Karsten Friis | Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (original) (raw)
Papers by Karsten Friis
Routledge eBooks, Jul 3, 2023
16, 2020
In this Strategic Update, Karsten Friis investigates the pandemic's potential consequences fo... more In this Strategic Update, Karsten Friis investigates the pandemic's potential consequences for the world, its armed forces, the integration of Europe, US-China relations, as well as the concept and practice of 'war' more broadly. Although much remains uncertain, the disruptions which are beginning to emerge demand a reckoning with a changed world -- and world order
In this Strategic Update, Karsten Friis investigates the pandemic's potential consequences fo... more In this Strategic Update, Karsten Friis investigates the pandemic's potential consequences for the world, its armed forces, the integration of Europe, US-China relations, as well as the concept and practice of 'war' more broadly. Although much remains uncertain, the disruptions which are beginning to emerge demand a reckoning with a changed world -- and world order
NUPI, 2020
The establishment of the European Defence Fund (EDF) represents an important step towards a more ... more The establishment of the European Defence Fund (EDF) represents an important step towards a more coherent European security architecture. It is broadly recognised that Europe needs to reduce duplication between, as well as the number of, weapons systems and platforms. The EU recently opened up for associated countries to participate in the Fund, but the Norwegian government has failed to set aside money for the EDF, despite official policy to participate
Government response The agency which has been most active and warned against the implications of ... more Government response The agency which has been most active and warned against the implications of the Snowden revelations is the Norwegian Data Protection Authority. From the very first breaking of the news and throughout the whole period it has been actively engaged in public debates, public information, and lobbying for a firm government response towards the US. In August it called upon the Norwegian Minster of Justice to seek clarity from the US authorities as to what kind of data was collected, from which sources, how it is regulated legally, and to what extent Norwegian citizens’ data had been collected through PRISM and similar programmes.
Deterring Russia in Europe, 2018
Peace and Conflict Studies, 2000
The article discusses the rise of societal and ethnic conflicts. It focuses on some of the analyt... more The article discusses the rise of societal and ethnic conflicts. It focuses on some of the analytical tools designed to illuminate these processes. More specifically it builds on the framework of the so-called "Copenhagen School of Security Studies" but seeks to develop a more flexible approach on the concept of identity. To understand how an identity gains strength, Roland Barthes' theory of myths is examined and combined with Michel Foucault's concept of power. Finally a concept of agency is added, namely what has been labeled a "conflict entrepreneur". It is argued that by combining these theoretical insights the process of constructing Self and Other, and the subsequent alienation of those who not fit these categories, will be better understood.
This researchaims to discuss the extent of corporate social responsibility as an adjustment type ... more This researchaims to discuss the extent of corporate social responsibility as an adjustment type to diminish shocksca used by financial capitalism through the influence of financial markets that have caused the financialization of strategies which cancreate value within the enterprise. Where the emergence of social responsibilityis linked to two fundamentalelements, the business ethics in the organization and the theory of stakeholders, then the social responsibility becomes more capable of ful fillingitsassignedrole and becomes a strategic value whenitislinked to institutional and strategic dimensions at the same time. The corporatesocial responsibility in the field of finance suggets a range of financial innovations of a social nature,through socially responsible investment, micro-finance and financial inclusion, and they areprone to critics, because they deviatefrom the main objectives and acquire a commercial nature, especially the microfinance. finally, the researchemphasizes the necessity to pay attention to local solidarity finance that supports social entrepreneurship.
European Foreign Affairs Review, 2007
tary assistance, were crossed in 2016 when the Parliament ratified a Host Nations Support agreeme... more tary assistance, were crossed in 2016 when the Parliament ratified a Host Nations Support agreement (HNS), clarifying Sweden’s role as a host nation for NATO military exercises or crisis-management operations. The possibility of joint military planning and joint action with Finland in the event of crisis or war was also raised in the 2015 defence bill, albeit with the caveat that there would be no formal guarantees for this. Sweden has also, to a much greater extent than Norway, taken the new security environment into consideration in its national strategic doctrines. Seven politico-strategic papers have been published since 2014, all addressing the new security challenges represented by Russia.1 Most recently, in June 2017, Sweden joined the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), in which also Norway and Denmark take part. Since coming into government in 2014, Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist, from the traditionally NATO-sceptical Social Democratic Party (SD), has pursued a n...
: The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have been an integral part of the American consciousness for m... more : The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have been an integral part of the American consciousness for most of the new millennium. Military successesand failureshave dominated the headlines. Names such as Tora Bora, Abbottabad, Abu Ghraib, and Fallujah, unknown to the American public (and even regional specialists at the Pentagon and Foggy Bottom) a decade ago, have become catch phrases for a new generation of political and military analysts. Yet perhaps the most enduring legacy of US involvement in these wars has been the evolution of US military doctrine and the concomitant growth of the whole-of-government approach that puts stability operations and civil affairs on equal footing with combat operations.The whole-of-government approach is defined as one where a government actively uses formal and/or informal networks across the different agencies within that government to coordinate the design and implementation of the range of interventions that the governments agencies will be making i...
