PSC 438—Civil-Military Relations

This course explores the following questions: How can governments best control their armed forces so that they do not attempt to seize power? When and how is the use of force a necessary part of a state?s domestic tranquility and of its international relations? How have military values, needs, and demands shaped societies? How do the laws of war, human rights, and international relations interrelate? How will the emergence of multiple powers armed with nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles affect strategic balances? Much of this course is devoted to in-depth analyses of civil-military relations in various countries. The causes of coups d?etat, warfare, morality, international human rights, and coming challenges in international and intrastate conflict will also be explored.