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This book describes the evolution of French defence policy since
the end of the Cold War. For the past thirty years there have been
significant changes to French defence policy as a result of several
contextual evolutions. Changes include shifts in the global balance
of power, new understandings of the notion of international
security, economic downturns, and developments in European
integration. Yet despite these changes, the purpose of France’s
grand strategy and its main principles have remained remarkably
stable over time. This book identifies the incentives,
representations and objectives of French defence policy The authors
examine the general mechanisms that influence policy change and
military transformation in democracies, the importance of
status-seeking in international relations, the processes of
strategy-making by a middle power, and the dilemmas and challenges
of security cooperation. By doing so the book raises a number of
questions related to the ways states adjust (or not) their security
policies in a transformed international system. This book makes
French-language sources available to non-French-speaking readers
and contributes to a better understanding of a country that is at
the forefront of Europe’s external action. This book will be of
great interest to students of defence studies, French politics,
military studies, security studies, and IR in general.
At a time when the field of International Relations (IR) is
diverting from grand theoretical debates, rediscovering the value
of classical realism and exploring its own intellectual history,
this book contributes to these debates by presenting a cohesive
view of Raymond Aron's theory of IR. It explores how a careful
reading of Aron can contribute to important current debates, in
particular what a theory of IR can be (and thus, what is within or
outside the scope of this theory), how to bridge the gap that
emerged in the 1970s between a "normative" and a "scientific"
theory of IR, and finally how multidisciplinarity is possible (and
desirable) in the study of IR. This edited collection offers a
synthetic approach to Raymond Aron's theory of International
Relations by bringing together some of the most prominent
specialists on Raymond Aron, thus filling an important gap in the
current market of books devoted to IR theories and the
historiography of the field. The volume is divided into three
parts: the first part explores Aron's intellectual contribution to
the theoretical debates in IR, thus showing his originality and
prescience; the second part traces Aron's influence and explores
his relations with other prominent scholars of his time, thus
contributing to the historiography of the field; and the third part
analyses Aron's contemporary relevance. This comprehensive volume
contributes to current debates in the field by showing the
originality and breadth of Aron's thought. This book will be of
great interest to academics and students interested in IR theories,
strategic studies and the historiography of the field.
Perceptions of time contributed to recent Western military
failings.The "decline of the West" is once again a frequent topic
of speculation. Often cited as one element of the alleged decline
is the succession of prolonged and unsuccessful wars most notably
those waged in recent decades by the United States. This book by
three Danish military experts examines not only the validity of the
speculation but also asks why the West, particularly its military
effectiveness, might be perceived as in decline. Temporality is the
central concept linking a series of structural fractures that leave
the West seemingly muscle-bound: overwhelmingly powerful in
technology and military might but strategically fragile. This
temporality, the authors say, is composed of three interrelated
dimensions: trajectories, perceptions, and pace. First, Western
societies to tend view time as a linear trajectory, focusing mostly
on recent and current events and leading to the framing of history
as a story of rise and decline. The authors examine whether the
inevitable fall already has happened, is underway, or is still in
the future. Perceptions of time also vary across cultures and
periods, shaping socio-political activities, including warfare. The
enemy, for example, can be perceived as belong to another time
(being "backward" or "barbarian"). And war can be seen either as
cyclical or exceptional, helping frame the public's willingness to
accept its violent and tragic consequences. The pace of war is
another factor shaping policies and actions. Western societies
emphasize speed: the shorter the war the better, even if the
long-term result is unsuccessful. Ironically, one of the Western
world's least successful wars also has been America's longest, in
Afghanistan. This unique book is thus a critical assessment of the
evolution and future of Western military power. It contributes
much-needed insight into the potential for the West's political and
institutional renewal.
This book describes the evolution of French defence policy since
the end of the Cold War. For the past thirty years there have been
significant changes to French defence policy as a result of several
contextual evolutions. Changes include shifts in the global balance
of power, new understandings of the notion of international
security, economic downturns, and developments in European
integration. Yet despite these changes, the purpose of France's
grand strategy and its main principles have remained remarkably
stable over time. This book identifies the incentives,
representations and objectives of French defence policy The authors
examine the general mechanisms that influence policy change and
military transformation in democracies, the importance of
status-seeking in international relations, the processes of
strategy-making by a middle power, and the dilemmas and challenges
of security cooperation. By doing so the book raises a number of
questions related to the ways states adjust (or not) their security
policies in a transformed international system. This book makes
French-language sources available to non-French-speaking readers
and contributes to a better understanding of a country that is at
the forefront of Europe's external action. This book will be of
great interest to students of defence studies, French politics,
military studies, security studies, and IR in general.
