book chapter

Political Strength and Cognitive Warfare: How Democracies Radicalize

Ivanov I.

Publication year: 2026
Source / journal: the morality of software- defined warfare: just war theory, army medicine, and ai
Country of origin: Bulgaria
Language: English
Institution type: Academic
Authors’ affiliations: Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Bulgaria
Academic discipline: Military Influence & Security Doctrine; Cognitive & Behavioral Sciences; Social Psychology & Group Dynamics; Network Science (SNA / ONA); Human–Machine & Algorithmic Mediation; Ethics, Law & Normative Frameworks
Actors: NATO; Military / Armed Forces
Contribution type: Methodological
Import source: Scopus export

Abstract

The driving forces behind the post- Cold War democratization stemmed from the assumption that building accountable and transparent institutions would secure peace. The failure of transitional regimes and polarization within democratic societies have resulted in a survivorship bias for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, as such polarization within Western societies presents a considerable risk to their national security. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce a structural model of how cognitive warfare undermines political strength, thereby radicalizing liberal democracies. The study seeks to explain how cognitive warfare affects the strategic perceptions of the major NATO allies, bringing the Alliance one step closer to domestic fragmentation and institutional instability. © 2026 by IGI Global Scientific Publishing. All rights reserved.

Author keywords

international cooperation; military applications; cold wars; driving forces; north atlantic treaty organizations; structural modeling; transitional regimes; western societies; national security

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