Design Theory and Counterinsurgency, Security Force Assistance (SFA), Foreign Internal Defense

(FID) with Ben Zweibelson

Can We Only Teach What We Know?

Questions?

Building a paradigm: how do we know about knowing?

“Thinking about how we think”

“What we believe and what we do not is not essential- it is the “why” we make these choices

that is”

Joan of Arc: What Was She?

A metaphor for considering paradigmic constructs

Ontology: at the highest abstract level, what exists, and what does not? What is ‘military knowledge’, and what is not? Are there things we cannot

explain or deduce in war?

An ontological question might be, does a military genius simply burst upon the scene, or can it only occur after lengthy experience and practice? Consider Joan of Arc,

and whether she was recognized as a valid military leader within the context of a 19 year old peasant girl leading the

French Army by divine inspiration during the Hundred Years War.

Epistemology: the study of what ‘military knowledge’ is, how we

learn it, and whether there are limitations or barriers. How do we recognize military leadership? What do

we disregard as ‘wrong’ or ‘incorrect’, and why?

An epistemological question to Joan of Arc is as follows: how did

the French Army recognize military leadership? Did they have conflicts with Joan’s sex,

age, socio-economic origins, or military experience? How did

they displace other leaders with one like Joan, and why?

Methodology: the theoretical underpinnings, rules, principles,

concepts that provide structure to understanding a field of study such as military planning.

The French Army’s methodology used medieval siege warfare, class systems,

conscription and mercenary employment, and traditional frontal attacks with cavalry

employments, indirect fire (archers), as well as espionage, politics, and bribes. This was similar to rival military methodologies.

How Military Knowledge Relates to Ontology, Epistemology, and Methodology

MC Escher: Graphic Illusions and More…

A metaphor for considering the cognitive limitations of the mind

Interplay of Ontology, Epistemology, and Methodology

Are we going upstairs?

Are we going downstairs?

Which way are we going now?

Figure 2: The Ontology/Epistemology Fraction and Exploring Tensions

Ontology:What is ‘military knowledge’,

and what is not?

Epistemology: How we learn military

knowledge, and why this is.

= O/E

O 1

E 1

O 2

E 2

O1: “Joan of Arc is divinely chosen to lead our army”

O2: “uneducated, low class, young females cannot lead a military force”

E1: “Once confirmed through senior religious leaders and policy makers, Joan’s visions are validated and she is therefore granted decision-making authority for military operations”

E2: “Effective Generals are bred, trained, and proven in years of combat and greater responsibility until they can command an Army successfully.”

Tension!

* One way to express ontology and epistemology

French Perspective

Non-French Perspective

Pablo Picasso and Bob Ross:

A metaphor for considering tensions in various paradigms

Ontological, Epistemological and Methodological Tensions in a Quad Chart Model

O1/E1Tacit Knowledge:

things cannot be simply explained/conveyed like riding a bike; recognizing a face out of a crowd

O2/E2Explicit Knowledge:

things can be categorized, transferred, learned easily- like every species of butterfly; inspecting a car engine

O4/E4Reflective Constructivist: Multiple ways of making sense of

the world; we interpret and create our worlds through

symbols- nothing is objective

Q1

Q3

Q2

Q4O3/E3

Technical Rationalism: The world is structured and

uniform; all knowledge can be unlocked with science and careful

measurement/repetition

Ontological, Epistemological and Methodological Tensions in a Quad Chart Model

O1/E1Tacit Knowledge:

things cannot be simply explained/conveyed like riding a bike; recognizing a face out of a crowd

O2/E2Explicit Knowledge:

things can be categorized, transferred, learned easily- like every species of butterfly; inspecting a car engine

O4/E4Reflective Constructivist: Multiple ways of making sense of

the world; we interpret and create our worlds through

symbols- nothing is objective

Q1

Q3

Q2

Q4

Pablo Picasso was an artistic genius; students can study under him but very

few will match him…he can break all “the rules” the rest must follow.

Picasso was just Picasso- a unique artist to his context. Imitating him, reducing

him, or expecting future Picassos misunderstands Picasso.

