Why do states—and nonstate actors—choose to use armed drones as weapons of war? How does that decision affect these actors’ international reputations? How do questions of law and morality intersect when it comes to drones? And, perhaps most fundamentally, beyond impacting the character of warfare, to what extent will armed, networked, and unmanned platforms change geopolitical dynamics and balances of power? In short, how will they affect global order?
Those are among the questions tackled in this episode of the Modern War Institute Podcast. In it, John Amble is joined by Paul Lushenko, coeditor of a new book, Drones and Global Order: Implications of Remote Warfare for International Society. As many listeners will know, there is a vast and growing literature on the subject of drone warfare. But there has been comparatively less attention paid to the overarching question of the effects of drone proliferation on international order. This question includes aspects of law, legitimacy, domestic politics, and more—all of which are covered in the this episode’s discussion.
You can listen to the full episode below. And if you aren’t already subscribed to the MWI Podcast, be sure to find it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app so you don’t miss an episode. While you’re there, please take just a moment to leave the podcast a rating or give it a review!
Note: This episode was originally released in 2021.
Image credit: Ministry of Defence of Ukraine
