The Role of Civil Society in Strengthening National Preparedness for Modern Security Threats

In the contemporary world, the evolving nature of warfare extends beyond traditional battlefields to include cyberattacks, information warfare, and other hybrid strategies. Within this complex security landscape, civil society has emerged as an important—yet often under-explored—component of national defense. This paper examines the potential of civil society to enhance national preparedness for modern threats, focusing on case studies from the Baltic States—Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia—and Georgia. By analyzing legal frameworks, institutional roles, and the integration of civil society into state defense systems, the study identifies legal, administrative, and operational challenges and evaluates the effectiveness of civil society in countering emerging threats. Through comparative analysis, the research highlights best practices in civil-military cooperation and provides policy recommendations to strengthen national resilience. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of civil society’s transformative role in contemporary security strategies, emphasizing the growing importance of inclusive, whole-of-society approaches in an era of multifaceted warfare.