Collateral Damage: A Candid History Of A Peculiar Form Of Death Hardcover

Frederik Rosen

The dilemmas precipitated by the unintentional killing of civilians in war, or 'collateral damage', shape many aspects of military conduct, yet noticeable by its absence has been a methodical examination of the place and role of this phenomenon in modern warfare. This book offers a fresh perspective on a distressing consequence of conflict. Rosen explains how collateral damage is linked to ideas of authority, thereby anchoring it to the existential riddles of our individual and collective lives, and that this peculiar form of death constitutes an image of what it means to be human. His investigation of collateral damage is notable too for how the death of non-combatants sheds light on some of today's critical challenges to war and global governance, such as the growing role of non-state actors, mercenary contractors and the impact of military privatization. In the ethical realm those who successfully prove that collateral damage has occurred also enter the debate about which institutions may exert authority and thus how a truly decentralized world might be organized. This is why the in many ways underrepresented victims of collateral damage appear on closer inspection to have experienced a most significant form of death. "

9781849044073

English

C Hurst And Co Publishers Ltd

2/15/2016

240

Frederik Rosen is a research fellow at the Danish Institute for International Studies and has published widely on a range of topics related to military force and global governance. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Copenhagen. "

In his readable explanation of the complexities of Kashmir, Christopher Snedden works on a large canvas while managing to include much well-researched detail. The result is a vivid masterpiece of impartial analysis. This is the best book about Kashmir. Snedden understands Kashmir, and so will his readers. -- Brian Cloughley, former deputy chief of the UN military mission in Kashmir, and author of A History of the Pakistan Army "Snedden's authoritative and highly readable book is the first to supply a comprehensive narrative of the Kashmir dispute for a generalist audience. Deftly handling the dispute's complex political and geo-strategic dimensions, he wisely goes beyond them to examine both Kashmir's lengthy history and the oft-neglected Kashmiris themselves. This is a unique treatment of one of the world's most intractable disputes." -- Robert G. Wirsing, Professor at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar, and author of India, Pakistan, and the Kashmir Dispute and Kashmir in the Shadow of War "Christopher Snedden has written a magisterial political history of Kashmir--authoritative, even-handed and hugely well informed. He has also made use of his expertise in and concern for Kashmir to point towards a possible solution to this long-running conflict, one which many Kashmiris will warmly endorse." -- Andrew Whitehead, former BBC India correspondent and author of A Mission in Kashmir "This is an excellent narrative account of Kashmiri identity and the conflict between India and Pakistan over the former Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir. It provides a balanced understanding of a subject which continues to evoke conflict and polemical scholarship in South Asia." -- Ian Talbot, Professor of History, University of Southampton and author of The Partition of India "Snedden provides an excellent overview of the history and politics of Kashmir. As well as analysing the complex India-Pakistan dynamics, he substantially delves into Kashmir's internal politics. The uniqueness of this book lies in its analysis of the future of the dispute, which takes into account the changing strategic and geopolitical dynamics. Thought-provoking and absorbing, this is a significant contribution to our understanding of one of the world's most intractable disputes." -- Smruti S. Pattanaik, Research Fellow, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, Delhi