A lively introduction to the practical application of strategy in war and peace Strategy is a central concept in international security, and one that travels across the academic disciplines of politics, international relations and history. By why is it so important? Aaron Edwards unpacks key strategic episodes from world history and politics to help readers to understand the role of strategy and the scholarly and policy debates surrounding it. Discover how strategic theory can be used to navigate the complex and uncertain international security environment that we live in today.
Assesses the practical utility of strategy in the modern world and emphasises its analytical value in the practical business of national and international security
Examines the politics of strategy in times of both war and peace
Themes covered include: International relations • technology • ethics • irregular war (including counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism and hybrid warfare) • the resurgence of great power rivalries in the early 21st century • the rise of non-state actors Case studies include:
Guerrilla warfare and strategy in regions from South East Asia to the Middle East
US nuclear strategy in the Cold War
Russian intervention in Ukraine
British strategy at the end of empire
The UN's role in resolving conflict after the Cold War
US-led coalition strategy in Afghanistan
The challenge posed by Al Qaeda and Islamic State/Daesh
Strategy', a much used, yet misunderstood, and frequently misapplied term in international politics is a theme well worth unpacking and exploring. Strategy in War and Peace offers a clear, accessible and incisive road map through this often foggy terrain.
Aaron Edwards is Senior Lecturer in Defence and International Affairs at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He is author of Mad Mitch’s Tribal Law: Aden and the End of Empire (Mainstream Publishing, 2014), Defending the Realm? The Politics of Britain’s Small Wars since 1945 (Manchester University Press, 2012), A History of the Northern Ireland Labour Party (Manchester University Press, 2009), co-author (with C. McGrattan) of The Northern Ireland Conflict: A Beginner’s Guide (Oneworld Publications, 2010) and co-editor (with S. Bloomer) of Transforming the Peace Process in Northern Ireland (Irish Academic Press, 2008).