Cyberpunk: Predictions and Reality
In recent decades, individuals, society and the world as a whole have been changing at breakneck speed, necessitating scientific approaches to predicting future developments. However, science-based prediction is a relatively young discipline, while authors of fiction – and especially science fiction – have been attempting to model societal and technological changes for centuries. One particularly interesting trend is cyberpunk, a science fiction sub-genre...
Private military and security companies have often been characterized as modern mercenaries, an accusation that merits serious consideration, as mercenarism is illegal under international law. Although they have not been officially deemed unlawful, an examination of the relevant normative context reveals substantial inconsistency between the growing use of private military force and the existing legal framework. The issue of the status of these companies and their employees in the context of armed...
The trend of outsourcing government functions to private contractors contributed to the creation and impressive growth of private military and security companies. Operating in hot spots across the world and providing a broad list of services to corporate and state clients alike, these firms are not simply compensating the occasional shortage in state security, but seek to be recognized as legitimate actors in the use of military force globally. This introductory post will delineate the emergence...