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Description
American CivilMilitary Relations offers the first comprehensive assessment of the subject since the publication of Samuel P. Huntington's fielddefining book, The Soldier and the State. Using this seminal work as a point of departure, experts in the fields of political science, history, and sociology ask what has been learned and what more needs to be investigated in the relationship between civilian and military sectors in the 21st century.Leading scholars -- such as Richard Betts, Risa Brooks, James Burk, Michael Desch, Peter Feaver, Richard Kohn, Williamson Murray, and David Segal -- discuss key issues, including:
changes in officer education since the end of the Cold War;
shifting conceptions of military expertise in response to evolving operational and strategic requirements;
increased military involvement in highlevel politics; and
the domestic and international contexts of U.S. civilmilitary relations.The first section of the book provides contrasting perspectives of American civilmilitary relations within the last five decades. The next section addresses Huntington's conception of societal and functional imperatives and their influence on the civilmilitary relationship. Following sections examine relationships between military and civilian leaders and describe the norms and practices that should guide those interactions. The editors frame these original essays with introductory and concluding chapters that synthesize the key arguments of the book. What is clear from the essays in this volume is that the line between civil and military expertise and responsibility is not that sharply drawn, and perhaps given the increasing complexity of international security issues, it should not be. When forming national security policy, the editors conclude, civilian and military leaders need to maintain a respectful and engaged dialogue. American CivilMilitary Relations is essential reading for students and scholars interested in civilmilitary relations, U.S. politics, and national security policy.''Scholars and students of civilmilitary relations will want to read this book. This is an excellent time for this book to appear as there have been substantial advancements in the study of civilmilitary relations over the past decade.'' -- Thomas Langston, Tulane University
""An extremely valuable addition to the literature on civil-military relations, a vitally important issue for both scholars and all government policymakers.""
