International Studies Compendium Project

Extract

Comment on this article   Security studies is usually described as the subfield of International Relations that focuses on military conflict or the threat of military conflict, and that parallels the study of economic or trade relations among nations. Although it has found a home in several major research universities, the work generates some conflict of its own within academia and is challenged by efforts that exist outside of academia as well. Here I examine the development and role of security studies in the United States. The focus on the American experience can be justified both by the scale of the American security effort compared with that of other nations and by the unique openness of the American system to academic inquiry and influence. I first offer an analysis of the field's structure and status in academia, which I follow with an examination of its role in government, and finally I identify its gaps. The rest of the essay explores the special problems that burden American security policy. American academics face a number of challenges in studying security policy. Several aspects of the work limit security studies’ opportunities within American universities. The work deals with war and the use of force. It has a strong policy advice focus. There is also a natural tendency to show some sympathy for those who carry the practical burden of defending nations against the ... log in or subscribe to read full text