Disinformation and Counternarratives in International Security: Cognitive Competition

Matey and Moral's collection addresses the operational side of the counter-disinformation challenge: not just how to detect and attribute influence operations, but how to contest the narratives they propagate. The concept of cognitive competition — borrowed from military doctrine but applied here to the broader information environment — frames the challenge usefully: the goal is not simply to correct false beliefs but to maintain competitive advantage in the struggle over how publics understand contested events and actors.

The chapters range across case studies in Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, providing comparative grounding for what remains a largely theoretical discussion in much of the policy literature. The focus on counternarrative design and effectiveness is particularly valuable, as this remains one of the least evidence-based areas of counter-FIMI practice. Practitioners working on strategic communications and narrative contestation will find this volume directly relevant.