Beyond Ukraine

Description

War in the 21st century will remain a chameleon that takes on different forms and guises. This book offers the first comprehensive update and revision of ideas about the future of war since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It argues that the war has fundamentally shifted our perspective on the nature and character of future war, but also cautions against marginalising many other parallel trends, types of war, and ways of waging them.

World-renowned international experts from the War Studies field consider the impact of the war in Ukraine on the broader social phenomenon of war: they analyse visions of future war; examine the impact of technological innovation on its conduct; assess our ability to anticipate its future; and consider lessons learned for leaders, soldiers, strategists, scholars and concerned citizens.

Beyond Ukraine features contributions from Azar Gat, Beatrice Heuser, Antulio Echevarria, Audrey Cronin, T.X. Hammes, Kenneth Payne, Frank Hoffman, David Betz, Jan Willem Honig, and many other pre-eminent thinkers on the past, present and future of war—including an afterword by the late Christopher Coker.

Reviews

‘The best edited volume on war and warfare to appear in this century.’ — Lt. Gen. (Retd) H. R. McMaster, former US National Security Advisor

‘One of the most detailed and forensic explorations of the war in Ukraine and its implications for the future of conflict. Drawing together a superb array of experts, this book links the strategic, technological and human experience of war in Ukraine with the wars that are an unwelcome but inevitable part of our collective future.’ — Maj. Gen. (Retd) Mick Ryan, Australian Army

‘Sweijs and Michaels have done a remarkable job pulling together a stellar collection of contributors who use the experience of the Russian–Ukraine war to illuminate all aspects of the future of warfare.’ — Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King’s College London

‘Of all futures to anticipate, those of war are the trickiest. An existential endeavour in which technology and human values meet under high pressure requires ingenuity, creativity and intellectual honesty to outline and frame. This book, written by the best in the field, has all of the above.’ — Florence Gaub, Director of the Research Division, NATO Defense College

‘A timely, thoughtful analysis. Leading scholars delve into theoretical and empirical questions about great power war, technological innovation, people’s war and other pressing issues.’ — Jacqueline L. Hazelton, Executive Editor of International Security, Harvard Kennedy School

‘Given the infrequency of war as well as its changing character, soldiers and scholars must rely upon theory and history to guide them towards an uncertain future. These essays offer useful aids to navigating through the fog of peace.’ — Thomas G. Mahnken, Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies, Johns Hopkins University

Editor(s)

Tim Sweijs PhD is the Director of Research at The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies, and a senior research fellow at the War Studies Research Centre of the Netherlands Defence Academy.

Jeffrey H. Michaels PhD is the IEN Senior Fellow in American Foreign Policy and International Security at the Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals.