The Remote Warfare Paradox Politics Conference 8 September, 2019 Jolle Demmers and Lauren Gould delivered a talk on “The Remote Warfare Paradox at the Conflict Research Society’s 2019 conference “Conflict Research and Practice in a Post-Liberal World.”
Recommendations: How the Netherlands and its allies can improve transparency and accountability vis-a-vis civilian harm After another round of negotiations and exchanges, IRW and its civil society partners put forward their second round of 16 recommendations to the Dutch MoD. Lauren Gould 23 May, 2024
Event: IRW intern nominated for Visions of Peace thesis award Former IRW intern Laszlo Steinwaerder has been nominated for the ‘Visions on Peace’ master thesis prize. Join the presentation of his thesis at the annual symposium by the Dutch Foundation of Peace Research. 15 April, 2024
Blog: If this isn’t war, what is? IRW’s researcher Isa Zoetbrood analyses the Biden administration’s attempt to strategically navigate discussions about military action abroad. Isa Zoetbrood 19 March, 2024
Podcast: Remote warfare and countering violence extremism This episode provides insight into the risks of remote warfare for democratic transparency and accountability as well as reflecting on countering violent extremism policy. 5 July, 2023
Journal Article: Turkey’s emergence as a middle power Dr. Soyaltin-Colella and Dr. Demiryol discuss how the production and proliferation of Turkey’s drone system has influenced their middle power activism. Digdem Soyaltin-Colella, Tolga Demiryol 21 June, 2023
News: NRC’s assessment of the decision to arm drones Unveiling the ethical implications and accountability challenges surrounding armed drones, this NRC analysis provides a comprehensive assessment of the Netherlands decision to equip drones with weaponry. 19 June, 2023
Podcast: Civilians searching for answers from the US A podcast on how the US responds to claims of civilian harm caused by US airstrikes and how civilians are left with lots of questions instead of answers. 19 June, 2023
Review: The impact event on ‘Transparency and Accountability in Military Operations’ The event focused on local voices, expanded accountability, and increased transparency in military operations to prevent civilian harm. 6 June, 2023
Journal Article: Strategic Narratives and US Surrogate Warfare In this article ‘Strategic Narratives and US Surrogate Warfare’ Thomas Waldman discusses how the US frames and justifies their surrogate wars by using strategic narratives Thomas Waldman 26 May, 2023
Article: Afghan civilians wrongfully killed by an American drone strike The New York Times reflects on obtained footage by the U.S. military revealing their disastrous error in killing 10 civilians Charlie Savage, Eric Schmitt, Azmat Khan, Evan Hill, Christoph Koettl 19 May, 2023
Event: Transparency and Accountability in Military Operations Gain insights into the importance of transparency and accountability in military operations by joining the upcoming event on May 30, 2023. 18 May, 2023
Podcast: The future use of autonomous lethal drones An interview with Dr. Kenneth Payne on how AI lethal drones may shape the future of military strategies and warfare 5 May, 2023
Journal Article: The costs and consequences of drone warfare Michael J. Boyle discusses and warns for the different costs and consequences of remote warfare such as blowback. Michael J. Boyle 4 May, 2023
Journal Article: The Political Economy of Drones Hall and Coyne (2013) offer an interesting political economy perspective on the evolution and expansion of the drone industry in the US. Abigail Hall, Christopher Coyne 9 April, 2023
Podcast: Reflecting on the realities of Security Force Assistance Prof. dr. Will Reno and military Prof. Matisek discuss the realities of Security Force Assistance in this episode of the Modern War Institute podcast. 24 March, 2023
Conference: Realities of Algorithmic Warfare at the RE-AIM Summit IRW is hosting a session at the RE-AIM summit in the Hague, February 15th. Jessica Dorsey, Marijn Hoijtink 26 January, 2023
