Homeland Security Today and Narrative Strategies hosted the first-ever Narrative Strategy Symposium on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at Amentum in Arlington, Virginia. This gathering brought together leaders from government, academia, industry, the military, and the homeland security community to explore one of the defining challenges the United States is facing today.
Understanding narrative is a national security imperative. The speakers and attendees used the presentations and discussions as an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of narrative strategy. Symposium participants examined how narrative can strengthen preparedness, support national security, counter malign influence, and help build a more secure and resilient nation.
Photo: Kyle Atwell delivered the symposium’s keynote address, “Narrative Strategy and Irregular Warfare—at Home and Abroad.” An active-duty U.S. Army Special Forces officer and national security scholar, Atwell specializes in irregular warfare and security force assistance.
The symposium’s speakers and commentators included:
- Kristina Tanasichuk, Executive Editor, Homeland Security Today
- Ajit Maan, Ph.D., Founder & CEO, Narrative Strategies
- Howard Gambrill Clark, Ph.D., President, Narrative Strategies
- Brian L. Steed, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Narrative Strategies
- Elena Taube Bailey, Ph.D., President and Program Director, The Academy
- Rambir Singh Maan, Ph.D., Major General (Ret.), Indian Army
- Kyle Atwell, Ph.D., Lt. Col., U.S. Army, Irregular Warfare Initiative
- John A. Pennell, Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief, PRISM
- Amy Zalman, Ph.D., Founder, Prescient
- Hallie Stern, Policy Translation Fellow, American Democracy & Technology, ASU
- Brad N., Founder, Anti-Narrative Network
- Jesse Levin, Executive Director, Defense Entrepreneurs Forum
- Kevin Melton, Co-Founder and CEO, Pax Strategies
- Ia Meurmishvili, Editor-in-Chief, Independence Avenue Media
- Candice Bryant, former Head of Public Communications at the CIA
- Christopher Holshek, Col. (Ret.), U.S. Army Civil Affairs & VP of Narrative Strategies
- Felicia Weston, Senior Data Strategist and Applied Narrative Warfare Fellow, Narrative Strategies
- Liz Marino, Director of Intelligence, Rhombus Power, Inc.
The symposium brought together a remarkable gathering of experts in the related fields of narrative, marketing, influence operations, artificial intelligence, irregular war, collective resilience, psychological operations, and cognitive security. The event was an excellent opportunity to meet academics, business leaders, scholars, policymakers, national security analysts, and others. The gathering allowed for networking with others during breaks and lunch – numerous business cards were exchanged and interesting side conversations took place.
Photo: Brian Steed presented “Narrative War: The Philosophy of Social Conflict and the Role of Artificial Intelligence.” A retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and senior fellow at Narrative Strategies, Steed teaches and writes about narrative warfare.
Presentations and Topics of the Narrative Strategy Symposium:
- What is Narrative and How Does it Shape Our Lives
- Influence Warfare
- Narrative War: The Philosophy of Social Conflict and Role of AI
- Narrative Strategy and Irregular Warfare
- Narrative Challenges to American Engagement in a Multipolar World
- Citizen Resilience as Civil Defense
- Collective Resilience: How We’re Building Community for Cognitive Security
Several recurring themes emerged throughout the presentations and discussions. Speakers emphasized the “volume and velocity” of modern information and explained the distinction between tactical and strategic influence. They contrasted Russia’s use of narrative – often intended to generate confusion and distrust – with approaches available to democratic nations, which depend more heavily on truth and institutional credibility. One presenter traced the use of narrative over the past century and observed that actions sometimes communicate more powerfully than words. Participants also discussed rebuilding the United States’ ability to tell its story through outlets such as Voice of America and through instruments of soft power, including foreign assistance. Artificial intelligence remained a prominent topic throughout the symposium.
Many symposium participants are writers and academics working in narrative and cognitive studies. Several presenters and panelists regularly contribute to Homeland Security Today’s “Narrative Strategy” vertical. The publication established the vertical to examine the roles of influence, identity, and storytelling in global conflict, information warfare, and national security. It features research, interviews, and commentary from specialists in several related fields. The vertical is led by Dr. Ajit Maan, founder and CEO of Narrative Strategies.
This was the inaugural Narrative Strategy Symposium, and organizers indicated that additional symposiums are planned. The presentations were insightful, and the discussions were stimulating. Future events should be valuable to practitioners and scholars working in narrative strategy, influence operations, information warfare, and related fields.
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Visit the 2026 Narrative Strategy Symposium event announcement at this link. Detailed descriptions of the presenters and panel participants can be viewed here.
Top Image: ChatGPT.
