Why do countries publish national security strategies? New insights from AI and global data

Why do so many countries—big and small, rich and poor—publish national security strategies? Are they just following the lead of the US, or do different states have their own motivations? In this talk, we share findings from the first global study of why states say they release these important documents. Using a recent dataset covering 119 countries and advanced language models, speaker Andrew Neal analysed over 2,000 official explanations from nearly 40 years of national security publications. The results reveal four main motivations—strategic planning, transparency, threat response, and international cooperation—with interesting patterns over time and across regions. Whether you’re interested in international relations, security studies, or the use of AI in social science research, this talk will offer fresh insights and a chance to discuss the evolving transparency of states in a complex world.

Speaker

Andrew Neal (University of Edinburgh)

Registration will close two hours before the event begins.