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  "Systems of War and Peace, Second Edition"

by Theodore Caplow, and Louis Hicks

War and peace are as important as other institutions- science, politics, family, economy, religion, etc.- but rarely receive the same level of sociological attention. Systems of War and Peace covers this gap by presenting a coherent framework for understanding why and how wars start and end; what military organizations are, how they function, and where they came from; plus, how peace has been achieved in the past and how it can be achieved in the future. The balance of topics is intended to provide a sufficient basis for understanding the whole spectrum of violent social conflict and the reasons why some peace efforts have failed and others have succeeded.

The second edition has been updated to include recent developments and new topics. Since the first edition in 1994, there have been no international wars, but there has been a host of rebellions, civil wars, interventions, and terrorist attacks. At the same time, some conflicts have abated and peacemaking attempts have been ongoing in many venues. A number of topics neglected in the first edition, such as sexuality in the military, have been added.

University Press of America, Inc.

 

CONTENTS

Preface to the Second Edition
Preface to the First Edition

Part One - INSTITUTIONAL PATTERNS

War as a Social Institution
Peace as a Social Institution
Theoretical Models of War and Peace
International Law
The Contemporary War System

Part Two - MILITARY SYSTEMS

The Origins of Modern Military Organization
Modern Military Organization
Military Culture
Military Technology
Military Success and Failure
The Social Effects of War

Part Three - PEACEKEEPING SYSTEMS

Peace Projects
Peacekeeping Organizations
Arms Control

Postscript

Appendix - The Analysis of Particular Wars
References
Index
About the Authors