Postgraduate students, fellows, staff and faculty from any discipline are welcome. This group aims to foster frequent interdisciplinary critical dialogue across Oxford and beyond about the political impacts of emerging technologies. Please contact Elisabeth Siegel at elisabeth.siegel@politics.ox.ac.uk or Brian Kot at brian.kot@politics.ox.ac.uk in advance to participate or with any questions. Remote attendance is possible, but in-person attendance is prioritized (and provided refreshment).

Abstract: This talk examines the strategic significance of fibre optic cables within broader cyber, space, and maritime considerations. Drawing on recent incidents in Northern and Baltic waters, it explores the overlooked implications of network systems for allied defence and deterrence.

About the speaker: Anniki Mikelsaar is a Shirley Scholar and a DPhil student at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford. Her doctoral research, supervised by Carl Frey and Vili Lehdonvirta, explores the governance of digital infrastructure, focusing on cable networks. In a professional capacity, she has worked as a Futures Analyst at DCDC of the UK Ministry of Defence, conducted research on fibre optic cables as Sir Richard Dearlove Scholar at Cambridge Security Initiative and Visiting Student at St. John’s College, University of Cambridge; and presented her research at various governmental and military organisations, including Royal Air Force (RAF) Benson base in Oxfordshire, NATO Force Integration Unit, the Government Office of Estonia, and the Higher Command Studies Course at the Baltic Defence College. She holds a Master’s in History from the University of Oxford (Merit, Best Thesis Prize 2024) and a first-class undergraduate degree from Sciences Po Paris and the London School of Economics. She has organised events bridging the submarine cable industry, governmental stakeholders, and academia, most recently as an Oxford China Policy Lab fellow in the 2024 cohort.