Økonomi & Politik, 2020
Kan stater gå til motangrep om de blir angrepet digitalt i fredstid? Hva gjør toneangivende land,... more Kan stater gå til motangrep om de blir angrepet digitalt i fredstid? Hva gjør toneangivende land, og hva sier internasjonal rett og normer om dette? Og hva kan de sikkerhetspolitiske konsekvensene bli av økt bruk av offensive cyberoperasjoner? Denne artikkelen diskuterer denne sikkerhetspolitiske utviklingen i kombinasjon med en analyse av det relevante internasjonale rettslige rammeverket. Artikkelen begynner med en redegjørelse av USAs nye tilnærming til offensive operasjoner, knytte til de to begrepene “persistent engagement” og “defend forward”. Deretter følger en kort case-studie på Norges tilnærming til offensive cyber operasjoner, noe som bringer oss til “Responsibility of States of International Wrongful Acts”-lovverket, som er det mest relevante med tanke på offensive cyberangrep utenom væpnet konflikt. Artikkelen avsluttes med en diskusjon av dilemmaer i skjøringspunktet sikkerhetspolitikk og folkerett.
War and State-Building in Afghanistan : Historical and Modern Perspectives
theory and from its critics in order to inform how COIN can be revised to guide future stability ... more theory and from its critics in order to inform how COIN can be revised to guide future stability and counter-insurgency operations. While this article will not offer any panaceas for counter-insurgency operations, it will be argued that a focus on stakeholders in the conflict rather than on the population or the enemy is a better approach for countering insurgencies and ensuring long-term stability in wartorn states. COIN in Theory 3 When what started as a conventional war turned irregular in late 2003 after the invasion of Iraq there were no updated doctrine available to turn to when faced with a growing insurgency. The US Army and Marine Corps were organized, trained and equipped for fighting conventional wars against regular enemies. From fighting its preferred wars against formed units in the open the US now were faced with individual enemies fighting in and from the shadows. This deficit had to be remedied quickly and the work caught momentum when Lieutenant-General David Petreaus returned from his second tour of duty in Iraq in October 2005 to take command of the Combined Arms Center (CAC) in Fort Leavenworth. He soon collected a group of competent personnel to start working on a revised COIN doctrine 4 and at the same time built a strong rapport with his US Marines counterpart Lieutenant-General James Mattis. 5 In December 2006, the new doctrine was published as a combined US Army and US Marines product, and it immediately had an impact on the conduct of operations in Iraq as well as on education and training in the US Army. This article take as a point of departure COIN theory as it is presented in the U.S doctrine FM 3-24. The role of doctrines varies from country to country. In an ideal world, doctrines would drive decisions on how the armed forces of a country should be organized, what missions it should train to accomplish, and what equipment it needs. 6 This in turn points towards a prescriptive role of doctrines. In the US military in general and in the US Army in particular, doctrines are very important and come close to this ideal especially since the establishment of the Army's Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) in 1973 and the pursuant issue of the famous Air Land Battle doctrine of 1982. In other countries, like Norway, doctrines do not have the same tradition and roles. The Nor-3 In the following the acronym COIN will refer to the doctrine (FM 3-24) and its theory, recommendations and principles. The term counter-insurgency will refer to the phenomenon of countering an insurgency in general. 4 An interim COIN doctrine was issued in October 2004 as Field Manual (Interim) 3-07.22.
Journal of Regional Security, 2019
The deteriorated security situation in Europe has contributed to a renewed focus on Nordic defenc... more The deteriorated security situation in Europe has contributed to a renewed focus on Nordic defence cooperation. Recent political statements indicate an increased interest among the Nordic states to strengthen regional security cooperation in times of peace, crisis and conflict. Nonetheless, the main obstacles preventing close integration remain in place, in particular the different strategic orientations when it comes to NATO and EU membership among the Nordics. While this is well known among scholars, less emphasis has been on the lowerlevel challenges Nordic defence cooperation initiatives has met. Bureaucratic mismatches and diverging industrial interests can have an important negative impact on politically endorsed projects. Governance entrepreneurs can not only undermine a specific project, but may also contribute negatively to the larger political climate between states. This article will illustrate the argument with several cases of botched Swedish-Norwegian cooperation, with particular emphasis on the Archer artillery project. This was a politically prestigious joint procurement project which failed, with significant souring of political relations as a result.