Op-ed: Parliament lacked oversight over Dutch support for Syrian militias In his latest op-ed, IRW researcher Jip van Dort reflects on the recently released independent research report that condemn the Dutch Non-Lethal Assistance for Syrian militias. Jip van Dort 12 January, 2023
Public Event: Who holds our military to account? Join IRW researchers in the Tivoli for the launch of their latest book and a lively debate on remote warfare, civilian harm and democratic control Lauren Gould 18 November, 2022
IRW panel: Future of War Conference Reflection on IRW’s panel ‘Prototyping the Future of War: Imagining Ludic, Hybrid, and Autonomous Warfare’ Jack Davies 2 November, 2022
Book: First Book on Hawija In its latest book publication, IRW brings together researchers, politicians, NGOs, lawyers, and victims of the 2015 Dutch F16 bombing of Hawija to reflect on remote warfare, civilian harm and democratic control. Lauren Gould, Jip van Dort 17 September, 2022
Op-ed: ‘Increased defense budgets should result in victim compensation funds’ In an op-ed in Het Parool, IRW’s Jip van Dort and PAX’s Erin Bijl argue that a modest part of the increased Defence budget should be invested in the creation of victim compensation funds. Jip van Dort, Erin Bijl 15 September, 2022
Blog: The Road Ahead for the Regulation of Autonomous Weapons Guest author Emma Laumann reflects on the latest round of stalled talks at the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and asks what is next for the regulation of autonomous weapons? Emma Laumann 28 June, 2022
Reflections on RAD Symposium: Insights for Innovation IRW looks back on an illuminating Realities of Algorithmic Warfare Symposium. Daan Boelens 21 June, 2022
Journal Article: ‘Prototype warfare’ In her latest article ‘”Prototype warfare”: Innovation, optimisation, and the experimental way of warfare” dr. Marijn Hoijtink sets out to map the contours of a new regime of warfare. Marijn Hoijtink 30 May, 2022
Symposium: Realities of Algorithmic Defence On 8 June 2022, IRW’s Prototype Warfare project will host a symposium to discuss the current state of the development, deployment, and regulation of autonomy in defence systems. 17 May, 2022
Op-ed: ‘Armed drones are not some kind of superweapon’ While the war in Ukraine rages on, the Dutch state seems to be laying the political foundations for the armament of its military drones. In an op-ed in Het Parool, IRW’s Lauren Gould and Jip van Dort reflect on the shortcomings of this political process. Lauren Gould, Jip van Dort 29 April, 2022
Reflection: On new civilian harm transparency policy of the Dutch MoD IRW and partners reflect on the recent policy changes they helped shape 25 April, 2022
Blog: Dutch House of Representatives to vote on use of armed drones One day after the Dutch armed forces made the first test-flight with a brand new MQ-9 Reaper, the Dutch House of Representatives will vote on a resolution to allow for its armament. IRW argues a more thorough debate is required. 21 April, 2022
The effects of the Dutch airstrike on Hawija Utrecht University’s Intimacies of Remote Warfare programme (IRW) and their societal partners PAX and Al-Ghad expose the reverberating civilian harm effects of remote warfare in their report ‘After The Strike’. 1 April, 2022
IRW discusses civilian harm in The Independent IRW’s Dr. Lauren Gould was interviewed for an article in The Independent about the negative effects of states failing to take responsibility for civilian casualties. Lauren Gould 4 February, 2022
Collateral damage: crushing the myths of accuracy and accountability in modern warfare The latest article in The Conversation by IRW co-founders Dr Lauren Gould and Prof Dr Jolle Demmers alongside Dr Nora Stel. Lauren Gould, Jolle Demmers 25 November, 2021
Journal Article: Strategic ignorance and the legitimation of remote warfare – The Hawija bombardments This article by IRW Dr Lauren Gould and Dr Nora Stel was recently published by Security Dialogue. Lauren Gould 16 November, 2021
Why US troops leaving Afghanistan does not mark the end of war Researchers Aoife Keogh (MA) and Dr. Lauren Gould reflect on the recent developments in Afghanistan. Lauren Gould, Aoife Keogh 7 October, 2021
