Transatlantic Law, Outreach, and National Security Conference Held Jointly by Syracuse University and University of Bergen
Transatlantic Alliance for Law, Outreach and National Security (TALONS) Conference Focuses on Best Practices in National Security Law
The Transatlantic Alliance for Law, Outreach and National Security (TALONS) conference, held at the University of Bergen, Norway, brought together scholars and officials from 16 universities and 12 states to discuss the topic "Best Practices in National Security Law: The Frontline State Perspective." The conference, hosted by Syracuse University Institute for Security Policy and Law (SPL) and the University of Bergen Faculty of Law, was a culmination of several years' work on furthering the field of national security law in the wake of the war in Ukraine.
The four-day event, which took place in June 2023, had four main goals: to establish an ongoing alliance of security scholars, create a forum for exchanging ideas about national security, teach national security law, and discuss the frontline state perspective. Participants included individuals from Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, and the U.S.
The conference emphasized the importance of recognizing and communicating the democratic and national security values that are vital during times when they are threatened. The free exchange of ideas and recommendations was critical to supporting the frontline states and preparing for post-conflict resolution in Ukraine.
University of Bialystok Professor Charles Szymański and the Hon. James E. Baker, director of the Institute for Security Policy and Law, will edit and contribute to a treatise on National Security Law in the Frontline States. Articles from conference participants will be published on topics such as Russia's efforts to subvert the Romanian presidential election, hybrid warfare, cybersecurity, and Russian and Chinese threats to the Arctic.
The Eastern European Journal of Transnational Relations will publish articles on the conference and its key findings. The conference was an academic alliance based on shared values, emphasizing the importance of showing up. The University of Eastern Finland will host the Second Annual TALONS Conference on Best Practices in National Security Law in June 2026.
The Transatlantic Alliance for Law, Outreach, and National Security (TALONS) conference, in its focus on best practices in national security law, also addressed the importance of education and self-development, particularly in the context of general news and ongoing war and conflicts, especially those affecting frontline states like Ukraine. Adding to the numerous discussions on national security, politics, and related issues, the conference also featured articles on Russia's attempts to interfere in elections, hybrid warfare, cybersecurity, and threats from Russia and China, underscoring the need for continued academic cooperation and exchange of ideas in these critical areas.