Analysis and careful reproduction of all sub-components of what

makes Picasso successful can be taught to others to create other

‘proxy Picassos’

There are many ways to understand and interpret Picasso- some better than others. We can categorize the

optimal ways to achieve this in some cases.

O3/E3Technical Rationalism: The world is structured and

uniform; all knowledge can be unlocked with science and careful

measurement/repetition

Napster, al Qaeda, the Music Industry and Western Super Powers:

A metaphor for considering hierarchical and non-hierarchical organizations

Additional Tension of Organizational Structure (Hierarchy Versus Decentralized)

Decentralized Decision-Making/Critical and Creative Reflection :

Emphasis on equality, no hierarchy structure. Adaptation pursued versus conformity; critical

reflection and creativity encouraged over uniformity or adherence to irrelevant/disruptive

institutionalisms.

Centralized Decision-Making/Hierarchy:

Institution operates with rank, tiered decision-making, and organizations

seek to maintain self-relevance even at the expense of itself. Uniformity,

conformity, and loyalty favored over critical and creative thinking.

Hybrid OrganizationsTraditions

Doctrine

Rank and Relationships

Rigid Processes

Mastery over time (experience)

Gradual Changes

Uniform Structure

Official Lexicon

Bosses makes major decisions

Experience not tied to seniority

Adaptive structure in flux

Lexicon transforms

New theories and merging ideas; no overarching doctrine

No centralized boss

Traditions irrelevant

Rapid transformation

Teachers and Students exchange

roles frequently

Centralized Organizations and Flow of Decisions/Information

Senior Leadership

Top-Down Decisions

Next level of Control

Next level of Control

Localized Element (tactical)

information

Methodological Depiction Epistemological Depiction

Decentralized Organization Information and Decision Flow

Localized Element

Other local element

Other local element

Other local element

Other local element

Other local element

Other local element

Other local element

Other local element

loose coupling tight coupling

Cumulative Local Inputs

Organizational senior

leadership

Framework and

Architecture

Regional Oversight

Regional Oversight

Framework and Architecture

Organizational senior leadership

Methodological DepictionEpistemological Depiction

Methodological Concerns for Counterinsurgency

Figure 1: Methodologies versus Epistemologies

Epistemological Concerns for Counterinsurgency

• Population centric approach versus territory/fixed objective centric • Police oriented versus military oriented versus ‘information oriented’• Winning ‘Hearts and Minds’ versus an ‘ends justifies the means’ approach• Attacking a ‘network’ and approaching from a systems of systems nodal approach• Securing territory in a ‘clear, hold, build’ approach to capitalize on population stability• National government and centralized authority tied to Rule of Law enforced by security forces for entire population• Train, advise, assist Security Forces to operate and eventually replace all occupied forces

• How an army understands time, relationships, and how to influence them • How an army views ways to gain support of the population over time versus ways not to do this.• How victory is framed- is it the destruction of something tangible, or is it the intangible actions of the population at risk? Do we understand a difference?• How to measure success; is it tied to metrics and tangible items/actions, or associated with conceptual processes?• How does governance support counterinsurgency, and what form of government is best for this environment…and which ones are not?• How do we teach security forces, what manner to we teach in, and what do we teach them to do?

The Afghan Militia and the ISAF Military Advisor:

A metaphor for considering SFA paradigmic conflicts

“The year was 1818, and Joseph Jacotot, speaking no Flemish, was directed to teach French to a class of students that only spoke Flemish. What Jacotot did challenged the entire western model of classical education on an epistemological, philosophical, and sociological level; he taught something he did not know, and did it in a manner where he never learned Flemish, but helped liberate his students to learn their own path. “

• Rancière argued that nearly all western approaches to conveying knowledge or discovering new knowledge is shackled to a strict and unequal partnership between the teacher and the student, which he terms the ‘old master’ relationship.

• Knowledge is administered in a hierarchical manner, where the master simply does not give the information (such as a book) to the student and instruct them to ‘learn it.’

• Instead, the master controls the learning process, measuring progress, evaluating the student, explaining at times and withholding information at other times because the student “is not ready” yet for that level of advancement.

• Jacotot called this explication, which reduces independence between the teacher and student by forcing him into complete dependence upon the master.

