This special issue looks at leadership theories, critically reviews applications in defense, security, and international relations, and highlights the challenges posed by the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine. The contributors address diverse topics, such as the elicitation of desired leadership traits on the basis of the curricula of selected courses of the NATO School Oberammergau, the experience of China in introducing Western leadership concepts in the education and training of future military leaders, the experience of Ukraine in leading the enhancement of human resource managem

The Spring 2021 edition of Connections focuses on a number of recent challenges in the cyber domain, including the increase in cybercrime, corruption, the spread of hate speech, propaganda, and disinformation. In addition, the authors elaborate on prospective solutions such as strengthening the legal regimes, including international norms, instituting confidence-building measures, and enhancing cyber skills, as well as the challenges for defense posed by the advances in quantum computing. 

Editors: Sean Costigan & Todor Tagarev

While international politics will certainly be shaped by two superpowers, the United States and China, a number of other states and groups of states will influence the outcome of this strategic competition as well. Taking a more complex constellation of players into account reveals new perspectives on political and economic challenges ahead and facilitates the exploration of approaches for bridging the gaps to nonaligned countries.

This third special issue of Connections: The Quarterly Journal, dedicated to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, expands the understanding of the roots and where Russia’s aggression is headed. Kremlinism is presented as an attack on civilization, deeply rooted in fascist ideology, where hybrid attacks and information-psychological operations are used to advance the geopolitical goal of establishing the Russkiy Mir.

This special edition of Connections presents a collection of amended versions of some of the most popular and widely read articles from the last two decades. Each article is a testament to the journal’s enduring commitment to excellence in the field of security studies. This compilation reflects the evolving landscape of global security and highlights the critical insights and innovative perspectives that our authors bring to the forefront of academic and policy discussions.

Editors: Sean S. Costigan and Todor Tagarev

Twenty-five years after its creation, the PfP Consortium of Defense Academies and Security Studies Institutes continues to serve its stakeholders by adapting to new challenges, providing education and training solutions and policy recommendations, and building partners’ capacity. The Consortium’s activities contribute to increasing regional stability, enhancing global security cooperation to address current and emerging transnational security challenges, and sharing a commitment to democratic principles and values.

Connections, the journal of the Partnership for Peace Consortium (PfPC), invites submissions for a special issue dedicated to exploring the characteristics and implications of Russia’s war of imperial aggression in Ukraine and confrontation with the Global West.  This edition will focus on Russia's current and evolving threat potential in the nuclear, conventional, and sub-conventional (hybrid/irregular) domains and how market-oriented democratic states can respond and counter in ways that not only avoid escalation and miscalculation, but that manage and reduce the

Connections, the journal of the Partnership for Peace Consortium (PfPC), invites submissions for a special issue dedicated to exploring the intricate relationship between political regime dynamics—particularly democratic backsliding—and security governance. This edition will focus on how shifts in political regimes, from democratic erosion to authoritarian resurgence, impact the governance and functioning of security institutions, both at the national and international levels.