The SAGE Encyclopedia of War: Social Science Perspectives

Traditional explorations of war look through the lens of history and military science, focusing on big events, big battles, and big generals. By contrast, The SAGE Encyclopedia of War: Social Science Perspective views war through the lens of the social sciences, looking at the causes, processes and effects of war and drawing from a vast group of fields such as communication and mass media, economics, political science and law, psychology and sociology. Key features include: More than 650 entries organized in an A-to-Z format, authored and signed by key academics in the field Entries conclude with cross-references and further readings, aiding the researcher further in their research journeys An alternative Reader’s Guide table of contents groups articles by disciplinary areas and by broad themes A helpful Resource Guide directing researchers to classic books, journals and electronic resources for more in-depth study This important and distinctive work will be a key reference for all researchers in the fields of political science, international relations and sociology.

About the Author

Paul Joseph is professor of sociology at Tufts University. He received his BA from McGill University and his MA and PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. His research specialty is military policies: how they are shaped by economic, political, and organizational interests and influenced by public opinion and peace movements. His books include a decision-making study of the Vietnam War; a review of the debate over nuclear policy; and an analysis of the security implications of the end of the Cold War. Recent titles include Are Americans Becoming More Peaceful? , which explores the influence of public sensitivities toward war given the George W. Bush administration′s management of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Soft Counterinsurgency, an examination of "human terrain teams," the social scientists who were embedded in combat brigades in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has also published articles, review essays, and encyclopedia entries on race and class in the United States, on Maori-Pakeha (European) relations in New Zealand, on the memory politics surrounding Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and on the influence of peace movements on government policies. He was for many years the director of the Peace and Justice Studies Program at Tufts University and has served two terms as president of the national Peace and Justice Studies Association. He has lectured in more than a dozen countries and was most recently the distinguished chair for the United States–India Education Foundation (Fulbright program). His teaching interests include war and peace, globalization, and political sociology, and he has been recognized by Tufts University with its annual Lillian and Joseph Liebner Award for Excellence in Teaching and Advising of Students.