This thesis aimed to explore the development of the U.S. government’s threat perception of cyber espionage through the Securitization Theory between 2011 and 2020 (Buzan et al, 1997). A case study...Show moreThis thesis aimed to explore the development of the U.S. government’s threat perception of cyber espionage through the Securitization Theory between 2011 and 2020 (Buzan et al, 1997). A case study was deployed in which the U.S. government was the case and a total of 34 governmental documents were analyzed. The analysis shows that Chinese industrial espionage is at the core of developing the threat perception of the U.S. Furthermore, the speech act, referent objects, and acceptance of a relevant audience remained fairly constant factors between 2011 and 2020. However, the level of threat that Chinese industrial cyber espionage posed to the U.S fluctuates. From 2011 until 2015, the analysis indicated an increase in the threat level but seemed to have slightly decreased between 2015 and 2016. From 2016 until 2020, the perceived threat seems to increase again. The year 2020 indicated a shift from Chinese industrial cyberespionage to Russian cyberespionage. However, the latter statement requires more rigorous analysis.Show less
