Disinformation and Security

Disinformation has increasingly come to be perceived as a serious security threat by Western democracies. Various measures have been taken to protect against disinformation campaigns. As part of this development, Sweden has attempted to strengthen its psychological defense, just like during the Cold War. The course places particular emphasis on influence campaigns by foreign actors, in the context of shifting geopolitical dynamics both in Sweden's immediate vicinity and globally. It also highlights domestic political developments in an era of polarisation, and what these may mean for the effects of such campaigns as well as the challenges involved in combating disinformation. The aim of the course is to enable students to assess both the research on disinformation and the security strategies devised to counter it critically. The course is structured in weekly modules including a thematic introduction, in-depth reading, written assignments, and interactive components. Both formative and summative assessments are part of the course design.