This project seeks to host a one-day interdisciplinary workshop on the emerging role of private firms as enforcers of export control regimes. Export controls are utilized by states to restrict the flow of strategic goods to foreign adversaries. And they are increasingly being deployed in the world’s most pressing conflicts, from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to competition between the U.S. and China for technological superiority. Nevertheless, we know surprisingly little about how export controls are enforced. Particularly overlooked is the integral role played by financial institutions in this process. States rely on these institutions to surveil transactions and look for signs of smuggling networks used to evade export controls. But how does this actually work in practice? When should we expect these efforts to be effective? And what are the implications for our understanding of economic warfare?

By bringing together, for the first time, a diverse group of scholars, private sector practitioners, and public sector officials to exchange presentations, this workshop will shed new light on these pressing questions of international security. The project is guided by a central thesis that private financial institutions are indispensable enforcers of global trade security. Participants will work toward advancing this thesis by presenting research findings, empirical observations, and/or practical insights on this topic. These contributions will subsequently be published as an edited volume in an academic press. By achieving these outcomes, this project will advance our understanding of economic statecraft while producing practical insights directly relevant to ongoing conflicts. Further, it will create a valuable new network of academics and practitioners, one which will continue working toward a better understanding of the role private financial institutions play in global trade security.