“The Ignorant Counterinsurgent”

• This ‘old master’ relationship erects and maintains a distance between the teacher and the student, “a distance discursively invented and reinvented so that it may never be abolished.”

• Thus, the ‘old master’ teaching model rests upon a tautological, or impossible to prove/disprove statement: ‘alone, the student lacks the will to learn…only with the master’s will can the student make the intellectual journey to the next level.’

• Rancière offers the ‘ignorant schoolmaster’ technique of Jacotot as the ‘emancipation method’ where the method is purely under control of the student and there is no hierarchical relationship in that “the route the student will take is unknown.”

• Jacotot’s emancipation approach requires the student to free their mind of the ‘Old Master’ framework; they must reject the two tautological maxims that form its foundation.

• To consider applying this to how we pursue core elements of counterinsurgency, the soldier has to ‘un-learn’, or reject the teacher-student structure and consider how to approach security force assistance from the emancipatory method proposed.

• Lastly, and perhaps most critically, the student as well as the teacher have to accept that ignorance is not only acceptable in counterinsurgency training, but generally necessary.

ISAF and ANSF- the Army Values Example:“Consider the Afghan Police, and how the western coalition approaches teaching and training them. We focus on cleansing them of several key values we find undesirable in law enforcement, to include illiteracy, corruption, nepotism, and sexism, and instead emphasize values we favor. For example, the Afghan Army and Police forces are instructed on the values of ‘integrity, honor, duty, country, courage, service, loyalty, respect, and God (Allah)’ that exactly mirror the U.S. Army values except for ‘God’ and ‘country.’ We attempt to build them into a security force that looks rather like our own…”

Not Western Loyalty

Western Loyalty

Neither A nor BBoth A and B

A is in tension with B. A rival tension to A.

Another value distinct from both A and B.

Combination of A and B in a novel form.

Emancipatory Process

Explication Process

UnlearnedLearned

Q1 Q2

Q3 Q4

Breaking the hierarchal structure of “controlling knowledge”

Maintaining Hierarchical Control of Knowledge

Explaining multiple Teacher/Student Paradigms

Emancipatory Process

Explication Process

UnlearnedLearned

Q1 Q2

Q3 Q4“Old Master” approach to Professionalizing Militaries

“Ignorant Counterinsurgent” approach to Professionalizing Militaries

“Myth Production”Imitation without Proficiency; Mimicry without Capabilities;

Breaking the hierarchal structure of “controlling knowledge”

Maintaining Hierarchical Control of Knowledge

Critical Inquiry and Self-Awareness of why a system is transforming.

Figure 2: Explaining multiple Teacher/Student Paradigms

“Jacotot started with the ignorant teaching of language, where he did not know Flemish, yet his students were still bound to the parameters of learning French, an established language… Lexicon, as well as structure and meaning would need to transform the language as they had to learn it. This is where the ill-structured conflict environments featured in most counterinsurgencies are unique situations, unlike other counterinsurgencies elsewhere, and demand tailored approaches that often cannot be cataloged and used again in the next military hotspot.“

In the ‘old-master’ model, one cannot teach what one does not already know. We cannot teach values we do not also have a mastery of, thus the Afghan Police and Army values are the same as ours.

Emergent development to

capture and ritualize design,

eliminating it as a competitor.

Emergent development away

from traditional military thinking

and doctrine entirely!

Epistemological and Ontological Tensions for Design and Detailed Planning

DesignTheory

Traditional Military Planning

DesignDoctrine

“Military Genius”

‘Codifying’ Tension

‘Genius as a checklist’ Tension

‘Art vs. Science’ Tension

‘Simplicity’ Tension

Centralized Decision-Making/Hierarchy

Centralized Decision-Making/Hierarchy

Decentralized Decision-Making/Critical and Creative Reflection

Decentralized Decision-Making/Critical and Creative Reflection

Q1

Q3

Q2

Q4

O1/E1Tacit Knowledge

O2/E2Explicit Knowledge

O3/E3Technical Rationalism: The world is structured and

uniform; all knowledge can be unlocked with science and careful

measurement/repetition

O4/E4Reflective Constructivist: Multiple ways of making sense of

the world; we interpret and create our worlds through

symbols- nothing is objective