Book dossier

Postmodern war

by Chris Hables Gray

From Operation Desert Storm to the conflict in Bosnia, computerization and other scientific advances have brought about a revolution in warfare. This book shows how our high-tech age has spawned both increasingly powerful weapons and a rhetoric that disguises their apocalyptic potential in catch phrases like "smart weapons," "cyberwar," and "bloodless combat." A skillful combination of trenchant cultural study, provocative illustrations, and engrossing military, technical, and historical analysis, Postmodern War sheds new light on the ways we conceptualize and conduct war today. Analyzing the dynamics of conflicts from Afghanistan to Vietnam, Gray reveals the human forces of nationalism, greed, fear, and images of masculinity beneath the surface of trendy military doctrines such as "pure war" and "infowar." If we can identify and challenge the discourses of war, he persuasively argues, we can propose new discourses to replace them.