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Digital Sovereignty and Global Cyber Power: Who Controls the Infrastructure of the Internet?
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Tue, May 5, 2026
5 PM – 6:30 PM EDT (GMT-4)
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Who really controls the digital infrastructure that underpins our globally interconnected world?
Join GUCS for an engaging fireside conversation with Professor Bulelani Jili of the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. Drawing on his research in Africa–China relations, digital governance, and surveillance technologies, Professor Jili will explore how emerging technologies, state power, and private sector platforms are reshaping the balance of power in cyberspace.
This interactive, discussion-based session will connect technical cybersecurity challenges to broader questions of geopolitics, development, and digital sovereignty. Whether your interests are technical, strategic, or policy-oriented, you’ll gain valuable insights into the evolving landscape of global digital power.
About the Speaker
Professor Bulelani Jili is an Assistant Professor in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and a leading scholar of Africa–China relations, cybersecurity, and digital sovereignty.
He is also affiliated with research centers at Harvard and Yale, and has advised organizations including the U.S. State Department, Freedom House, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies on issues of digital policy and governance.
His research and commentary have appeared in venues such as African Affairs, Nature, the Guardian, Bloomberg, The Economist, and the Financial Times.
Questions? Contact: cybersecuritysociety@georgetown.edu
Speakers
Bulelani Jili
Professor at Georgetown | Faculty Associate at Harvard | Board Member
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bulelanijili/
Dr. Bulelani Jili is an Assistant Professor at Georgetown University, Faculty Associate at Harvard, and Yale Law School Visiting Fellow. His groundbreaking research examines Chinese surveillance technology, Africa-China relations, AI governance, digital colonialism, AI sovereignty, and Chinese cybersecurity threats in the Global South.
A leading expert in information and communication technology development, his work on Chinese surveillance technology and AI governance has appeared in African Affairs, Nature, Theory, Culture & Society, The Economist, and other prestigious academic and policy outlets.