WarPod podcast: Remote Warfare an Interdisciplinary Perspectives Don’t miss IRW’s Lauren Gould and Jolle Demmers on the latest episode of the #WarPod! Lauren Gould, Jolle Demmers 25 August, 2021
After Hawija: The Way Forward for the Dutch Ministry of Defence In this post, we provide the statement from the consortium of civil society organisations, including IRW, which reflects on the “Roadmap Process” with the Dutch MoD. 1 July, 2021
“Our democracy has been damaged by our deployment in Afghanistan” Read the latest op-ed by IRW PhD candidate Jip Van Dort about the how the secrecy of Dutch military actions in Afghanistan is hurting democracy at home. Jip van Dort 4 June, 2021
The Intimacies of Soldier-Robot Relations Guest authors dr. Marijn Hoijtink and Marlene Tröstl reflect on the sharp contrast between human empathy for military robots and the dehumanization of local publics that underpins remote warfare. 31 May, 2021
Book: ‘The War Lawyers’ Dr. Craig Jones’ book “The War Lawyers: The United States, Israel and Juridical Warfare ” looks at the increasingly accepted role of military lawyers in the planning and executing of military operations in contemporary conflicts. 6 April, 2021
Book Chapter: Remote Warfare: Interdisciplinary Perspectives Bringing together writers from various backgrounds, this edited volume offers a critical enquiry into the use and impact of remote warfare. Lauren Gould, Jolle Demmers 4 April, 2021
Remote Warfare Round-up 007 The Remote Warfare roundup is a bi-weekly digest of unfolding news, op-eds and reports relevant to remote warfare. Aoife Keogh 29 March, 2021
Remote Warfare is not an Election Theme In his latest article for the Correspondent Lennart Hofman addresses the changing nature of war and its increased invisibility against the backdrop of the upcoming Dutch elections. Lennart Hofman 14 March, 2021
The Netherlands is trying to maintain the myth of a ‘clean’ war In his latest op-ed published in the daily paper Trouw, Jip van Dort raises a rather sinister question: What exactly do we (or are we allowed to) know about the dark side of warfare, specifically about civilian casualties? Jip van Dort 2 February, 2021
More drones, more war The notion that deploying drones will enable militaries to conduct war with greater precision and less civilian harm is neither new, nor accurate argues the IRW team in an op-ed for the Dutch newspaper the NRC. Lauren Gould, Isa Zoetbrood 28 December, 2020
How Remote is Remote Warfare? Watch Intimacies of Remote Warfare project founder Prof. Jolle Demmers tackling the big questions surrounding remote warfare and call for more transparency in her recent talk for Stadium Generale. Jolle Demmers 9 December, 2020
Multilateralism and Armed Drones: Escaping the Gridlock A panel of experts discuss current trends, initiatives, and opportunities in building meaningful standards on the proliferation and use of armed drones. 16 November, 2020
Drone Warfare: Today, Tomorrow, Forever? This webinar addresses the trends in global drone development and use, and discusses where campaigners should be focusing their efforts in the coming years. 9 November, 2020
The Risks of Special Forces Being Used Illegally In a recent article for the Human Security Centre, IRW’s Jack Davies argues that SOF lack political oversight and legal accountability. Jack Davies 2 November, 2020
Remote Warfare & Drones: Discourses on Dutch Drones This IRW project tracks and analyses the political rhetoric and narrative of armed drones in the Netherlands. Isa Zoetbrood, Jack Davies 15 October, 2020
Holding the powerful to account Webinar on legal claims involving the military in Iraq and Afghanistan. 22 September, 2020
How Remote is Remote Warfare? What does it mean for warfare to be ‘remote’? How can the turn to remote warfare among Western countries be explained? And what effect does this distance have on transparency and accountability? On the 1st of December, The Intimacies of Remote Warfare project leader Prof. Dr. Jolle Demmers will be tackling the big questions surrounding 10 September, 2020
