Matthieu Grandpierron, "Nostalgic Virility as a Cause of War: How Leaders of Great Powers Cope with Status Decline" (McGill-Queen's Press, 2024)

Apr 2, 2024

Dr. Matthieu Grandpierron discusses how world leaders react to status decline by going to war guided by a nostalgic, virile understanding of power. He tests this theory against realism and diversionary theory, examining case studies like the Indochina War and US invasion of Grenada. The podcast delves into the challenges of accessing Reagan administration documents and explores nostalgic virility's impact on international relations, highlighting its relevance in today's global order.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

Nostalgic Virility and Decision Making in International Relations

01:58 • 26min

Nostalgic Virility in French and British Decisions of War

28:12 • 8min

Navigating Chaos: Challenges of Researching Reagan Administration Documents

36:34 • 5min

Exploring Nostalgic Virility in Global Politics and Domestic Policies

41:24 • 4min

Exploring Contestation of International Order and Security Perspectives

45:53 • 3min

Why do great powers go to war? Why are non-violent, diplomatic options not prioritised? Nostalgic Virility as a Cause of War: How Leaders of Great Powers Cope with Status Decline (McGill-Queen's Press, 2024) by Dr. Matthieu Grandpierron argues that world leaders react to status decline by going to war, guided by a nostalgic, virile understanding of what it means to be powerful. This nostalgic virility - a system of subjective beliefs about power, bravery, strength, morality, and health - acts as a filter through which leaders articulate glorified interpretations of history and assess their power and their country’s status on the international stage.

In this rigorous study of France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Dr. Grandpierron tests the theory of nostalgic virility against the two more common theoretical frameworks of realism and the diversionary theory of war. Consulting thousands of newly declassified government documents at the highest levels of decision making, Dr. Grandpierron examines three specific cases - the early years of the Indochina War (1945-47), the British reconquest of the Falklands in 1982, and the US invasion of Grenada in 1983 - convincingly contending that status-seeking behaviour and nostalgic virility are more relevant in explaining why a leader chooses war and conflict over non-violent, diplomatic options than the dominant frameworks.

Looking to the recent past, Nostalgic Virility as a Cause of War considers how this new model can be applied to current conflicts - from the Russian war in Ukraine to Chinese actions in the South China Sea - and provides surprising ways of thinking about the relationship between power, decision makers, and causes of war.

This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose forthcoming book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars.

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