In the context of increasing technologicalization and the growing interconnectedness of our world through social media, this thesis aims to answer the question, why is disinformation not being sufficiently handled in the United States in the wake of the foreign meddling in the 2016 Presidential Elections, and what can and should be done about the threat? This master thesis therefore aims to delve into the inherent vulnerabilities in the U.S. societal fabric, and thus conduct an in-depth explanatory case study model analysis of what should be done to further combat and counteract disinformation and election meddling within the country. The author argues that disinformation and election meddling are not only a serious security threat, but are also not being properly handled as they are only being addressed technologically, and not through the realm of information, and societal resilience. This thesis therefore argues that strategic communication, which should be redefined and expanded in definition, should be used to combat disinformation campaigns to prevent further election meddling. The author posits that a two-level approach is best, one which aims to negate the negative disinformation campaigns through a single governmental body, while also addressing the root causes through education.

This thesis aims to study the role, function, and responsibility of municipalities in the Swedish total defence during periods of heightened preparedness. The method used in this thesis is a qualitative text analysis, and the material consists of public documents from state actors. The research question formulated is as follows: What role, function, and responsibility are municipalities expected to have within the future total defence during periods of heightened preparedness? To answer the research question, resilience has been used as a theoretical framework. The results show that municipalities are expected to take on a proactive role by working with anticipation and identification, as well as by preventing, mitigating, and preparing for crises. Additionally, municipalities are expected to have an adaptive capability and act reactively by implementing measures and restoring society to normalcy. Furthermore, although the concept of resilience is not explicitly mentioned in the analyzed documents, it is evident that municipalities are expected to have a role, function, and responsibility characterized by resilience within the framework of future total defence. By contributing new knowledge and insights in this area, the study aims to fill the knowledge gaps that previous research has not addressed, while also aspiring to provide ideas for further research and development in the field of total defence and municipal resilience.

How do the strategic documents of the Republic of Lithuania contribute to the efforts of its institutions and organisations to build societal resilience to threats? Although the need for overall preparedness is recognised, the division of responsibilities remains unclear and fragmented. This thesis identifies the gaps between policy and its implementation by examining the strategic documents and expert opinions. The results show that the policies are summarising, visionary and directional. This leads to a lack of clarity for the institutions or to haphazard initiatives. By explaining the relationship between policy expectations and the actual willingness of the public to contribute to the defence of the state, this study contributes to the study of warfare. It also provides theoretical and empirical data for building and strengthening societal resilience in Lithuania. Promoting active dialogue, strengthening coordination between institutions and non-governmental organisations can strengthen societal resilience and thus promote better prepared national defence. / Hur bidrar Republiken Litauens strategiska dokument till dess institutioners och organisationers ansträngningar att bygga samhällelig resiliens mot hot? Även om behovet av allmän beredskap erkänns, förblir ansvarsfördelningen oklar och fragmenterad. Denna avhandling identifierar klyftorna mellan politik och dess genomförande genom att undersöka de strategiska dokumenten och expertutlåtanden. Resultaten visar att policyn är sammanfattande, visionär och riktgivande. Detta leder till en brist på tydlighet för institutionerna eller till slumpmässiga initiativ. Genom att förklara sambandet mellan policyförväntningar och allmänhetens faktiska vilja att bidra till statens försvar, bidrar denna studie till krigsvetenskap. Den tillhandahåller också teoretiska och empiriska data för att bygga och stärka samhällelig resiliens i Litauen. Att främja aktiv dialog och stärka samordningen mellan institutioner och icke-statliga organisationer kan stärka samhällelig resiliens och därigenom främja en bättre förberedd nationellt försvar.

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