Course information

The current discourse on war in International Relations and Security Studies is dominated by the assumption that armed conflict has changed dramatically over the past few decades. Academic accounts of the ‘New Wars’ and ‘Asymmetric’ conflict abound, but they have been widely criticised as ahistorical. The module aims to approach the issue of continuity and change from a historical perspective. Starting with the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars it enquires into whether, how and why war has changed. It analyses change and continuity both in the theory and practice of war. It will also look at contemporary war through the prism of Humanitarian intervention and also by looking at the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War.

Intended learning outcomes:
• Have an advanced understanding of change and continuity in the history of war over past 250 years.
• Have a nuanced overview of four thematic areas: strategic thought and practice, technology, socio-political conditions and cultural representations of war.
• Be able to assess critically social science research on this topic.
• Develop their written and oral skills through essays, examinations, and presentations in the tutorial program.