Narratives Of Cyber-war And Re-engineering Of Cyberspace:Interest Groups And Risk Assessment

Cyberspace, once believed to be a domain of sharing, is today undergoing a process of militarization that is transforming it into a domain of warfighting. The narratives of cyber-war have provided a background to justify policies supporting the development of offensive capabilities in cyberspace, as well as the implementation of surveillance systems endangering civil liberties. The first section of this thesis will deal with the evolution of cyberspace narratives, the identities of the actors central to its development, the conflict related to its management, and the impact of its militarization on societies. The second section will focus on analyzing the main cases that have provided a background to the narratives of cyber-war, to point out the double standards applied in evaluating these events, the issues in defining cyber-war itself and the ongoing militarization process they have caused. In the third section discourse analysis of narratives and acts of speech will highlight the biases as well as the interests underlying their creation. U.S.-China relationship relevant to the issue of cyber-war will also be object of investigation because of its central role in the development of the domain. Suggestions to avoid further escalation and promote a better management of cyberspace will follow.