Current course offerings

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Course description

This course examines the nature, uses and limits of military power as an instrument of political influence in contemporary world politics. Part one of the course introduces students to conceptual debates on the role of military power in the world today. In particular, we focus on debates concerning the supposed transformation of both 'security' and war, and the implications of these debates for the management of violence in the international system. Part two of the course then examines the role of military power, relative to other instruments of statecraft, in shaping international relations between states. We focus here especially on themes of Great Power rivalry, alliances and collective security regimes, nuclear weapons proliferation, and energy security. In part three of the course, we then examine the uses and limits of military power as a means of managing 'new' security challenges, focusing particularly on transnational terrorism and asymmetric conflicts. In part four , we conclude with an extensive reflection of the future of war and military power in world politics.

Archived offerings