Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies

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Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies CMSS The Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies is a research centre at the University of Calgary.

Established in 1999, the centre has a strong and growing reputation — both in Canada and beyond — for excellence in research and graduate instruction in the areas of military history, Canadian defence policy and security studies.

What conditions lead to genocide, and how does mass violence become possible?In our first “From the CMSS Library” featur...
10/13/2026

What conditions lead to genocide, and how does mass violence become possible?

In our first “From the CMSS Library” feature, we highlight Dr. Maureen Hiebert, CMSS Fellow, and her book Constructing Genocide and Mass Violence: Society, Crisis, Identity.

Dr. Hiebert’s book examines how political and social conditions, periods of crisis, and the construction of group identity can contribute to genocidal violence. Her research offers an important perspective on the relationship between state power, identity, and mass violence, contributing to our understanding of how genocides emerge and how they differ from other forms of political violence.

Through From the CMSS Library, we’ll showcase books by CMSS fellows and affiliated scholars, sharing the research and ideas shaping conversations in military, security, and strategic studies. 📖

What conditions lead to genocide, and how does mass violence become possible?In our first “From the CMSS Library” featur...
10/13/2026

What conditions lead to genocide, and how does mass violence become possible?

In our first “From the CMSS Library” feature, we highlight Dr. Maureen Hiebert, CMSS Fellow at the University of Calgary, and her book Constructing Genocide and Mass Violence: Society, Crisis, Identity.

This book examines how political and social conditions, periods of crisis, and the construction of group identity can contribute to genocidal violence. Drawing on comparisons of N**i Germany’s “Final Solution” and the Cambodian genocide, she explores how political elites come to define certain groups as threats and how these processes can pave the way for genocide.

Hiebert’s research offers an important perspective on the relationship between state power, identity, and mass violence, contributing to our understanding of how genocides emerge and how they differ from other forms of political violence.

Through From the CMSS Library, we’ll showcase books by CMSS fellows and affiliated scholars, sharing the research and ideas shaping conversations in military, security, and strategic studies. 📚

Join us for a lecture with Dr. Patrick Lennox on his newly published book, On Treason: Alberta Separatism, Foreign Inter...
10/07/2026

Join us for a lecture with Dr. Patrick Lennox on his newly published book, On Treason: Alberta Separatism, Foreign Interference, & Canada’s Survival in a Revolutionary Age.

Dr. Lennox will discuss the themes and ideas explored in the book, followed by an opportunity to purchase a copy and have it signed by the author.

📍 University of Calgary – Main Campus
📅 Tues Oct 20, 2026 from 2:00–3:30 p.m.
🔗 Registration required — link in bio

We welcome students, faculty, staff, and members of the community interested in engaging with the topic and hearing directly from the author.

Canada’s maritime security environment is changing rapidly. As global maritime competition intensifies and Canada faces ...
09/18/2026

Canada’s maritime security environment is changing rapidly. As global maritime competition intensifies and Canada faces increasingly complex challenges at home and abroad, critical questions are emerging about the future of Canadian seapower.

Join us October 15–16 for the Seapower Conference 2026, bringing together serving officers, policymakers, and academics to examine Canada’s readiness for conflict and the decisions shaping the future of the Royal Canadian Navy and Coast Guard.

We’re pleased to highlight some of the speakers joining us for this important conversation. Speaker lineup is subject to change as the program develops.

More details and the full program to come.

🔗 Register using the link in bio

The finalized report from Canadian Landpower 2026: Mobilization & Modernization is now available! Held on March 26–27 at...
09/16/2026

The finalized report from Canadian Landpower 2026: Mobilization & Modernization is now available!

Held on March 26–27 at the University of Calgary, the conference brought together scholars, military professionals, practitioners, and students to examine a critical moment for the Canadian Army.

As part of the Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies (CMSS) Power Series, the conference sought to understand, prepare for, and explore these challenges. The finalized report captures summaries of the keynote remarks and panel presentations, providing a detailed record of the discussions and perspectives shared throughout the two-day conference.

A sincere thank you to the Department of National Defence’s Mobilizing Insights in Defence and Security (MINDS) program, our generous sponsors, speakers, student volunteers, and everyone who contributed to making the conference possible. We also want to recognize and express our appreciation for the dedication and commitment of the organizing committee. Finally, a very special thank you to Corah Lynn Hodgson for her outstanding work preparing the conference report.

🔗 Read the report in bio.

What can the extensive use of Iranian missiles and drones in the recent war in the Middle East tell us about the future ...
09/14/2026

What can the extensive use of Iranian missiles and drones in the recent war in the Middle East tell us about the future of warfare, and what challenges does this create for air and missile defence?

