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As cyber operations have become a central aspect of modern espionage and intelligence gathering, and now appear to serve as an important element of contemporary foreign policy, political scientists are increasingly publishing work on cyber conflict. However, this literature remains somewhat nascent, and has yet to fully tap into the potential methodological insights of political science.

Based on a bibliometrics analysis of all cyber conflict articles published in a top-100 political science journal between 1990-2018, this talk identifies the key thematic topics covered in the field and suggests avenues for future research. 

Dr. Max Smeets is a senior researcher at the Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zurich. He is also an Affiliate at Stanford University Center for International Security and Cooperation and Research Associate at the Centre for Technology and Global Affairs, University of Oxford.

His current book project focuses on the causes underlying cyber proliferation and restraint. He has also published widely on cyber statecraft, strategy and risk. Smith was awarded the annual 2018 Amos Perlmutter Prize of the Journal of Strategic Studies for the most outstanding manuscript submitted for publication by a junior faculty member. In 2015, he also received the Young Writers Award of the German Marshall Fund, for an article written together with George Bogden.

Max was previously a Lecturer and postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University CISAC and a College Lecturer at Keble College, University of Oxford. He has also held research and fellowship positions at New America, Columbia University SIPA, Sciences Po CERI, and NATO CCD COE. He holds an undergraduate degree (Interdepartmental Major with Minor in Statistics) from University College Roosevelt, Utrecht University, an M.Phil (Brasenose College) and DPhil (St. John’s College) in International Relations from the University of Oxford.