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Katipunan Dialogue Season 5, Episode 2: Threat to Prevention: Understanding Deterrence as a Strategy

Listen to the second episode of the fifth season of the Katipunan Dialogue Podcast!

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In this episode, Senior Lecturer Matteo Piasentini of the UP Diliman Department of Political Science explains the concept of deterrence – its elements, gauge of effectiveness, and applications in different parts of the world.

This podcast is brought to you by the Strategic Studies Program. You can listen to previous episodes of the Katipunan Dialogue Podcast through its official Spotify account (bit.ly/cidskatipunanpodcast).
The conversation centered on the following questions:
1. What is deterrence from a strategic point of view? What is its goal or intended outcome? What are other approaches to achieve these goals or outcomes?
2. To some, it may seem ironic to prevent war or conflict by threatening or projecting the possibility of serious punishment or repercussions. What are the conditions necessary to make deterrence—or the threat of force—effective?

3. How can we gauge the effectiveness of deterrence in preventing the escalation of conflict among nation-states? Can you cite examples from around the world where deterrence has been or is currently being used by nation-states?4. Is it possible for developing countries, such as the Philippines, to establish their own capacity to deter potential aggressors? If so, how?

5. Given the United States’ ongoing efforts to rebuild deterrence globally, do you think its strategy in the Indo-Pacific is effective in deterring China? To what extent do you think the U.S. will succeed in preventing further aggression from China?

Guest Speaker

Mr. Matteo Piasentini is a senior lecturer and a PhD student in International Relations at the UP Diliman Department of Political Science. He holds a Master’s degree in Law from the University of Padua in Italy. He once served as an official of the Italian Ministry of Defense. Mr. Piasentini is also an analyst of the China and Indo-Pacific desk of Geopolitica, an Italian think tank. (from the UP Diliman Political Science website).

Host

Asst. Prof. Aaron Abel Mallari holds a BA and MA in History from the University of the Philippines and a double degree from the European Masters in Global Studies (EMGS) Program through an Erasmus+ scholarship. Presently, his research pursuits focus on the broad history and development of international drug policy, transnational crime, and Southeast Asian studies, with an inclination toward applying and thinking about postcolonial and decolonial theorizing and methodology (from UP Diliman Political Science website).

Queries

For queries, please email: [email protected]The Katipunan Dialogue Podcast is produced by the Strategic Studies Program of the Center for Integrative and Development Studies, University of the Philippines, in partnership with DZUP. The Strategic Studies Program is one of the UP CIDS’ 16 research programs that focuses on national security, foreign policy, and other related issues. Learn more and download SSP policy papers for free.