Hybrid Warfare, Grey Zone Conflicts, and the Battle of Narratives: Discourse as a Strategic Weapon

Abstract

This paper explores the changing nature of warfare in the current environment, which has brought into focus the nature of hybrid warfare and the grey zone of military conflict, including the central role that discourse and narrative play as strategic weapons. Conventional war has changed, state and non-state adversaries are employing Information operations, influence warfare and media control to achieve strategic end states without the use of force of arms. This investigation is based on a qualitative research design with the critical discourse analysis (CDA), and strategic communication theories providing the overall framework for how stories create views, change attitudes and, perhaps, even realign hard geopolitical circumstances. The paper integrates theories from international relations, as well as media and military strategy, to examine case studies such as Russian activities in Ukraine, Chinese influence in Asia and ISIS propaganda. The results illustrate the growing importance of narrative supremacy in current conflict and suggest countermeasures to democratic resilience.