Civilians are meant to be protected.
War keeps pulling them in.
Sometimes by design.
Examine the logic behind the unthinkable.
Civilians, Conflict, and Consequences
Rethinking the Role of Non-Combatants in Modern War
Part of the Rocky Mountain Conference on Security and Defence
Civilians have always been part of war—sometimes as victims, sometimes as participants, and sometimes as something far less clearly defined.
In this fireside chat, Christopher Ankersen and Matthew Ford draw on experience spanning military service, the United Nations, and contemporary research on modern warfare to examine not only how civilians become involved in conflict, but why that involvement persists.
From economic exploitation to more extreme forms of violence, this discussion will explore the uncomfortable logic—however grim—behind the deliberate entanglement of civilians in war.
Together, they will challenge assumptions about who is truly “in” a war, and what that means for how conflicts are fought today.
Join us as we confront one of the most morally complex questions in modern conflict.
Christopher Ankersen is a Clinical Professor at the Center for Global Affairs at New York University, where he serves as Academic Director for the MS in Global Security, Conflict, and Cybercrime, and leads the Global Risk Specialization.
He previously served as an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces with Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, including deployments with the United Nations and NATO. From 2005 to 2017, he worked with the United Nations in a range of security roles, including as Security Advisor in Thailand, with additional appointments in Cambodia, Geneva, Vienna, and New York.
Dr. Ankersen has taught at institutions including the London School of Economics, King’s College London, the Royal Military College of Canada, Carleton University, and the Harvard Extension School. He is also affiliated with several international research organizations and has co-edited recent works on global security and cyber peace.
He has taught at leading institutions including the London School of Economics, King’s College London, the Royal Military College of Canada, Carleton University, the Harvard Extension School, and the University of Victoria. His recent publications include Cyber Peace (Cambridge University Press, 2022) and The Future of Global Affairs (Palgrave, 2021).
He holds a BA (Hons) from Royal Roads Military College and an MSc and PhD in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Matthew Ford is a British academic and Professor at the Swedish Defence University in Stockholm, where his work focuses on the changing character of war, military innovation, and the role of technology in shaping modern conflict.
Dr. Ford’s research examines how armed forces adapt to evolving operational environments, with particular attention to irregular warfare, the use of emerging technologies, and the interaction between military forces and society. His work has explored conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as broader questions about how wars are fought in complex, population-centric environments.
He is the author of War in the Smartphone Age, which examines how widely available digital technologies are reshaping the conduct of conflict and the role of individuals within it—an area that intersects directly with the themes of this discussion. More broadly, he has published extensively on contemporary warfare, including studies on weapon innovation, insurgency, and the dynamics of modern conflict, bridging academic research with practical defence considerations.
Watch for details of our next RMCSD presentation.
The Rocky Mountain Conference on Security and Defence (RMCSD) is a signature initiative of the Royal Alberta United Services Institute (RAUSI).
RMCSD brings together subject matter experts and the public for non-partisan, hour-long online dialogues exploring the full spectrum of global security and defence issues. Each session begins with focused insights from our speakers, followed by open discussion and audience Q&A.
Our goal is to foster informed, thought-provoking dialogue that helps Canadians better understand the challenges and opportunities shaping today’s security environment.
Learn more about RAUSI and our mission.