington Quarterly published a group of articles expanding on presentations from this workshop including the following: “Lessons in Sanctions – Proofing from Russia” by Caileigh Glenn, “China’s Economic Statecraft: Lessons Learned from Ukraine” by Audrye Wong, “The Devil’s in the Differences: Ukraine and a Taiwan Contingency” by William J. Norris, and “Curbing China’s Resilience to US Coercive Economic Statecraft” by Aaron Arnold.

Professor of Political Science at University at Albany Bryan Early, BTG Senior Advisor Bruce Jentleson, and BTG Senior Director Jordan Tama organized the workshop. New Voices Research Fellow Aiganym Valikhanova developed this summary of conference remarks.

On May 18, 2022, Bridging the Gap and the U.S. Institute of Peace hosted the workshop, “International Aid Partnerships in Fragile States.” Expert panels featuring Khaldoun AbouAssi, Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, Jennifer Brass, Bridget Coggins, Scott Freeman, W. Gyude Moore, Kathryn Nwajiaku-Dahou, Kate Phillips-Barasso, and Thomas Staal, and Haley Swedlund spoke to the value of effective partnerships in facilitating peacebuilding and empowering local actors.

The workshop was convened by RIPIL Director Susanna Campbell, BTG Senior Director Naazneen Barma, and USIP Senior Advisor Corinne Graff with support from New Voices Research Fellow Ilyssa Yahmi. Yahmi also developed this conference summary.

On May 13, 2022, Bridging the Gap convened the New Voices in National Security workshop, “Security Partnerships with State and Non-State Armed Groups,” in collaboration with Perry World House. Facilitated conversations between scholars Barbara Elias, Stephen Gent, Renanah Miles Joyce, Carla Martinez Machain, Sara Plana, and Kai Thaler and practitioner participants shed light on when the U.S. should form security partnerships and how it should judge the effectiveness of those relationships. The event also featured a keynote conversation with Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities Mara Karlin.

Many thanks to Meg K. Guliford and Sara Plana for organizing the workshop. New Voices Research Fellow Rosalie Rubio developed this summary of conference remarks.

Bridging the Gap’s third New Voices in National Security workshop, “Revitalizing America’s Alliances,” was held in collaboration with Brookings. A virtual public event held on March 19, 2021 featured a keynote conversation with Congressman Andy Kim (D-NJ) and an expert panel with Victor Cha, Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer, Sara Bjerg Moller, and Zack Cooper. New Voices Research Fellows Jordan Ernstsen and Noelle Troutman produced this summary of the remarks made during the webinar.

On April 30, 2021 and May 4, 2021, respectively, BTG and Brookings convened two virtual workshops on “Alliance Management and Operational Effectiveness” and “Strategic Competition and Alliance Credibility” with Brian Blankenship, Rosella Cappella Zielinksi, Alexander Lanoszka, Sara Bjerg Moller, Joshua Shifrinson, and Andrew Yeo sharing their analyses and recommendations with the policy community.

Bridging the Gap’s second New Voices in National Security workshop, “Digital Authoritarianism: Tools, Diffusion, and Responses,” took place on September 12 and 13, 2019 in collaboration with the Center for a New American Security.The workshop kicked off with a keynote discussion with Congressman Tom Malinowski (NJ-7), and convened leading policy practitioners and cutting-edge academics for a what strategic and policy options are available to the U.S. and others for challenging the harmful effects of digital illiberalism. Academic experts, including Shazeda Ahmed, Steven Feldstein, Seva Gunitskiy, Sheena Greitens, Molly Roberts, and Jessica Chen Weiss, shared their analyses and recommendations with the policy community.

Andrea Kendall-Taylor from CNAS published a Foreign Affairs piece, The Digital Dictators: How Technology Strengthens Autocracy drawing on the conclusions of our digital authoritarianism workshop. For additional insight into the ideas and policy recommendations that came out of this workshop, a few articles were published by War on the Rocks. This piece from Naazneen Barma, Brent Durbin, and Andrea Kendall-Taylor, as well as one from Steven Feldstein, another from Jessica Chen Weiss, and a final one by Seva Gunitsky provide policy prescriptions based on the workshop.

Bridging the Gap’s inaugural New Voices in National Security workshop, “The Deterrent and Signaling Effects of Sanctions,” took place on January 31-February 1, 2019 in collaboration with the Center for a New American Security. The workshop convened leading policy practitioners and cutting-edge academics for a discussion on the use and implications of sanctions. Academic experts, including Shannon Carcelli, Daniel Drezner, Bryan Early, Sue Eckert, Rupal Mehta, Nicholas Miller, Richard Nephew, Dursun Peksen, and Timothy Peterson, shared their analyses and recommendations with the policy community.

A recent report by GAO, Economic Sanctions: Agencies Assess Impacts on Targets, and Studies Suggest Several Factors Contribute to Sanctions’ Effectiveness, cited research presented at our workshop. For a closer look at some of the ideas and policy recommendations discussed during the workshop, we invite you to review the Center for New American Security series of commentaries, “Grappling the Growing Use of Sanctions: Bridging the Academic-Policy Divide,” as well as pieces published by Carcelli, Mehta, and Peterson in the International Affairs Blog. Jordan Tama and Elizabeth Rosenberg developed a white paper “Strengthening the Economic Arsenal: Bolstering the Deterrent and Signaling Effects of Sanctions” to provide further policy prescriptions based on the workshop.

Bridging the Gap has also convened a number of New Voices in National Security roundtables for shorter conversations between practitioners and scholars.

On May 3, 2024, Bridging the Gap and the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum convened a roundtable on “Mass Atrocities beyond Mass Killing.” Jacqueline DeMeritt, Ryan Welch, and Robert U. Nagel were the highlighted scholars for this gathering. You can read the report from the roundtable, compiled by Tallan Donine, here.

On April 14, 2023, Bridging the Gap held a hybrid roundtable at the Pentagon on “The Defense Department’s Role in Energy Security and Transition to Clean Energy.” Scholars Michael Davidson, Emily Holland, and Hye Ryeon Jang shared their remarks and expertise at the event.

On April 8, 2022, Bridging the Gap convened a roundtable at the Pentagon on “The Defense Department’s Role on Climate Change.” Jeff Colgan, Katharine Mach, Nina von Uexkull, and Audrye Wong served as scholar memo-writers.

On April 21, 2021, Bridging the Gap hosted the virtual roundtable, “Foundations of a Doctrine for Using Economic Sanctions” with U.S. Treasury Department officials. Susan Allen, Navin Bapat, Daniel Drezner, Bryan Early, Bruce Jentleson, and Erica Moret contributed to the conversation.