New Books in Science, Technology, and Society

Amos C. Fox, "Conflict Realism: Understanding the Causal Logic of Modern War and Warfare" (Howgate, 2024)

Sep 30, 2024

Amos C. Fox, a political science lecturer and military strategy expert, dives into modern warfare in this enlightening conversation. He explores the intricate causation of armed conflicts, emphasizing trends like urban warfare, attrition, and proxy wars. Fox critiques outdated military theories, advocating for a foundational shift in military thought. He also highlights the cyclical nature of warfare, drawing parallels between historical and contemporary conflicts, such as Ukraine. Overall, he urges a reevaluation of strategies that shape global security today.

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Episode notes

Intro

00:00 • 3min

Reassessing Military Thought

02:32 • 22min

Exploring Conflict Realism: Unpacking the Causality of Warfare

24:04 • 4min

Warfare Through the Ages

27:46 • 13min

Reevaluating Urban Warfare and Sieges

40:47 • 21min

Understanding Attrition in Modern Warfare

01:02:10 • 17min

Challenging Military Narratives

01:18:40 • 6min

Current Projects in Military Strategy Literature

01:24:44 • 2min

If you seek a compelling exploration of contemporary armed conflict, then Conflict Realism: Understanding the Causal Logic of Modern War and Warfare (Howgate Publishing, 2024) by Amos C. Fox is for you. It delves into the intricate web of causation to unveil five pivotal trends shaping the landscape of war and warfare - urban warfare, sieges, attrition, precision strike strategy, and proxy wars - revealing a stark reality: wars remain far more attritional than anticipated by policymakers, military practitioners, and analysts alike. What’s more, just as attritional wars are becoming quite common, conflict elongation – wars of extended duration – are also becoming the norm. Through insightful analysis and a keen understanding of geopolitical intricacies, Amos Fox navigates the reader through the intricate interplay of these trends, shedding light on their profound implications for global security. This riveting work challenges conventional wisdom, offering readers a thought-provoking perspective on the contemporary nature of armed conflicts, ultimately urging a reconsideration of strategies and policies in the face of an ever-evolving battlefield.

Amos C. Fox, PhD, is a Fellow with Arizona State University’s Future Security Initiative. Amos is also a lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Houston. He hosts the Revolution in Military Affairs, Soldier Pulse and WarCast podcasts, serves as an editorial board member with the Journal of Military Studies and is a senior editor with Small Wars Journal. Amos is also a retired US Army officer, where he served more than 24 years, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar whose research areas are related to Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, military history, War studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, as well as Russian and East European history.

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