Publications

Over the years, HCSS has built up an extensive archive of reports, monitors, papers and other publications. We disseminate the results of our research as broadly as possible to benefit the public good. Use the advanced search functions below to browse through our research library, most of which is available as free PDF downloads.

Library

Date

2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008

Search

Research Topics

The COVID-19 pandemic: two waves of technological responses in the European Union

15 Apr 2020
On January 30th, 2020, the World Health Organization declared a novel coronavirus COVID-19 a matter of Public Health Emergency of International Concern.  Seeing the rapid growth of infections and deaths, governments worldwide were quick to implement a variety of measures. Among them, technological solutions in the form of anonymized phone location tracking and contract tracing […]
Learn more

Effective Stakeholder Cooperation during the Lifecycle of Robotic and Autonomous Systems

31 Mar 2020
Robotic and autonomous systems (RAS) upend the traditional relationship between the military and the private sector. While cooperation remains necessary between these stakeholders, the forms it takes must be adapted to fit the RAS development process.  This paper explores stakeholder relations at various stages of the non-linear RAS life cycle: development, integration, and use. In […]
Learn more

Pandemic Mitigation in the Digital Age: Digital Epidemiological Measures to Combat the Coronavirus Pandemic

27 Mar 2020
As the current coronavirus pandemic proceeds, several governments have already utilized digital epidemiological tools to combat the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, with some early successes. The role of user-based and provider-based data collection, and in particular location data, has characterized the mitigation strategies of some of the most effective national responses. These measures may […]
Learn more

Gaat de Coronacrisis de wereld veranderen?

25 Mar 2020
Het coronavirus luidt vermoedelijk niet het einde van de mondialisering in. Daarvoor zijn de interdependenties te groot en de mondiale bevoorradingsketens te complex. Bovendien is Europa, dus ook Nederland, voor zijn overleven grotendeels afhankelijk van wat er in het buitenland wordt geproduceerd en aan grondstoffen wordt gedolven. Wel kan de crisis het proces van slowbalisation […]
Learn more

Managing RAS: The Need for New Norms and Arms Control

17 Mar 2020
This paper is a collaboration with Clingendael authors Hugo Klijn and Maaike Okano-Heijmans, with contributions from Bianca Torossian. Against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions and rapid technological developments, the debate on governing autonomous weapons is gaining momentum – both in the Netherlands as well as in other countries. Discussions are complicated, however, because of wide variations in […]
Learn more

Strategic Communications Capability Building in the Western Balkans

11 Mar 2020
The strengthening of strategic communication capabilities in the states of the Western Balkans is of crucial importance for the strengthening of regional and European security. The Western Balkans StratCom Game, executed by The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies, with the support of the Austrian Ministry of Defence, has sought to identify the course of action […]
Learn more

Reimagining Deterrence: Towards Strategic (Dis)Suasion Design

10 Mar 2020
Given the increasingly tense posturing of world powers like the U.S., Russia, and China, as well as political volatility across the globe, deterrence has once again become a popular feature of many governments’ strategies. However, the old framework of deterrence that was developed during the Cold War has become outdated in an age of more […]
Learn more

The Military Applicability of Robotic and Autonomous Systems

28 Feb 2020
This paper looks into the state of robotic and autonomous systems (RAS) and their current implementation in the military context, as well as their potential applications. RAS presents numerous, significant and far-reaching opportunities, including creating better and faster situational awareness and understanding, reducing the physical and cognitive loads of soldiers, sustaining and protecting the force, extending […]
Learn more

A Horizon Scan of Trends and Developments in Hybrid Conflicts set to shape 2020 and beyond

20 Feb 2020
In collaboration with TNO, we present this booklet on trends and developments in hybrid conflicts set to shape 2020 and beyond. Hybrid threats are one of the main security challenges Western democracies currently struggle with. Hybrid threats are in the news, mostly framed or wrapped in specific ‘hybrid’ phenomena such as disinformation, foreign meddling in […]
Learn more

Far-Right Trends in South Eastern Europe: The Influences of Russia, Croatia, Serbia and Albania

18 Feb 2020
Far-right violent extremism is thriving in several parts of South East Europe (SEE), but despite its widespread influence, relatively little research has been done on its alarming reach. Therefore, this paper assesses the origin and perpetuation of far-right violent extremism in SEE and finds that the situation there uniquely facilitates the spread of far-right ideology, […]
Learn more

Governing Autonomous Weapon Systems

3 Feb 2020
The international community has been vividly discussing ways to control the use of autonomous weapon systems (AWS) by military forces. Throughout the process, both legal and non-legal solutions have been proposed aiming to improve accountability, ethical and legal standards, and verifiability of the autonomous systems. HCSS surveyed the landscape of proposed solutions in order to […]
Learn more
Strategic Monitor 2019 2020

