Prudence in Action
The O’Brien Notre Dame International Security Center provides a forum for national security scholars to come together to explore the most pressing issues in national security policy.
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Notre Dame undergraduates studying international security have access to interdisciplinary courses and exciting opportunities that will prepare them for careers in policy and academia.
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The O’Brien Notre Dame International Security Center was established in 2008 to provide a forum where leading scholars in national security studies from Notre Dame and elsewhere could come together to explore some of the most pressing issues in national security policy.
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ONDISC invites leaders and prominent scholars to speak on a wide range of international security related topics. These events provide a forum for policy experts, outside academics, and Notre Dame faculty and students to present and discuss their work.Events
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More from our expertsForeign Affairs - The War China Might Choose
August 04, 2026
by Eugene Gholz and Kerby Davis
Analysts generally organize the options for a Chinese military move against Taiwan into three categories: an invasion to seize direct control of the island; a “joint firepower strike” that would bomb Taiwan’s cities and political institutions, terrorizing Taiwanese civilians into surrender; and a maritime blockade to starve Taiwan into submission. All these missions are complex, high-cost gambles for China that would consume large quantities of military assets and result in immense casualties and property damage.
South China Morning Post
Pain or gain? US moves to decouple its defence industry from China’s rare earths
August 01, 2026
The latest directive tells defence contractors that the era of relatively easily available waivers and the Trump administration’s repeated retreats from enforcing policies in this area is over, according to Eugene Gholz, an associate professor of political science at the University of Notre Dame.
“The executive order is about finally enforcing laws that have been on the books for a while,” said Gholz, who formerly served as senior adviser to the US deputy assistant secretary of defence for manufacturing and industrial base policy.
