The Future Architecture of National Security and Policymaking in the Digital Age

The field of national security is undergoing a paradigm shift due to the accelerating influence of digitalization. The emergence of cyber threats, hybrid warfare, algorithmic governance, and the manipulation of information environments has fundamentally changed the nature of contemporary security challenges. Traditional security frameworks now face critical questions about adaptability, legitimacy, and efficacy in responding to these digitally driven risks. Current debates focus on the vulnerabilities exposed by technology-driven threats, the persistent gap between the pace of technological change and institutional reform, and concerns over societal trust and democratic accountability. Despite significant literature on specific facets such as cybersecurity and information warfare, comprehensive analyses integrating political, technological, legal, and societal dimensions are comparatively rare.

This Research Topic aims to explore how national security architectures and policymaking processes are being reconfigured in response to the digital age. It seeks to address pivotal questions surrounding institutional adaptation, the implications of technological innovation, and the challenge of safeguarding democratic values while responding to novel threats. Contributors are invited to investigate how security institutions are reforming, the multifaceted role of emerging technologies, and the ways in which societies can enhance resilience and uphold transparency amid growing complexity and opacity in security environments.

The scope of this Research Topic encompasses the intersection of security, technology, and public policy, while remaining focused on transformations emerging from digitalization. Contributions may adopt empirical, theoretical, or normative approaches to their analyses.

To gather insights into digital-era national security governance, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• institutional reforms in security policymaking and governance

• the impact of emerging technologies on national security strategy

• societal resilience and the safeguarding of democratic accountability

• strategic foresight in anticipating and countering digital threats

• legal and ethical considerations of algorithmic and data-driven security practices

• international cooperation and global security governance in the digital domain.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Registered Report
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Digitalization, Algorithmic governance, Hybrid warfare, Institutional reform, Democratic accountability, Data-driven security

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.