Cognitive warfare or the battle for control of the mind: strategic visions of the United States, NATO, Russia, and China

Abstract

As we approach the third decade of the 21st century, the ever-changing nature that defines the evolution of different international security environments sets us in a context of extreme complexity, instability, conflict, uncertainty and unpredictability. We are witnessing a rapid and dynamic process of global transformation conditioned by the tension derived from two overlapping and opposing dynamics: globalization and the progressive fragmentation of our global world. It is in this context of dual tension, hybridization, and accelerated technological revolution that cognitive warfare, as an emerging concept defined by the set of activities aimed at influencing, disrupting, or directing the cognitive functions of individuals, is becoming a powerful strategic instrument serving the power and security interests of different international actors willing to compete in the non-kinetic arena of the human brain, where perceptions, emotions, understanding, and memory reside. This article analyzes the different strategic visions of global competitors such as the United States, NATO, Russia, and China, immersed in a relentless struggle to achieve a position of dominance over their geopolitical rivals through diverse and sophisticated mechanisms of control and mental manipulation of individuals and groups, made possible by the extraordinary progression of scientific and technological advances in our digital age.