Category Archives: War, Culture, and Society

A “Naked Power Grab”

Posted on February 12, 2025 by briansandberg

The unlawful and unconstitutional actions of Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency constitute a “Naked Power Grab,” according to the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, Representative Rosa DeLauro (D – Connecticut). “The Constitution is clear … Continue reading →

Posted in Empires and Imperialism, Humanities Education, Information Management, Public History, State Development Theory, United States History and Society, Warfare in the Early Modern World | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Proposed Gaza Removal Plan: a Crime Against Humanity

Posted on February 5, 2025 by briansandberg

President Trump’s outrageous suggestion that the United States annex Gaza and remove the Palestinian people from the territory would be blatantly illegal, constituting a crime against humanity. President Trump yesterday proposed seizing Gaza, leveling its remaining buildings, clearing debris, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Atrocities, Civil Conflict, Civilians and Refugees in War, Current Research, Early Modern Europe, Early Modern World, Empires and Imperialism, Genocides, History of Race and Racism, History of Violence, Human Rights, Legal history, Political Culture, Political Theory, Religious Politics, Religious Violence, United States History and Society, War and Society, War, Culture, and Society, Warfare in the Early Modern World, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Death of Front National Founder Jean-Marie Le Pen

Posted on January 7, 2025 by briansandberg

Jean-Marie Le Pen, the firebrand far-right French politician and one of the key architects of the modern neo-fascist movement in Europe, has died. The New York Times reports that “Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founding father of France’s modern political far … Continue reading →

Posted in Atrocities, Contemporary France, Empires and Imperialism, European History, European Studies, European Union, French Empire, French History, Genocides, History of Violence, Human Rights, Laws of War, Political Culture, War, Culture, and Society | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Royalty, Territorial Claims, and International Politics

Posted on January 6, 2025 by briansandberg

Early modern issues of royal heraldry and territorial claims have reemerged in contemporary international politics. The King of Denmark is changing his coat of arms, provoking surprise among European political analysts and historians. The Guardian reports that “The Danish king … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural History, Early Modern Europe, Early Modern World, Empires and Imperialism, European History, European Studies, European Union, European Wars of Religion, History of Violence, Medieval History, Monarchies and Royal States, Museums and Historical Memory, Political Culture, Political Theory, Reformation History, Renaissance Art and History, State Development Theory, Strategy and International Politics, Warfare in the Early Modern World | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Remembering the Storming of the U.S. Capitol

Posted on January 6, 2025 by briansandberg

Today, I am remembering the Storming of the U.S. Capitol on 6 January 2021. The Storming of the U.S. Capitol was an organized paramilitary attack that represented a coup de force (or coup de majesté)—essentially an insurrection from above—carried out … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Conflict, Crowd Studies, Historiography and Social Theory, History of Violence, Political Activism and Protest Culture, Political Culture, Revolts and Revolutions, Terrorism, United States History and Society, War, Culture, and Society | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Map Digitization at the Newberry Library

Posted on October 25, 2024 by briansandberg

The Newberry Library has digitized a major collection of early modern European and world maps printed in Italy. “The Newberry has recently completed the digitization of over 750 maps printed in Italy during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Franco … Continue reading →

Posted in Cartographic History, Cultural History, Early Modern Europe, Early Modern World, Empires and Imperialism, European History, European Studies, History of the Book, Italian History, Manuscript Studies, Maritime History, Mediterranean World, Museums and Historical Memory, Warfare in the Early Modern World, World History | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Michael Walzer Assesses Pager Attacks in Lebanon

Posted on September 22, 2024 by briansandberg

Michael Walzer, a noted scholar of just war theory and the conduct of war, has condemned the pager attacks in Lebanon as probable war crimes. His essay appears as an op-ed in the New York Times. “The exploding pagers and … Continue reading →

Posted in Arms Control, Atrocities, Civilians and Refugees in War, History of Violence, Human Rights, Laws of War, Political Theory, Security Studies, War and Society, War, Culture, and Society, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pager Attacks in Lebanon and the Laws of War

Posted on September 20, 2024 by briansandberg

Massive and coordinated communication device attacks on Hezbollah members and civilians in Lebanon this week have killed at least 36 people and injured over 3,000. The attacks were carried out by detonating explosives hidden in pagers and hand-held radios in … Continue reading →

Posted in Arms Control, Atrocities, Civilians and Refugees in War, Gender and Warfare, History of Violence, Human Rights, Laws of War, Political Theory, Religious Violence, Security Studies, Strategy and International Politics, Terrorism, War and Society, War, Culture, and Society, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Roman Colosseum and Gladiator II

Posted on September 17, 2024 by briansandberg

The Colosseum will soon be on the big screen once again. The feature film Gladiator II is set for release to movie theaters this fall. According to the New York Times, “When ‘Gladiator’ was released in 2000, fans and critics … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient History, Empires and Imperialism, Historical Film, History in the Media, History of Slavery, History of the Western World, History of Violence, Museums and Historical Memory, Security Studies, World History | 1 Comment

Beyond the Battlefield Released

Posted on December 22, 2023 by briansandberg

My latest essay has been published in the collective volume on Beyond the Battlefield Reconsidering Warfare in Early Modern Europe, ed. Tryntje Helfferich and Howard Louthan (London: Routledge, 2023), which is scheduled to be released today (22 December 2023). My … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Conflict, Civilians and Refugees in War, Early Modern Europe, Early Modern France, Early Modern World, European History, European Wars of Religion, French Wars of Religion, History of Violence, Reformation History, Renaissance Art and History, War, Culture, and Society, Warfare in the Early Modern World | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment