Online bookings only available

The NZIIA Wellington Branch and the Centre for Strategic Studies (CSS) are delighted to invite you to a panel discussion on "Autonomy and Arms: Navigating the Future of Military Technology".

Dr Julia Macdonald will join Professor David Capie to explore key themes of her book "The Hand Behind Unmanned: Origins of the US Autonomous Military Arsenal" and consider how its argument applies to the current international security environment. How have unmanned technologies evolved in the US context? What has the experience of Ukraine taught us about drones development and use? And what does it suggest about how the US military (and others) might fare across an array of possible future conflicts?

Book Overview- The Hand Behind Unmanned: Origins of the US Autonomous Military Arsenal by Jacquelyn Schneider and Julia Macdonald tells the fascinating story of the people, processes, and beliefs that led to the contemporary American unmanned arsenal. It takes an expansive look at automated and autonomous technologies, from mines and torpedoes to guided bombs and missiles, satellites, and ultimately drones, to explain why certain types of unmanned systems became popular while others languished in research or in small pockets of the American military.

The book draws on interviews of senior decision-makers, military doctrine and writings, and historical sources, to detail the proliferation of over a hundred years of unmanned weapons in the US arsenal. It reveals how multiple factors – key policy entrepreneurs, critical junctures like the fall of the USSR and 9/11 attacks, beliefs that emerged in the wake of the Vietnam War, and US military service culture – all interacted to form today’s unmanned arsenal.

Biography of Speakers

JULIA MACDONALD is a Research Professor at the Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver and Director, Research and Engagement, at the Asia New Zealand Foundation. Dr Macdonald has held research fellowships at MIT, Harvard University, and the University of Pennsylvania.

She has previously worked for the New Zealand government on national security and defense issues, most recently in New Zealand’s Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

She holds a PhD from George Washington University, an MA (Hons) from the University of Chicago, a BA (Hons) from the University of Canterbury (NZ) and a BA from the University of Otago.

DAVID CAPIE is Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies and Professor of International Relations. His research interests focus on conflict and security issues, particularly in the Asia–Pacific, and New Zealand's foreign and defence policy. He has authored or co-authored three books and numerous articles and book chapters. His research has been supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, the East-West Center and the Royal Society of New Zealand’s Marsden Fund.

David has held visiting positions at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University and at LUIS Guido Carli in Rome. He was regional co-chair of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific (CSCAP) from 2020 until 2022 and was a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum Experts and Eminent Persons Group from 2012 to 2019. David holds a BA (Hons) and LLB degrees from Victoria University of Wellington, MA from Australian National University, Canberra and a PhD from York University, Toronto, Canada.

Terms and Conditions

• Registrations are required to attend this event. No walk ups allowed. Non members can attend by paying the registration fee.
• One ticket per person. Each ticket must contain your full first and surname, email address and phone number that matches your ID.
• NZIIA Code of Conduct applies and the CSS and Institute expect a high standard of behaviour from all attendees.