Seminar: Hvorfor går nationer i krig?

Time: Monday, 18 October at 14 – 16 hours

Venue: Danish Institute for International Studies, Main Auditorium, ground floor, Strandgade 71, Christianshavn, 1401 Kbn K

Time: Monday, 18 October at 14 – 16 hours

Venue: Danish Institute for International Studies, Main Auditorium, ground floor, Strandgade 71, Christianshavn, 1401 Kbn K

In his most recent book, “Why Nations Fight”, Richard Ned Lebow takes on one of the most fundamental questions of International Relations. In contrast to the majority of existing scholarship, which assumes security to be the principal motive of states and insecurity the major cause of war, Lebow develops a theory of international relations based on a parsimonious (ufuldstændig/mangelfuld) model of human motivation.

Four generic (kopiagtige/tilbagevendende)) motives have historically led states to initiate war: fear, interest, standing and revenge. Using an original dataset, Lebow examines the distribution of wars across three and a half centuries and argues that, contrary to conventional wisdom, only a minority of these were motivated by security or material interest.

Instead, the majority are the result of a quest for standing, and for revenge – an attempt to get even with states who had previously made successful territorial grabs.

Lebow maintains that today none of these motives are effectively served by war – it is increasingly counterproductive – and that there is growing recognition of this political reality. His analysis allows for more fine-grained analysis of recent wars and more persuasive forecasts about the future of war.

Speakers

* Richard Ned Lebow, Professor, Dartmouth College, USA
* Stefano Guzzini, Senior Researcher, DIIS

PROGRAMME

14.00-14.10
Introduction by Stefano Guzzini, Senior Researcher, DIIS

14.10-15.00
Why Nations Fight by Richard Ned Lebow, Professor, Dartmouth College, USA

15.00-15.15
Coffee Break

15.15-15.30
Comments from discussant by Stefano Guzzini, Senior Researcher, DIIS

15.30-16.00
Open Discussion

The seminar will be held in English.

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required. Please use our online registration form on http://www.diis.dk/sw100328.asp

And do so no later than Friday, 15 October 2010 at 12.00 noon.

Please await confirmation by e-mail from DIIS for participation.

Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS), The Conference Section, Strandgade 56, 1401 Kbn K, tlf. 32 69 87 51, e-mail: [email protected] og web: www.diis.dk