War

The LSE professor reflects on the transformed nature of warfare in an era of globalisation and new technologies, and the EU’s role in preventing future wars.

“France is at war,” declared the French President, François Hollande, in front of the Congress of the French Parliament on 16th November 2015. He was using the same words as Le Monde on 14th November and Manuel Valls the same evening on TF1 television news. The Prime Minister then said that Islamic State (IS) would lose the struggle, but he admitted that it was only just beginning.

Traditional theoretical approaches to conflicts are inoperative.

The Kurds have conducted a remarkable democratic experiment in the north of Syria: Their “Canton-based Democratic Autonomy” is a pursuit of freedom, justice, dignity and democracy led by principles of equality and environmental sustainability. Nevertheless, protecting this area with weapons and the blood of martyrs shouldn’t be applauded.

Our understanding of our great history is compiled not only through our reading but also through the recounting of family stories. The commemoration of 1914 offers us the opportunity to reflect on the war, on the possibility for forgiveness, and on our responsibilities in the present.