Routledge eBooks, Jul 3, 2023
16, 2020
In this Strategic Update, Karsten Friis investigates the pandemic's potential consequences fo... more In this Strategic Update, Karsten Friis investigates the pandemic's potential consequences for the world, its armed forces, the integration of Europe, US-China relations, as well as the concept and practice of 'war' more broadly. Although much remains uncertain, the disruptions which are beginning to emerge demand a reckoning with a changed world -- and world order
In this Strategic Update, Karsten Friis investigates the pandemic's potential consequences fo... more In this Strategic Update, Karsten Friis investigates the pandemic's potential consequences for the world, its armed forces, the integration of Europe, US-China relations, as well as the concept and practice of 'war' more broadly. Although much remains uncertain, the disruptions which are beginning to emerge demand a reckoning with a changed world -- and world order
NUPI, 2020
The establishment of the European Defence Fund (EDF) represents an important step towards a more ... more The establishment of the European Defence Fund (EDF) represents an important step towards a more coherent European security architecture. It is broadly recognised that Europe needs to reduce duplication between, as well as the number of, weapons systems and platforms. The EU recently opened up for associated countries to participate in the Fund, but the Norwegian government has failed to set aside money for the EDF, despite official policy to participate
Government response The agency which has been most active and warned against the implications of ... more Government response The agency which has been most active and warned against the implications of the Snowden revelations is the Norwegian Data Protection Authority. From the very first breaking of the news and throughout the whole period it has been actively engaged in public debates, public information, and lobbying for a firm government response towards the US. In August it called upon the Norwegian Minster of Justice to seek clarity from the US authorities as to what kind of data was collected, from which sources, how it is regulated legally, and to what extent Norwegian citizens’ data had been collected through PRISM and similar programmes.
Deterring Russia in Europe, 2018
Peace and Conflict Studies, 2000
The article discusses the rise of societal and ethnic conflicts. It focuses on some of the analyt... more The article discusses the rise of societal and ethnic conflicts. It focuses on some of the analytical tools designed to illuminate these processes. More specifically it builds on the framework of the so-called "Copenhagen School of Security Studies" but seeks to develop a more flexible approach on the concept of identity. To understand how an identity gains strength, Roland Barthes' theory of myths is examined and combined with Michel Foucault's concept of power. Finally a concept of agency is added, namely what has been labeled a "conflict entrepreneur". It is argued that by combining these theoretical insights the process of constructing Self and Other, and the subsequent alienation of those who not fit these categories, will be better understood.
This researchaims to discuss the extent of corporate social responsibility as an adjustment type ... more This researchaims to discuss the extent of corporate social responsibility as an adjustment type to diminish shocksca used by financial capitalism through the influence of financial markets that have caused the financialization of strategies which cancreate value within the enterprise. Where the emergence of social responsibilityis linked to two fundamentalelements, the business ethics in the organization and the theory of stakeholders, then the social responsibility becomes more capable of ful fillingitsassignedrole and becomes a strategic value whenitislinked to institutional and strategic dimensions at the same time. The corporatesocial responsibility in the field of finance suggets a range of financial innovations of a social nature,through socially responsible investment, micro-finance and financial inclusion, and they areprone to critics, because they deviatefrom the main objectives and acquire a commercial nature, especially the microfinance. finally, the researchemphasizes the necessity to pay attention to local solidarity finance that supports social entrepreneurship.
European Foreign Affairs Review, 2007
tary assistance, were crossed in 2016 when the Parliament ratified a Host Nations Support agreeme... more tary assistance, were crossed in 2016 when the Parliament ratified a Host Nations Support agreement (HNS), clarifying Sweden’s role as a host nation for NATO military exercises or crisis-management operations. The possibility of joint military planning and joint action with Finland in the event of crisis or war was also raised in the 2015 defence bill, albeit with the caveat that there would be no formal guarantees for this. Sweden has also, to a much greater extent than Norway, taken the new security environment into consideration in its national strategic doctrines. Seven politico-strategic papers have been published since 2014, all addressing the new security challenges represented by Russia.1 Most recently, in June 2017, Sweden joined the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), in which also Norway and Denmark take part. Since coming into government in 2014, Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist, from the traditionally NATO-sceptical Social Democratic Party (SD), has pursued a n...
: The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have been an integral part of the American consciousness for m... more : The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have been an integral part of the American consciousness for most of the new millennium. Military successesand failureshave dominated the headlines. Names such as Tora Bora, Abbottabad, Abu Ghraib, and Fallujah, unknown to the American public (and even regional specialists at the Pentagon and Foggy Bottom) a decade ago, have become catch phrases for a new generation of political and military analysts. Yet perhaps the most enduring legacy of US involvement in these wars has been the evolution of US military doctrine and the concomitant growth of the whole-of-government approach that puts stability operations and civil affairs on equal footing with combat operations.The whole-of-government approach is defined as one where a government actively uses formal and/or informal networks across the different agencies within that government to coordinate the design and implementation of the range of interventions that the governments agencies will be making i...
