Category Archives: War, Culture, and Society

Rape in the Syrian Civil War

Sexual assault often accompanies military conflict. In many wars, some soldiers use their armed power to inflict sexual violence on prisoners and civilians. Sexual violence can at times become systematic, targeting specific groups of combatants or civilians to intimidate and … Continue reading

Posted in Civil Conflict, Civilians and Refugees in War, Gender and Warfare, History of Violence, Human Rights, War, Culture, and Society, Women and Gender History | Leave a comment

The Danger of Pre-emptive Strikes

With tensions already running high on the Korean peninsula, many American policy-makers and advisers are talking tough. Now historian Jeremi Suri has weighed in, arguing in an op-ed in the New York Times that “the Korean crisis has now become … Continue reading

Posted in Early Modern Europe, Empires and Imperialism, European History, European Wars of Religion, French History, French Wars of Religion, History of Violence, Human Rights, Laws of War, Political Culture, Strategy and International Politics, War, Culture, and Society, Warfare in the Early Modern World | 1 Comment

Inside the Syrian Civil War

The Syrian Civil War continues to rage. Approximately 70,000 Syrians have already been killed and an estimated 4 million Syrians have fled their homes as refugees. PBS’s Frontline recently aired a gripping documentary on “Syria Behind the Lines.” The documentary … Continue reading

Posted in Civil Conflict, Civilians and Refugees in War, Gender and Warfare, History of Violence, Religious Violence, Revolts and Revolutions, War in Film, War, Culture, and Society | Leave a comment

Restoration Work at the château de Versailles

Louis XIV expanded the château de Versailles in the 1680s, creating a grand palace complex that became the effective administrative capital of France. Louis XIV’s royal state promoted Bourbon dynastic interests and managed the French military from Versailles during the … Continue reading

Posted in Art History, Early Modern Europe, French History, French Revolution and Napoleon, Museums and Historical Memory, Noble Culture and History of Elites, Political Culture, Warfare in the Early Modern World | Leave a comment

Sexual Violence in the U.S. Armed Forces

Sexual violence in the United States Armed Forces has become a major problem. Numerous studies and public scandals have highlighted incidents of rape and sexual harassment, which have often gone unpunished. Women who report sexual harassment and rape claim that … Continue reading

Posted in Gender and Warfare, History of Violence, Human Rights, War, Culture, and Society, Women and Gender History | Leave a comment

10th Anniversary of the Invasion of Iraq

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq and the beginning of the Iraq War (2003-2011). The BBC has published a special report on “Iraq: 10 Years On.”  Le Monde offers a video documentary on the … Continue reading

Posted in History of Violence, Museums and Historical Memory, Strategy and International Politics, War, Culture, and Society | Leave a comment

Women Already in Combat

American women are already serving in combat. Although news analysts and commentators continue to debate the merits of placing women in combat roles, many women soldiers and veterans have been dealing with the realities of combat duty for quite some … Continue reading

Posted in Gender and Warfare, History of Violence, Human Rights, Strategy and International Politics, War, Culture, and Society, Women and Gender History | 2 Comments

Drones and Changing Conceptions of Airspace

Drones have already significantly transformed the conduct of military operations in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other areas. Now, drones are beginning to change conceptions of airspace. Yesterday (4 March 2013), an Alitalia pilot on approach to New York’s JFK airport reported … Continue reading

Posted in Arms Control, History of Violence, Human Rights, Political Culture, Strategy and International Politics, Terrorism, War, Culture, and Society | Leave a comment

Atrocities in Vietnam

The United States military forces committed widespread atrocities during the Vietnam War, according to documents unearthed in the National Archives by journalist Nick Turse. The evidence of numerous mass killings of Vietnamese civilians reveals that the infamous My Lai Massacre … Continue reading

Posted in Archival Research, Civil Conflict, Civilians and Refugees in War, Empires and Imperialism, History of Violence, Strategy and International Politics, War, Culture, and Society | Leave a comment

Sherman Prize for Undergraduates

2013 Edwin H. Sherman Family Prize for Undergraduate Scholarship in Force and Diplomacy Temple University’s Center for the Study of Force and Diplomacy (http://www.temple.edu) is delighted once again to solicit submissions for its annual Edwin H. Sherman Family Prize for … Continue reading

Posted in Arms Control, History of Violence, Political Culture, Strategy and International Politics, Undergraduate Work in History, War, Culture, and Society | Leave a comment