Psychology of War
The Moral Legitimacy of Drone Strikes: How the Public Forms Its Judgments
Scholars often relate how the public views drone strikes to one of three moral norms: soldiers’ battlefield courage, the protection of soldiers, or preventing civilian casualties. But what explains variation in the public’s perceptions of what constitutes…
The Role of Emotions in Military Strategy
Emotions are ubiquitous in the conduct of military strategy. Although strategic studies scholarship has increasingly emphasized the importance of emotions, their treatment in the field lacks a clear research focus. This paper offers a basis for thinking about…
An Episode of Existential Uncertainty: The Ontological Security Origins of the War in Donbas
Despite the fact that the war in eastern Ukraine has been ongoing for over seven years, there remains no satisfactory answer as to what prompted Moscow to invade Donbas in the first place. Explanations range from materialist to ideational — however, none get…
The Escalation Inversion and Other Oddities of Situational Cyber Stability
As the United States shifts to a new military strategy of defending forward against adversaries in cyberspace, research into the role of cyber capabilities in crisis stability is especially relevant. This paper introduces the concept of situational cyber…
‘Blunt Not the Heart, Enrage It’: The Psychology of Revenge and Deterrence
Scholars and policymakers have a sophisticated view of deterrence, but still have a poor understanding of its psychological underpinnings.