Disinformation and epidemics: The next phase of biowarfare with Rose Bernard

Disinformation and epidemics: The next phase of biowarfare with Rose Bernard

Author: Department of War Studies March 18, 2021 Duration: 45:37
Are we entering a fifth era of biological warfare? One that does not depend on the existence of a manufactured biological weapon, but rather seeks to weaponise fake news and disinformation to undermine public health efforts? As we move beyond the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, we talk to Rose Bernard, doctoral researcher in global health security, in the Conflict and Health Research Group in the Department of War Studies. She believes the deluge of fake news that accompanied the coronavirus, along with the rapid rise of the anti-vax movement in the last 10 years, and misinformation during the Ebola outbreaks, reveal how damaging disinformation can be to public health efforts. We discuss how this new type of biowarfare could incorporate the use of cyber capabilities to undermine sociopolitical systems by virtually escalating natural outbreaks. Such a campaign could have a catastrophic impact – potentially diverting the course of an epidemic by preventing people from accessing treatment, increasing civil conflict, and provoking attacks on health workers.

Drawn from the work of the School of Security Studies at King's College London, War Studies offers a direct line to one of the world's largest and most dedicated academic communities focused on security, defence, and international relations. This isn't about surface-level headlines; each episode digs into the intricate realities of conflict, diplomacy, and global power. You'll hear scholars and researchers unpack the underlying forces that shape world affairs, moving beyond theory to examine the tangible challenges faced by those navigating these complex spaces. The Department of War Studies produces this podcast to share its world-leading research, treating each conversation as an opportunity to question assumptions and deepen understanding. Tuning in means engaging with rigorous analysis that connects academic insight to the pressing security issues of our time. The consistent thread is a belief that examining the nature of war is essential for comprehending the broader landscape of human conflict and cooperation. Expect thoughtful, evidence-driven discussions that refuse to simplify the difficult questions.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

War Studies
Podcast Episodes
Prisons: the path to extremism? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:13
Are prisons really hotbeds of terrorism? Will the ‘ordinary’ young man entering prison be so influenced by his cell mate that he leaves a terrorist? Or can a spell in these ‘incubators of extremism’ actually have the opp…
Breaking cycles of conflict [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:13
What drives one person to violence and another to peace? How does experience of trauma lead to radicalisation? Are there interventions that can help deflect people from trajectories of extremism? These are some of the qu…
The Western Front: The Generals in the First World War [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:40
The Western Front, that cauldron of war, a bubbling, fermenting experiment in killing that changed the world. The Western Front would become synonymous with stalemate and mass slaughter, with indecisive, attritional stru…
Women leaders in health and conflict [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:08
Globally, there are very few women in leadership positions in healthcare and peacebuilding in areas of armed conflict – but why is this the case? Why are women a key part of healthcare & peacebuilding? What barriers do w…
The Road to Vietnam with Dr Pablo de Orellana [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:52
Why did the United States become involved in Vietnam? To combat communism, evidently. But just how did a Southeast Asian French colony already devastated by two wars become an existential threat? The Vietnam war is one o…
The war in Ukraine explained: More from our experts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:06
What’s happening on the ground in Ukraine? Why has Russia’s hopes of a swift, decisive victory turned into a long, drawn-out, brutal war of attrition? How has Russia revised it’s strategy and tactics, as Putin loses inte…