Dr. Camino Kavanagh is a visiting Senior Fellow with the Dept. of War Studies, where she obtained her PhD in 2015 under the supervision of Prof.s David Betz and Thomas Rid. Her thesis examined the historic relation between the state and information technology. Her current research focuses on international politics, conflict and technology.

Camino is currently a member of the UN advisory support team to the Chairs of two UN negotiating processes relating to cyber/ICT and international security (the UN Open Ended Working Group and the UN Group of Governmental Experts). In 2016-2017 she served as rapporteur/consultant to the UN Group of Governmental Experts on the same subject. Over the past decade she has advised and consulted with international and regional organisations such as the UN, OSCE, OAS, as well as national government departments and agencies on issues relevant to digital technologies and national/international security and diplomacy matters.

Prior to this, Dr. Kavanagh spent over a decade working in conflict and post-conflict contexts, including with UN peacekeeping operations and political missions in Africa and Central America; as post-conflict reform and policy advisor to governments and organizations in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia; and has managed different policy and research initiatives relating to organized crime and terrorism.

Abstracts

“Hybrid Threats to Submarine Communications Cables, and Mitigation Strategies” | Monday, 20 March 2023

Abstract: Camino has also worked on a UNIDIR piece on subsea cables, which brings the issue of hybrid threats to subsea cables closer to the emerging framework of responsible state behaviour negotiated at the UN. This may be published by the time of her visit, so that she can present the main findings.

“Use Of Digital Technologies in Hybrid Conflict in Ukraine” | Tuesday, 21 March 2023

Abstract: As part of the scope of her talk, Camino will be covering influence and information operations during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. She will also be weaving in some of the work she has done on digital technology-sensitive conflict analysis.