Books in the Sandhurst Trends in International Conflict series

Recent conflicts have required the armed forces to engage in what has been termed 'war amongst the people'. Such conflicts increasingly require a type of soldier deployed to function as an 'armed social worker', as was seen most recently in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. If this increased focus on societal relations has - and should - become the area of prime concern for contemporary armed forces, this poses a series of conceptual and practical questions regarding the 'people' concerned and the nature of the society amongst which war is conducted. Scholars and practitioners come together in this volume to explore how armed forces can make sense of such complexity in conceptual terms and how military actors have practically interacted with local power structures and relations, with both positive and negative effects. It examines armed forces' engagement at the local level in a contemporary context, and contextualises this within the broader political, strategic, tactical and legal implications this engagement has had at home and overseas.

An international team of authors examine the challenges posed by fragile and failing states, a contentious and enduring part of the debates on post-Cold War international security. This volume is suitable for both academics and practitioners.

The extreme complexity of twenty-first century Violent Non-State Actors in modern conflict requires a more integrated approach between military and civilian actors in order to respond more effectively to its challenges.