Introduction to Foreign Influence Operations

Course Syllabus (Updated frequently) - It's never too late to sign up! This course is designed to do at your own pace.

Vladimir Putin understands soft power. Photo by Alex Finley.

This course aims to cut through the noise, take out the politics, and explore the national security implications of foreign influence operations. Such campaigns (and their cheerleaders and amplifiers) have a corrosive and detrimental effect on our democratic foundations. By understanding why threat actors use these tactics and by breaking down how they are carried out, I hope we can move past the partisan discussion and view these operations as the national security threat they are.

It's important to realize, these types of malign influence operations are not new, nor is the United States the sole target. Indeed, any democratic country or institution is a target, simply because democracy anywhere is a threat to autocrats everywhere. Our mere existence might allow people who are oppressed by a dictator to see the possibilities of a more free life, if only that dictator were gone. As such, these influence operations aim to destabilize democracies and crack our democratic foundation.

The good news is: we have the tools to protect ourselves! We’ll explore these tools during the course and discuss what it would take to get people and our political leadership to act.

For more about how this is going to work, see the ABOUT page. The first class is open and free to everyone. Every class after that is open to paid subscribers only, who will also have access to a classroom chat and to Vespers, live get togethers for debate and discussion.

The course grew out of my research for my novel Victor in Trouble, a satirical look at Russian influence operations and disinformation. I hope to infuse some of that humor into the course.

Here is a list of the curriculum. You can do each class at your own pace. There’s no set timeline, no exams, no grades! Just knowledge for the sake of knowledge, at your own speed.

CLASS 1: SPYING 101

CLASS 2: PUTIN, OLIGARCHS, AND RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE

CLASS 3: ACTIVE MEASURES

CLASS 4: INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION OPERATIONS

CLASS 5: HOW DISINFORMATION WORKS

CLASS 6: ANATOMY OF A RUSSIAN INFLUENCE OPERATION

CLASS 7: CASE STUDIES OF RUSSIAN INFLUENCE OPERATIONS

CLASS 8: A LITTLE PENNE ALLA VODKA: A CASE STUDY OF RUSSIAN INFLUENCE IN ITALY

CLASS 9: HOW RUSSIA USED HOT CHICKS AND GUNS TO WOO AMERICAN CONSERVATIVES

CLASS 10: A PROFESSOR AND THE WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMEN

CLASS 11: IT’S NOT JUST RUSSIA!

CLASS 12: DON’T SAY MEAN THINGS ABOUT BEIJING

CLASS 13: THE SOLUTION IS IN OUR HANDS

CLASS 14: Russian Spies, Ukrainian Oligarchs, and America’s Mayor

CLASS 15: RUSSIA’S USE OF PRESS TOURS IN CRIMEA

CLASS 16: THE ORIGIN STORY OF THE LORD OF SIBERIA

CLASS 17: VERIFYING NEWS SITES

CLASS 18: THE FRENCH CONNECTION (TO MOSCOW)

CLASS 19: PROJECT GOOD OLD USA

CLASS 20: MORE RUSSIAN FUCKERY IN ITALY

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