UN Special Rapporteur casts a new light on enduring issues in remote warfare New report takes a fresh look at old issues. 17 July, 2020
The Good War This five part podcast series made by IRW’s Isa Zoetbrood reflects on The Netherlands’ use of remote warfare and the acquisition of its first MQ reaper drones. Isa Zoetbrood 13 July, 2020
Book Chapter: Perfect War and its Contestations Chapter from Demmers, Gould and Snetselaar in the book, “Spaces of War, War of Spaces,” published by Bloomsbury Jolle Demmers, Lauren Gould, David Snetselaar 9 July, 2020
WarPod Ep #16 | The Remote Warfare Paradox IRW Jolle Demmers and Lauren Gould discuss the Remote Warfare Paradox on the ORG Warpod podcast Lauren Gould, Jolle Demmers 26 June, 2020
Journal Article: The Remote Warfare Paradox Advance preview from the forthcoming book “Remote Warfare: Interdisciplinary Perspectives” on how the democratic desire for zero-risk war lowers the threshold for military engagement. Jolle Demmers, Lauren Gould 20 June, 2020
Perfect War/Truth: Remote warfare and its capacity to ward off inconvenient counter truths Jolle Demmers, Lauren Gould and David Snetselaar talk on regimes of truth and remote warfare in Brussels. 28 May, 2020
Op-ed: Ignorance in war is not an excuse The Dutch Ministry of Defence claim that they cannot know how many civilian casualties occur in their remote wars to evade accountability and public outcry. This is what Lauren Gould en Nora Stel write in their Dutch op-ed for the NRC. Lauren Gould 14 May, 2020
Journal Article: Lawfare and Remote Warfare Reviewing Craig Jones’ research on the instrumental use of law in justifying and enabling remote warfare. Craig Jones 9 April, 2020
Law and the Soleimani Strike The Lawfare Podcast explores the key legal questions surrounding the drone attack on Qassem Soleimani. 6 January, 2020
Remote Warfare: Remote Justice? An assemblage approach is taken to understand how and why the members of European Forum on Drones act in dynamic alliances of states, institutions, organisations, groups, expert individuals, discourses, treaties, laws and regulations to govern the use of armed drones David Snetselaar 1 September, 2019
In een ‘schone oorlog’ vloeit net zo goed bloed Op-Ed in Trouw by Jolle Demmers and David Snetselaar. Jolle Demmers, David Snetselaar 25 June, 2019
Journal Article: Optimizing Coalition Air Warfare: The Emergence and Ethical Dilemmas of Red Card Holder Teams Jacobsen and Saugmann examine the operationalisation of international law through Red Card Holders in collaborative military interventions. Katja Lindskov Jacobsen, Rune Saugmann 14 June, 2019
Shaping the Borderlands Project leaders Jolle Demmers and Lauren Gould discuss the temporal and spatial reconfigurations of remote warfare in a talk which is now available as a podcast. 28 February, 2019
Onze Langeafstandsoorlog in Syrië en Irak Panel discussion on the remote war waged in Iraq and Syria, held 17th December 2018 17 December, 2018
Onze Langeafstandsoorlog in Syrië en Irak Panel discussion on the remote war waged in Iraq and Syria, held 17th December 2018 Lauren Gould, Jolle Demmers 17 December, 2018
Stop de langeafstandsoorlog in Syrië en Irak Op-Ed in Trouw by Jolle Demmers and Lauren Gould. Lauren Gould, Jolle Demmers 26 September, 2018
Remote Warfare and its Discontents Blog post on transparency, accountability and scrutiny in remote warfare. Jolle Demmers, Lauren Gould 17 May, 2018
Report: Lawful but Awful? Legal and Political Challenges of Remote Warfare and Working with Partners Knowles and Watson explore the legal grey zones of British military partnering. 5 May, 2018
The Intimacies of Remote Warfare Conference International seminar on the changing nature of warfare, held 6-7th December 2017 6 December, 2017
Remote Interventionism Jolle Demmers and Lauren Gould at the Pan-European Conference of the European International Studies Association. 13 September, 2017
Unmanned: America’s Drone Wars This documentary presents an overview of remote warfare’s inconvenient truths: violations of international law, loss of innocent life, psychological and societal trauma, and potential blowback. 22 October, 2013
Intimacies of Remote Warfare