The use of drones and robots, and data-driven military analysis in warfare is rapidly growing. Wim Zwijnenburg (PAX) discusses the important role these technologies play in the way armed conflicts, counter-terrorism and insurgencies have been fought over the last decade, as well as the profound implications for the future of warfare.
For those interested, from 13:20 to 13:40 there will be extra time for Q&A with the speaker.
This lecture is organized in collaboration with student organization Liberation 040 and peace organization PAX.
Please Note: This program bears the SG&USE label and is therefore part of education. This means a maximum of 75 people are allowed into the room, no 1.5 meter of social distancing is required, and no Covid-19 access certificate is needed. You can also watch this program via livestream.
From the CIA’s secret killing program using drones in Pakistan to full out cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure, the means and methods of warfare are heavily influenced by technological developments and innovative thinking among both states and armed groups. We are witnessing how armed forces seek to minimize risks to their own troops, build information infrastructures that give a quick view of the battlefield, and manage to target their enemies first. Beyond current military technologies, there are also looming threats of new weapons under development, such as direct-energy weapons and weapons using human enhancement technology and nano-technology.
This arms race is being pushed by growing tensions between global powers which need to stay ahead of the weapons curve to retain dominance, and being fueled by significant involvement from tech companies and research institutes, often linked to academia. What are the implications of these technological developments for the way we fight wars in the future? In this interactive lecture, Wim Zwijnenburg (PAX expert on Humanitarian Disarmament) discusses these developments and the implications for armed forces, military interventions, and foreign policy.
Speaker
Wim Zwijnenburg is the Humanitarian Disarmament Project Leader for PAX and Coordinator of the European Forum on Armed Drones, a network of civil society organizations working to address concerns over use and proliferation of military drones. He is a frequent contributor to the open-source investigative journalism collective Bellingcat and has been involved in the Control Arms campaign on the Arms Trade Treaty. His work focuses on emerging military technologies and their impact on how wars are being fought and the consequences of arms proliferation. He also works on investigating the impact of conflict on the environment. For his work, he received the UN Green Star Award in 2017.
Liberation 040
This lecture is organized in collaboration with the Liberation 040 foundation, a student organization that has been organizing the Eindhoven Liberation Festival Liberation 040 honoring September 18, since 2018. Watch the after-movie and photos of previous editions here. In the run-up to the festival on Saturday 18 September, various activities are organized to promote knowledge and awareness of the Second World War and the liberation of Eindhoven among young people and students. On Saturday 18 September, everyone is welcome in the city center to celebrate freedom together.
Please note: only book a ticket if you want to attend this program on campus. To watch the livestream, please do not reserve a ticket.
You can visit this program on campus or watch it online via a livestream.
On campus: ticket reservation required
This program will take place on campus for a limited number of visitors only; this number is determined by what we can accommodate according to the Covid-19 measures. Making a reservation via the website (black "order" button) is therefore mandatory if you want to attend this program on campus.
Via livestream: do not reserve a ticket
This program will also be streamed live to our YouTube channel and Facebook page. Follow us on Facebook or subscribe to our YouTube channel to receive a notification when we go live. Please do not book a ticket if you want to watch the livestream.
SG & USE registration
- On campus:
Please register your participation right away when attending the program on campus. Registration can be done by scanning your student card before the start of the program at the venue. - Online via livestream:
Please note: do not make a reservation if you want to watch the program online via the livestream. You can only register for SG&USE if you watch the entire program live ( i.e., you can’t watch it at a later time) and if you complete an online SG&USE registration form within five minutes after the end of the program. Before the program starts, we will explain where and when you can find the link to the registration form. You will need to have your student ID number on hand because you'll need it to fill out the form. Please make sure your registration is done properly, otherwise we will not be able to verify that you were present.
More information about SG & USE can be found here.