The Norms of War: Cultural Beliefs And Modern Conflict

by Theo Farrell

Importing ideas from sociology's new institutionalism, the social and cultural history of warfare, and public international law, Farrell (Reader in War in the Modern World, King's College London, UK) presents a synthetic overview of how norms—public beliefs that are institutionalized in community discourse, doctrine, policies, and practices—have shaped the way states organize for war, how societies mobilize for war, and how wars are waged. Military development in early 20th Century Ireland is used to explore the causal impact on norms of conventional warfare and civilian supremacy. German preparations for war in 1914 and 1939 are examined in terms of norms of military mobilization. The US is examined as a case study on the norms of nuclear weapons use. Finally, NATO's war in Yugoslavia is discussed in the context of norm violation and norm change in international law. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

225 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005