Giedrius ČESNAKAS (General Jonas Žemaitis War Academy of Lithuania)
The presentation focuses on how decision making on national security issues is predetermined by knowledge and perception filters (‘bubbles’) of decision makers. It builds on a theoretical model of neoclassical realism combining constructivistic and material power approaches. This theoretical model shows that decisions on national security are determined not only by elements of the State’s material power but especially on how decision makers perceive the State’s position and the international context. It is emphasised that of much importance for decision making are personal traits, values, and interests of decision makers as well as filters that surround them, i.e., their unavoidable presence within a certain ‘bubble’ of knowledge. The presentation also discusses means which could contribute to bursting the ‘bubble’ and allow evaluating the international security context.