Editors' Note

Abstract

Editors' Note Dane Alivarius, Undergraduate Editor-in-Chief and Cristine Pedersen, Graduate Editor-in-Chief There have been only a handful of seminal moments in human history in which the gravity of change, be it the evolution of a commodity or of an idea, has had such revolutionary ramifications as that of the cyber and technological advancements of the past half century. Enhanced technological systems have altered the way humans communicate, trade, and war. Nearly every genre of human pursuit has been forced to adapt to this new digital era, for the best and for the worst. States have seen unparalleled growth, buoyed by the exploitation of technologies. Financial capital is transferred in seconds, peace is monitored from thousands of miles away, activists spur demonstrations for expanded liberties, and indicators testing child mortality and water sanitation are formulated to combat poverty and destitution. Yet, even as the world has seen progress without precedent, the cyber revolution has been harnessed toward pernicious ends. Authoritarian regimes spy on a shackled citizenry, nefarious hackers pose critical threats to national security, and the political, economic, and ethical norms undergirding our societies have dissolved to anachronism. In short, technology has changed the very nature of how states interact with each other and how the individuals that comprise them interact with the world. With the utilization of cyber technologies, the world has grown ever more connected. To this end, the intelligent application of foreign policy has played no more serious role than in today's time. As academics, researchers, policymakers, and students of the world, it is our prerogative to delve deep into cyber and its vast implications. In this edition of the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs we strove to comprehend this seismic shift. Articles from our nation's, and the world's, leading scholars on cyber-related matters tackle issues concerning governance, security, economics, and human rights. Authors with long careers serving our country explain specifically what the United States must do to take full advantage of the cyber revolution. This insight is laudable. The diligent work of the Journal staff for researching, thoroughly editing, and organizing double-blind peer reviews for the production of this edition is equally praiseworthy. Ultimately, understanding cyber's, and more generally technology's, position in this altered era will prove eminently consequential in who sees the greatest returns from its employ. Subsequently, those who choose not to grapple with technology in the administration of their local, national, and international policies will surely fall victim to it. The print Journal is the creation of over forty dedicated Georgetown students in conjunction with deans Jennifer Long and Anthony Arend and the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. Enjoy reading this 19th volume. May the world be better informed by its contents. [End Page 1] Copyright © 2018 Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service of Georgetown University except when otherwise expressly indicated