Restrained by Design: The Political Economy of Cybersecurity

The empirical record of cyberattacks features computer crime, espionage and hacktivism, but none of the major damage feared in prevalent narratives. Jon Lindsay (Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto) combines insights from international relations theory and new institutional economics to argue for an understanding of cyberspace as a complex global institution. Professor Lindsay’s approach highlights the important advantages of strong states over the weaker non-state actors widely thought to be empowered by cyberspace.