SECURITY IN THE FIFTH DOMAIN: REALISM IN CYBERSPACE

Abstract

The rapid evolution of cyberspace has drastically transformed the landscape of international relations by its unconventional SWOT matrix and a highly fluid operational environment, which left traditional theories whose assumptions are rooted in the physical domain struggling to catch up and account for the rapid pace of change. As a nonphysical domain, it overcomes the stopping power of geography by transcending borders and temporal constraints by ensuring an instantaneous and real-time flow of information. Additionally, it has created new conflicts that have fundamentally disrupted the conventional notions of power, security, and sovereignty. These changes along the spatial and temporal lines, and the uniquity of this fifth domain raises new questions about the state centrism, territorial sovereignty, and military power in an anarchic system. This article explores how the emergence of this fifth domain has challenged the key assumptions of realism and how realist scholars have tried to catch up with the pace of developments in this inherently disruptive domain.