Christopher Ankersen | Civil-Military Relations
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Democracies rely on having stable civil-military relations where the fear of a coup is unthinkable. Less well appreciated, though, is the "other side of the coin": democracies rely on their militaries not being politicized. Put simply, armies should not seek to act politically and politicians should not seek to use the army for political gain.
Despite the importance of these two principles, both are in jeopardy. What does the future hold for civil-military relations in America?
The discussion will be moderated by ACR-GNY President-elect Nick Pozek.
Dr. Christopher Ankersen is a Clinical Professor of Global Affairs. He leads the Global Risk Specialization as part of the MS in Global Affairs degree at CGA.
Prior to joining NYU, Dr. Christopher Ankersen worked at the United Nations from 2005 to 2017. He held a number of posts, including that of Security Advisor for the United Nations system in Thailand, as well as other appointments at the UN Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; the UN Offices in Geneva and Vienna; and at the Department of Safety and Security in New York.
From 2000 to 2005, he acted as a strategy consultant to militaries, governments, and private firms in the UK and Canada. From 2002 to 2004, Dr. Ankersen was Ralf Dahrendorf Scholar at the London School of Economics and Political Science. From 1988 to 2000, Dr. Ankersen was an officer in the Canadian Forces, serving in Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, including on overseas missions with the UN and NATO.
He has taught at the LSE, the London Centre for International Relations, King’s College London, Carleton University, the Royal Military College of Canada, the Harvard Extension School, the University of Victoria, and the University of Pireas in Athens, Greece. He has lectured at staff colleges in Canada, Australia, and Denmark.
Currently, Dr. Ankersen is Research Fellow at the Canadian Defence Associations Institute; Senior Research Fellow at the German-Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG), Faculty of Law, Thammasat University, Bangkok; and Honourary Fellow at the Policy Insights Forum.
Dr. Ankersen’s research interests include civil-military relations, strategic studies, international security, and the international relations of Asia. His most recent publications include Cyber Peace: Charting a Path Toward a Sustainable, Stable, and Secure Cyberspace (co-edited with Scott Shackelford and Frédérick Douzet. Cambridge University Press, 2022) and The Future of Global Affairs: Managing Discontinuity, Disruption, and Destruction (co-edited with W.P.S. Sidhu. Palgrave, 2021).
Christopher Ankersen holds a BA (Hons) in International Politics and History from Royal Roads Military College (Canada) and an MSc and PhD in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Date: Friday, November 22, 2024
Time: 12:00 - 1:00pm (Eastern Time)
Cost: ACR-GNY Members attend for free; Non-members attend for $20 (scholarships available)
Location: Virtual via ZOOM
Pre-registration is required.
Contact us with questions at questions@acrgny.org
This program is supported by ACR-GNY's 365 Sponsors:
