Nonlinear Science and Warfare (Routledge Studies in Conflict, Security and Technology) - Softcover

Lawson, Sean T.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1138497940 ISBN 13: 9781138497948

Publisher: Routledge, 2018

Synopsis

This book examines the United States military’s use of concepts from non-linear science, such as chaos and complexity theory, in its efforts to theorise information-age warfare.

Over the past three decades, the US defence community has shown an increasing interest in learning lessons from the non-linear sciences. Theories, strategies, and doctrines of warfare that have guided the conduct of US forces in recent conflicts have been substantially influenced by ideas borrowed from non-linear science, including manoeuvre warfare, network-centric warfare, and counterinsurgency.

This book accounts for the uses that the US military has made of non-linear science by examining the long-standing historical relationship between the natural sciences and Western militaries. It identifies concepts and metaphors borrowed from natural science as a key formative factor behind the development of military theory, strategy, and doctrine. In doing so, Nonlinear Science and Warfare not only improves our understanding of the relationship between military professional identity, professional military education, and changes in technology, but also provides important insights into the evolving nature of conflict in the Information Age.

This book will be of much interest to students of strategic studies, military science, US foreign policy, technology and war, and security studies.

About this title

About the Author

Sean T. Lawson is Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Utah, and has a PhD in Science and Technology Studies.

Edition details

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1138497940
• ISBN 13: 9781138497948
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 200