Description
Shaping Global Cyber Governance: The Role of Middle Powers
Shalini Prasad
Assistant Professor
Department of Political Science
University of Allahabad
Cyberspace is fraught with a variety of security threats emanating from states, non-state actors, and state-sponsored groups. Despite its paramount importance, cybersecurity frequently takes a backseat to other urgent security concerns. However, as technology evolves and our world becomes increasingly interconnected, cyberspace has emerged as a vital arena in great-power competition.
Recently, a notable trend has surfaced as middle powers are positioning themselves as mediators and contributors to the establishment of cyber norms and protocols. This development provides a fresh perspective on international cyber governance and offers a potential pathway toward a more equitable distribution of cyber power. In this context, this paper investigates the prospective role of the Global South in delivering both political and technical support for cybersecurity, emphasising the value of their expertise in a landscape characterised by superpower tensions.
The second section will adopt a middle-power perspective, exploring the contributions and challenges linked to this approach, as well as its implications for global cyber governance. Key questions will be addressed, such as how middle powers can influence global cyber governance and what limitations they encounter in this endeavour.
