Prof Heather Marquette

📢 And watch this space for more research and analysis coming out of this work, with a series of synthesis papers from kicking off soon! New papers on Russia, China, Iran, DPRK, cyber, organised crime, illicit finance, information manipulation, proliferation beyond the West, concepts and more.

5/5

4. Shape a coherent, comprehensive and prioritised set of responses
5. Take an approach based on partnership, both domestically and internationally.

Lots of implications for the UK's new National Security Strategy #NSS2025 and beyond.

4/5

The note also sets out 5 implications for future policy, based on @matthewrr.bsky.social's research:

1. Avoid wishful thinking and ignorance when assessing threats & vulnerabilities
2. Understand opponents' thinking
3. Ask whether the current resilience-focused model of response is enough

3/5

The briefing note sets out:

- what state threats are
- why we seem to be having a state threats 'moment'
- mapping state threats across covert & clandestine measures, origins and execution, patterns of activity & motives
- novelty and effectiveness of state threats
- state threats futures.

2/5

Out now, a new @soc-ace.bsky.social briefing note on @matthewrr.bsky.social's big paper on #statethreats. This research builds on longstanding collaboration with @cfs-rusi.bsky.social. Both the must read paper & brief are at bit.ly/44mF262.

1/5

The last @soc-ace.bsky.social newsletter for 2024 has just gone out, and it's a big one! 👇

Sign up to receive our newsletter at lnkd.in/ewG_Rku7.

I feel a tank moment on the horizon soon…

Maybe ‘gūdforswunk’ for ‘exhausted yet excited by work’?

If that can be a word, I’m definitely feeling gūdforswunk right now… 🥳😴

A job working with a great team 👇

📹 Our Executive Director @suehawley.bsky.social welcomes the appointment of Baroness Hodge as the UK's new #Anti-CorruptionChampion. And she calls for 2️⃣ essential initiatives:
1️⃣ greater investment in our law enforcement agencies, and
2️⃣ a full suite of reforms to improve standards in public life.

Understanding State Threats — SOC ACE In the last decade, states have faced a rising tide of hostile activities from other states and their proxies, often referred to as ‘state threats’. In a series of SOC ACE supported workshops in 2023,...

To find out more about @matthewrr.bsky.social's research project: To find out more about the research project: www.socace-research.org.uk/projects/soc...

I'm really excited about this event launching @matthewrr.bsky.social's new @soc-ace.bsky.social / @cfs-rusi.bsky.social paper on state threats, where we'll be joined by @rorycormac.bsky.social, with other speakers to come.

Sign up for the launch event at @rusi.bsky.social at the link below 👇

Everytime I think I can't be shocked anymore, along comes @petergeoghegan.bsky.social with something new...

The Role of Financial Rewards for Whistleblowers in the Fight Against Economic Crime — SOC ACE This research analyses the impact of whistleblower reward programmes and scrutinises whether the concerns that have been raised regarding their implementation have eventuated in practice. Furthermore,...

The research will be published tomorrow morning alongside a launch event at @rusi.bsky.social, so bookmark this site to read the paper:

www.socace-research.org.uk/projects/whi...

UK should pay whistleblowers to cut financial crime, says think-tank Royal United Services Institute says scheme would reduce those who take information to US agencies

Excited to see this great article from Suzi Ring & Martin Arnold in the @financialtimes.com yesterday covering new @soc-ace.bsky.social & @cfs-rusi.bsky.social research by Eliza Lockhart on potential financial rewards for economic crime whistleblowers. 👇

www.ft.com/content/2ebb...

Excited about this launch event tomorrow morning. 👇

Banking on Influence Liberal democracies can use financial intelligence to counter foreign interference.

Foreign governments are interfering in democratic politics by funding campaigns and propaganda. Liberal democracies can apply financial intelligence tools to counter these efforts, writes @jessmarindavis.bsky.social in this week’s Foreign Policy Essay.

In a different life, I would come back back as @matthewrr.bsky.social & write the paper on #statethreats he’s written from @soc-ace.bsky.social & @cfs-rusi.bsky.social project. In lieu of a sci-fi universe, it’s been an absolute pleasure to work with Matt & RUSI and to support this important work.

What is the research gap? What is the research question? Why is this worth researching? What’s the most appropriate methodology to answer the RQ well?

It’s a work flow that works…

Here's a provocative new paper

"Confronting the New Gatekeepers of Experimental Political Science"

doi.org/10.33774/aps...

New #openaccess paper out from my colleagues @samibensassi.bsky.social & Arisyi Raz on #FATF and whether or not it's an effective tool for combating trade-related fraud, based on their first @soc-ace.bsky.social research project. 👇

Love the gifs too. 👏

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...

You could look at economic crime data, which has only recently been measured alongside other crime data. People are much more likely to be victims of fraud/economic crime than violent crime, & I’m sure there will be research out there on how it may/may not impact attitudes towards crime in general.

I saw the DM and thought, ‘Aw, Philip!’, but didn’t have time to reply straightaway. I might’ve cottoned on, though, pretty quickly if I had.

“Wildfires & rain-bombs are deeply political creatures: the by-products of historical processes that have hugely benefited a small minority of human beings at the expense of the great majority.”
From @amitav.bsky.social’s magnificent Erasmus Prize acceptance speech.
erasmusprijs.org/en/laureates...

Official Portsmouth, NH Tourism Website! Stay. Shop. Eat. Explore historic Portsmouth, NH on your next vacation. Discover mouth-watering restaurants, boutique shops, live music, and more!

I’ve lived in the UK for 25+ yrs, & I’m still blown away by how centralised govt is. There are always downsides to regeneration, but these are now genuinely lovely places that were less lovely (but with good bones) years ago. Highly recommend a visit, for research purposes… www.goportsmouthnh.com

Burlington, VT and Portsmouth, NH, both (very small) cities in New England, are excellent case studies for urban renewal. It’s hard to imagine similar success here without a serious shift in power & resources to local government.

vermonthistory.org/journal/91/V...

www.cityofportsmouth.com/economic

For your weekend listening, a brand new podcast on @soc-ace.bsky.social research looking at Colombia's #TotalPeace plan and the impact on #organisedcrime, from a fantastic research team, with this episode featuring Mariana Botero, Felipe Botero and Juanita Duran! 👏 👇