C.A.S.E. Memos intend to expose practitioners to fresh ideas from academics accepting their responsibility as public intellectuals. They address topics of general concern, unpack concepts often taken for granted and unravel assumptions on which decisions rely. By doing so, C.A.S.E. Memos aim at bringing new perspectives into the political discourse by tapping into the reservoir of conceptual insights and presenting them in a way that is critical, creative, and concise.

C.A.S.E. Memos offer scholars specializing in the study of (international) politics an opportunity to make their ideas intelligible to those moving in the policy world and invite them to think – and think again. Academics enjoy the freedom to think conceptually deep and outside the dominant discourse, they are expected to question basic assumptions and accepted wisdoms, to experiment, find new angles, and to offer answers which improve our lives. Yet having and preserving academic freedom does not exclude the possibility of entering the political space. Recognizing the influence of scholars in structuring political debates on issues of ‘security’, their insights should be accessible to practitioners, unfiltered. 

The format of C.A.S.E. Memos acknowledges that in order to have their voice heard and understood, academics need to speak in a language accessible to those in the ‘real world’. However, C.A.S.E. Memos do not intend to give technical policy recommendations or discuss current events. Their critical/conceptual approach aims at making visible underlying structures of policy debates and at pointing towards the political consequences of framing things one way or another. As such, they complement rather than compete with the work done by think tanks, policy planners, or political commentators.