Økonomi & Politik, 2020
Kan stater gå til motangrep om de blir angrepet digitalt i fredstid? Hva gjør toneangivende land,... more Kan stater gå til motangrep om de blir angrepet digitalt i fredstid? Hva gjør toneangivende land, og hva sier internasjonal rett og normer om dette? Og hva kan de sikkerhetspolitiske konsekvensene bli av økt bruk av offensive cyberoperasjoner? Denne artikkelen diskuterer denne sikkerhetspolitiske utviklingen i kombinasjon med en analyse av det relevante internasjonale rettslige rammeverket. Artikkelen begynner med en redegjørelse av USAs nye tilnærming til offensive operasjoner, knytte til de to begrepene “persistent engagement” og “defend forward”. Deretter følger en kort case-studie på Norges tilnærming til offensive cyber operasjoner, noe som bringer oss til “Responsibility of States of International Wrongful Acts”-lovverket, som er det mest relevante med tanke på offensive cyberangrep utenom væpnet konflikt. Artikkelen avsluttes med en diskusjon av dilemmaer i skjøringspunktet sikkerhetspolitikk og folkerett.
War and State-Building in Afghanistan : Historical and Modern Perspectives
theory and from its critics in order to inform how COIN can be revised to guide future stability ... more theory and from its critics in order to inform how COIN can be revised to guide future stability and counter-insurgency operations. While this article will not offer any panaceas for counter-insurgency operations, it will be argued that a focus on stakeholders in the conflict rather than on the population or the enemy is a better approach for countering insurgencies and ensuring long-term stability in wartorn states. COIN in Theory 3 When what started as a conventional war turned irregular in late 2003 after the invasion of Iraq there were no updated doctrine available to turn to when faced with a growing insurgency. The US Army and Marine Corps were organized, trained and equipped for fighting conventional wars against regular enemies. From fighting its preferred wars against formed units in the open the US now were faced with individual enemies fighting in and from the shadows. This deficit had to be remedied quickly and the work caught momentum when Lieutenant-General David Petreaus returned from his second tour of duty in Iraq in October 2005 to take command of the Combined Arms Center (CAC) in Fort Leavenworth. He soon collected a group of competent personnel to start working on a revised COIN doctrine 4 and at the same time built a strong rapport with his US Marines counterpart Lieutenant-General James Mattis. 5 In December 2006, the new doctrine was published as a combined US Army and US Marines product, and it immediately had an impact on the conduct of operations in Iraq as well as on education and training in the US Army. This article take as a point of departure COIN theory as it is presented in the U.S doctrine FM 3-24. The role of doctrines varies from country to country. In an ideal world, doctrines would drive decisions on how the armed forces of a country should be organized, what missions it should train to accomplish, and what equipment it needs. 6 This in turn points towards a prescriptive role of doctrines. In the US military in general and in the US Army in particular, doctrines are very important and come close to this ideal especially since the establishment of the Army's Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) in 1973 and the pursuant issue of the famous Air Land Battle doctrine of 1982. In other countries, like Norway, doctrines do not have the same tradition and roles. The Nor-3 In the following the acronym COIN will refer to the doctrine (FM 3-24) and its theory, recommendations and principles. The term counter-insurgency will refer to the phenomenon of countering an insurgency in general. 4 An interim COIN doctrine was issued in October 2004 as Field Manual (Interim) 3-07.22.
Journal of Regional Security, 2019
The deteriorated security situation in Europe has contributed to a renewed focus on Nordic defenc... more The deteriorated security situation in Europe has contributed to a renewed focus on Nordic defence cooperation. Recent political statements indicate an increased interest among the Nordic states to strengthen regional security cooperation in times of peace, crisis and conflict. Nonetheless, the main obstacles preventing close integration remain in place, in particular the different strategic orientations when it comes to NATO and EU membership among the Nordics. While this is well known among scholars, less emphasis has been on the lowerlevel challenges Nordic defence cooperation initiatives has met. Bureaucratic mismatches and diverging industrial interests can have an important negative impact on politically endorsed projects. Governance entrepreneurs can not only undermine a specific project, but may also contribute negatively to the larger political climate between states. This article will illustrate the argument with several cases of botched Swedish-Norwegian cooperation, with particular emphasis on the Archer artillery project. This was a politically prestigious joint procurement project which failed, with significant souring of political relations as a result.
NUPI Policy Brief, 2018
Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) was originally about cost-effectiveness. NORDEFCO today is ... more Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) was originally about cost-effectiveness. NORDEFCO today is much more about meeting pressing security challenges in the Nordic region. This policy brief explores the potential for further Nordic cooperation. What are the opportunities and constraints?
The study is primarily based on seven recent interviews with civilian
and military officials, as well discussions with independent security scholars, from all the Nordic countries except Iceland.