Towards a strong program in the sociology of war, the military and civil society

Abstract

In this article we make the case for a strong program of sociological research into war, the military and their symmetry with civil society, pointing to the ways in which sociology has failed to appreciate their relationship as a central feature of modernity. We particularly emphasize the need for a multi-dimensional comprehension of militarization and the relationships between representation, belief and action in conflict and post-conflict environments. We conclude that a strong sociology of the war and the military requires a greater appreciation of the influence of organized state violence on the shaping of contemporary social relations, breaking with weak traditions that only comprehend the significance of military institutions and warfare through analysing capital and other material and political forces.