Strategic Monitor 2019-2020 - The Writing on the Wall

28 Jan 2020
In order to remain on top of the rapid changes in the international environment, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence have tasked The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) and the Clingendael Institute to conduct research within the framework of the Strategic Monitor, which monitors trends and developments in the international […]
Learn more

The deteriorating outlook for Dutch small natural gas fields

27 Jan 2020
Over the last decade, long-term forecasts of Dutch natural gas production in small fields have consistently over-estimated production. The main reason for this is not technical or geological but rather an underestimate of the speed at which the business climate for the Dutch gas industry has deteriorated. Fewer projects than expected materialized; the projects that […]
Learn more

What World do we Live in? An Analysis of Global Geodynamic Trends

25 Jan 2020
Has the world become more free and secure, or is democracy under attack? This report aims to answer the question “what is the state of the world today?” It is part of our upcoming Strategic Monitor 2019-2020.
Learn more

Methodological Annex: What World do we Live in?

25 Jan 2020
This short paper outlines the indicators and methods used to establish whether the world has become more equitable and prosperous, more democratic, and more peaceful. It also outlines the indicators and methods used to establish whether identitary issues have become a larger force in the international system, whether lawlessness has increased, and whether the world has become more connected. It is part of our upcoming Strategic Monitor 2019-2020.
Learn more

The Evolving Position of the Netherlands in the World

24 Jan 2020
Navigating the changing global environment requires first and foremost a keen understanding of changes in Dutch foreign relations. The Dutch Foreign Relations Index (DFRI) measures the relationship between the Netherlands and other countries over time. This can help in identifying potential partners as well as potential adversaries in the pursuit of Dutch foreign policy objectives. It is part of our upcoming Strategic Monitor 2019-2020.
Learn more

Methodological Note - The Dutch Foreign Relations Index: Version 2

24 Jan 2020
New report out now! To read, click here. This method piece outlines HCSS’ approach to measuring the Netherlands’ position in the world on the basis of other countries’ relevance and compatibility. Relevance considers how much the Netherlands trades with another country, how militarily advanced it is, and how much influence it wields internationally. Compatibility is […]
Learn more

The Blind Eye Turned to the Far-right

22 Jan 2020
Terrorism from the far-right is gradually increasing, but effective and adequate legal tools for holding perpetrators accountable are lacking, whereas Islamist terrorism is framed and prosecuted in a much more extensive way. Politicized double standards must be overcome in order to hold perpetrators of terrorist violence accountable – irrespective of any specific ideology.
Learn more

In the Eye of the Beholder? An Assessment of Global Security Perceptions

14 Jan 2020
All countries have procedures and – in some cases – methodologies to identify, analyze and prioritize threats to their national security. How does the Dutch perception of its security threats compare to the outlook of other states? It’s all in the eye of the beholder…This report is part of our upcoming Strategic Monitor 2019-2020.
Learn more

Hybrid Conflict: Neither war, nor peace

10 Jan 2020
The international security environment is increasingly subject to hybrid threats, often in a subtle and pervasive way that impedes fast detection, accountability and retaliation. Read about ins and outs of Hybrid Conflict in our latest report, part of our upcoming Strategic Monitor 2019-2020.
Learn more

Informationskriegsführung zu Beginn des Informationszeitalters

7 Jan 2020
Dr. Tim Sweijs contributed an article on information warfare at the dawn of the information age, in the Sicherheitspolitische Jahresvorschau 2020, the annual national security foresight of the Austrian Ministry of Defense. At the dawn of the Information Age, all signs point towards the proliferation and maturation of tools and the sophistication of tactics used in […]
Learn more

Cross Domain Deterrence and Hybrid Conflict

18 Dec 2019
Liberal Western democracies have been too complacent when it comes to dealing with contemporary hybrid adversaries. We have been following rather than leading. It’s time to seize back the strategic initiative, but how do we do that? In this new report, a joint paper by HCSS/TNO, Tim Sweijs and Samo Zilincik argue that Western democracies can and should develop a strategic deterrent posture in an age of hybrid conflict. Based on an extensive review of cross domain deterrence theory and practice, they offer four recommendations to policymakers.
Learn more

Military Competition in Perspective: Trends in Major Powers’ Postures and Perceptions

4 Dec 2019
As Russian and Chinese defense expenditures pivot towards the acquisition of more sophisticated weapons systems, can Europe keep up on innovation? Hugo van Manen and Tim Sweijs present the latest report on Interstate Military Competition.
Learn more

Conflict in Cyberspace: Parsing the threats and the state of international order in cyberspace

19 Nov 2019
The Global Security Pulse (GSP) on Conflict in Cyberspace was published in June 2019 and tracked emerging trends in relation to peace and security in cyberspace. This complementary research report delves into the two trend tables presented in the GSP by examining their underlying quantitative and qualitative evidence. First, the ‘Threats in Cyberspace’ trend table, […]
Learn more

© The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies