NATO and Cyber Security: Critical Junctures as Catalysts for Change MA International Relations Candidate: Roger André Tosbotn Student number: s1707752 Email:
[email protected] Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Eugenio Cusumano Word count: 11371 Abstract This thesis does two main things. It contributes to the academic debate on the relative prominence of the cyber domain in security, and analyses the change in NATO’s conceptualization of “cyber” over time. These pertinent questions are addressed through quantitative and qualitative analyses. The review of existing scholarship on the topic provides insight into NATO’s strategic development, major cyber-security incidents, the issues relating to Article 5 of the NATO treaty and cyber security, and the effects on the security environment that stems from technological developments in society. By employing the approach of constructivism, the framework of strategic culture, and methods of content analysis, this thesis tracks the change in prominence and conceptualization in official NATO documents from 2002- 2016. As a result, this thesis contributes to an understanding of digital-age security from the point of view of NATO. Finally, it suggests that an awareness of one’s own strategic culture can aid in preparing for new challenges in a security-oriented environment. Keywords: International Security, Cyber Security, NATO, Constructivism, Content Analysis, Strategic Culture, Article 5, CCDCoE. Table of Contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................................................................