What qualities make an ally useful in coalition warfare, and when
is an ally more trouble than it’s worth? Allies That Count
analyzes the utility of junior partners in coalition warfare and
reaches surprising conclusions. In this volume, Olivier Schmitt
presents detailed case-study analysis of several US allies in the
Gulf War, the Kosovo campaign, the Iraq War, and the war in
Afghanistan. He also includes a broader comparative analysis of 204
junior partners in various interventions since the end of the Cold
War. This analysis bridges a gap in previous studies about
coalition warfare, while also contributing to policy debates about
a recurring defense dilemma. Previous works about coalition warfare
have focused on explaining how coalitions are formed, but little
attention has been given to the issue of their effectiveness.
Simultaneously, policy debates, have framed the issue of junior
partners in multinational military operations in terms of a
trade-off between the legitimacy that is allegedly gained from a
large number of coalition states vs. the decrease in military
effectiveness associated with the inherent difficulties of
coalition warfare. Schmitt determines which political and military
variables are more likely to create utility, and he challenges the
conventional wisdom about the supposed benefit of having as
many states as possible in a coalition. Allies That Count will be
of interest to students and scholars of security studies and
international relations as well as military practitioners and
policymakers.
What qualities make an ally useful in coalition warfare, and when
is an ally more trouble than it's worth? Allies That Count analyzes
the utility of junior partners in coalition warfare and reaches
surprising conclusions. In this volume, Olivier Schmitt presents
detailed case-study analysis of several US allies in the Gulf War,
the Kosovo campaign, the Iraq War, and the war in Afghanistan. He
also includes a broader comparative analysis of 204 junior partners
in various interventions since the end of the Cold War. This
analysis bridges a gap in previous studies about coalition warfare,
while also contributing to policy debates about a recurring defense
dilemma. Previous works about coalition warfare have focused on
explaining how coalitions are formed, but little attention has been
given to the issue of their effectiveness. Simultaneously, policy
debates, have framed the issue of junior partners in multinational
military operations in terms of a trade-off between the legitimacy
that is allegedly gained from a large number of coalition states
vs. the decrease in military effectiveness associated with the
inherent difficulties of coalition warfare. Schmitt determines
which political and military variables are more likely to create
utility, and he challenges the conventional wisdom about the
supposed benefit of having as many states as possible in a
coalition. Allies That Count will be of interest to students and
scholars of security studies and international relations as well as
military practitioners and policymakers.
At a time when the field of International Relations (IR) is
diverting from grand theoretical debates, rediscovering the value
of classical realism and exploring its own intellectual history,
this book contributes to these debates by presenting a cohesive
view of Raymond Aron's theory of IR. It explores how a careful
reading of Aron can contribute to important current debates, in
particular what a theory of IR can be (and thus, what is within or
outside the scope of this theory), how to bridge the gap that
emerged in the 1970s between a "normative" and a "scientific"
theory of IR, and finally how multidisciplinarity is possible (and
desirable) in the study of IR. This edited collection offers a
synthetic approach to Raymond Aron's theory of International
Relations by bringing together some of the most prominent
specialists on Raymond Aron, thus filling an important gap in the
current market of books devoted to IR theories and the
historiography of the field. The volume is divided into three
parts: the first part explores Aron's intellectual contribution to
the theoretical debates in IR, thus showing his originality and
prescience; the second part traces Aron's influence and explores
his relations with other prominent scholars of his time, thus
contributing to the historiography of the field; and the third part
analyses Aron's contemporary relevance. This comprehensive volume
contributes to current debates in the field by showing the
originality and breadth of Aron's thought. This book will be of
great interest to academics and students interested in IR theories,
strategic studies and the historiography of the field.
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Nadine Gordimer
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R398
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Discovery Miles 3 300
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