About Me
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Emerson T. Brooking
I’m a bestselling author and analyst of international security policy. I’m also an accomplished speaker.
My research interests focus on emerging trends in conflict. How might combatants harness modern digital and kinetic platforms toward traditional war aims? What are the likely negative consequences of this adoption, and what steps might we take to mitigate and avert them?
My studies have drawn me especially to the internet. I’m fascinated by the flow and diffusion of information, the history of communications mediums, and the evolution and governance of modern social media platforms.
Georgia Raised, Philly Educated
I grew up in the mountains of North Georgia and had spent less than ten days of my life in a city before entering my first year at the University of Pennsylvania. I enjoy keeping up with the place I left behind and feel best when I’m connected to each of these worlds.
I graduated from Penn in 2011, receiving a BA in Political Science and Classical Studies. Beyond my interest in political theory and defense institutions, I’ve long been captivated by the events and personalities of the Roman Empire. My senior thesis, a study of Roman counter-revolt practices, bridged these two interests.
After a very brief career in newspapers, I moved to Washington, DC, to work in defense policy. Most recently, I was a Research Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations—the youngest person to receive such an honor in institutional memory.
I currently serve as Resident Fellow at the Digital Forensic Research Lab of the Atlantic Council. There, I work at the frontier of digital disinformation, electoral interference, and social media manipulation.
