Table of Contents

Introduction: war, violence and the social; Part I. Collective Violence and Sociological Theory: 1. War and violence in classical social thought; 2. The contemporary sociology of organised violence; Part II. War in Time and Space: 3. War and violence before modernity; 4. Organized violence and modernity; 5. The social geographies of warfare; Part III. Warfare: Ideas and Practices: 6. Nationalism and war; 7. War propaganda and solidarity; Part IV. War, Violence and Social Divisions: 8. Social stratification, warfare and violence; 9. Gendering of war; Part V. Organised Violence in the 21st Century: 10. New wars?; Conclusion.

Promotional Information

The only textbook to provide a wide-ranging analysis of war and organised violence from a sociological perspective.

About the Author

Siniša Malešević is Senior Lecturer in the School of Political Science and Sociology at the National University of Ireland, Galway. He has written and edited many books, chapters and journal articles including Ernest Gellner and Contemporary Social Thought (with Mark Haugaard, Cambridge, 2007), Identity as Ideology: Understanding Ethnicity and Nationalism (2006) and The Sociology of Ethnicity (2004).

Reviews

'With its combination of theoretical acumen and historical insights, this book is a significant step forward in the reintegration of war into the sociological canon. Both students and experienced scholars will appreciate Malesevic's perspectives on how war made us who we are.' Miguel A. Centeno, Princeton University

'This is a major contribution, at once a survey of key intellectual fields (sociological theory, the history of war understood in comparative terms and an analysis of the key social variables involved) and a major piece of innovation, based on a powerful appreciation of ideological and bureaucratic development. There is no better book on the subject.' John A. Hall, McGill University

'An incisive examination of the theoretical literature on warfare and violence. Lucid and wide-ranging, this will be an invaluable guide to scholars and students.' John Hutchinson, London School of Economics and Political Science

'Malešević ranges with authority and intelligence over the major debates concerning war in human societies past and present, arguing powerfully and provocatively for a theory centred on social organization and ideology. This is easily the best general account of the sociology of war.' Michael Mann, University of California, Los Angeles

'The Sociology of War and Violence is at once powerful social theory and excellent comparative-historical sociology. Malesevic's central claim is that sociological theories - particularly those based on ideological organization and the bureaucratization of coercion - offer a useful understanding of war, modernity and social change … an extremely important and original book.' Canadian Journal of Sociology

'Siniša Malešević's comprehensive work combines an impressive collection of theoretical insights with a sweeping review of violence, warfare, and coercion throughout the ages.' Erica Chenoweth, International Relations