Join us for the next Highlanders’ Lecture Series featuring Dr. Ash Rossiter, defence consultant and academic, whose work focuses on emerging military technology, defence policy, and near-future warfare.

📅 Wednesday, September 16, 2025
🕕 Doors open at 6:00 PM
📍 The Military Museums, 4520 Crowchild Trail SW, Calgary

The Highlander Lecture Series is hosted by the Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies.

The Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies (CMSS) is pleased to welcome Dr. Peter Jackson, MA’91, PhD, as a...
08/27/2026

The Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies (CMSS) is pleased to welcome Dr. Peter Jackson, MA’91, PhD, as a new Fellow and as the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Intelligence and Security in a Changing Global Order in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Calgary

After three decades of research in Europe, Dr. Jackson is excited to return to Canada and turn his focus to the Canadian security and intelligence experience. His research will include two projects examining critical issues for Canada’s future: security in the Arctic and Canadian public perspectives on intelligence.

Through the proposed Arctic Observation Unit, Dr. Jackson and his collaborators will use new data technologies and open-source intelligence to identify strategic activity and emerging signals across the Arctic, helping inform public discussion and government policy.

Welcome back to Calgary and to CMSS, Dr. Jackson!
👏 👏👏

The Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies (CMSS) at the University of Calgary is a leading transdisciplina...
08/26/2026

The Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies (CMSS) at the University of Calgary is a leading transdisciplinary centre for research and education in military, security, and strategic studies.

Established in 1999, CMSS brings together diverse disciplines—including history, political science, anthropology, geography economics, and engineering—to explore some of today’s most important defence and security challenges.

Our impact reaches far beyond our size, contributing to important conversations on defence and security in Canada and around the world.

Through pioneering interdisciplinary research, innovative academic programs, and meaningful community engagement, CMSS is committed to being a national and international leader in military, security, and strategic studies.

📚 Transdisciplinary. Research-focused. Impact-driven. Welcome to CMSS.

Congratulations to CMSS Fellow Dr. Matthew Croombs on the publication of Cinemas of Global Solidarity, co-edited with Ma...
08/17/2026

Congratulations to CMSS Fellow Dr. Matthew Croombs on the publication of Cinemas of Global Solidarity, co-edited with Masha Salazkina and published by Oxford University Press! 🎉🎉🎉

Bringing together contributions from leading and emerging scholars in film and media studies, the collection examines solidarity as a governing concept of film aesthetics, circulation, distribution, and exhibition. It re-evaluates the history of anti-colonialism in cinema, while highlighting overlooked film radicalisms and the experimental practices of women’s collectives across the Global South.

By tracing connections between the anti-colonial period and the contemporary rise of fascism and forms of neo-colonialism, Cinemas of Global Solidarity offers a renewed understanding of cinema’s role in imagining alternatives to militarized borders, predatory finance capital, and the nation-state.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Canada–Finland Arctic Security Forum on June 10 at the University of Calgary...
06/15/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Canada–Finland Arctic Security Forum on June 10 at the University of Calgary.

We were pleased to welcome a full house of students, researchers, practitioners, government officials, and community members to the Canada–Finland Arctic Security Forum. The exceptional turnout and thoughtful discussions highlighted the growing importance of Arctic security and the value of bringing together Canadian and Finnish perspectives to address shared challenges in the North. Thank you to our partners at the Canadian Maritime Security Network (CMSN), as well as our speakers, organizers, and attendees, for contributing to a successful and insightful event.

A sincere thank you to our distinguished speakers and panelists for sharing their expertise and insights:
• Dr. Rob Huebert, University of Calgary
• Dr. Tricia Stadnyk, University of Calgary
• Dr. Heather Exner-Pirot, Macdonald-Laurier Institute
• Jyri Häkämies, Former Minister of Defence of Finland
• Juni Flyktman, Vice-President, Defence and Security, IQM Quantum Computers
• Dr. Adam Lajeunesse, St. Francis Xavier University
• Commissioner Marc Mes, Canadian Coast Guard

We were also proud to showcase the outstanding work of CMSS graduate students Alexandra Hardwicke and Sasha Mathieu, who presented on how the European Union and Canada can jointly shape the governance of critical undersea infrastructure to strengthen sovereignty, economic resilience, and strategic autonomy.

The forum concluded with a fascinating fireside chat featuring former President of Finland Sauli Niinistö. President Niinistö shared valuable reflections on Arctic security, international cooperation, and the changing global strategic environment.

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2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, AB
T2N1N4

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+14032204052

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