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December 19, 2005

Fletcher Professor and Fletcher Ph.D. Candidate Release New Book "Insurgents, Terrorist and Militias: The Warriors of Contemporary Combat"

Since the end of the Cold War, the terms of warfare have been changing drastically. The move from a virtual balance of power based on weapon arsenals to new, asymmetric power relations where terrorists, insurgents, and militias pose the greatest threat has necessitated a deeper look at changes in combat and how to better understand them.

In their forthcoming book, Insurgents, Terrorists and Militias: The Warriors of Contemporary combat (Columbia University Press), Fletcher professor Richard Shultz and Fletcher Ph.D. candidate Andrea Dew tackle this issue by first recognizing the detriment a lack of understanding will have on conventional forces and warfare. Using several case studies, they analyze the tactics and strategies of non-state armed groups, including their use of group organizational structures that are far from centralized and their in-depth familiarity with regional geography, which allows them to bypass many supposed advantages of conventional armed forces.

An important part of the analysis, according to Shultz, was “to take into account additional factors such as history, philosophy, anthropology, and culture.” Additionally, there was a very conscious effort to write the book in a way that made it accessible to a wide range of informed readers, not just those in the academic field. The point of the book, in the authors’ words, is “not whether you are a policymaker, intelligence analyst, or practitioner. If you don't know how to assess the warriors of contemporary combat, then learn!"

According to Dew, this task proved to be more challenging than one might think. "Writing simply about complex issues is actually very difficult,” she says. “It is far easier to hide behind academic language and imply that the reader isn't smart enough to be reading the book if they don't get it. We tried to go in the other direction--we started from the assumption that the readers would be intelligent and well-informed non-specialists, and it was our job to give them what they needed to know.”

This is Dew's first book, so she is eagerly anticipating seeing the final product in print in spring 2006. She has immensely enjoyed the process, having learned a great deal about academic writing and publishing.

When all is said and done, this book concludes that “by developing a richer understanding of the history, culture, and military strategy of their enemies, states will be better able to respond to these new threats and prevent future bloodshed and political chaos.”

By Kate Brodock, MALD '07

Posted by jessica at December 19, 2005 09:08 AM