“In illuminating detail, Rasmussen outlines how strategic thinking in the early twenty-first century has been reshaped by the concept of risk. This is a path-breaking book – original, insightful and uniquely important. I hope that politicians and generals alike will read it – they should.”
-Christopher Coker, Professor of International Relations, LSE
“At last a book that connects military strategy into the debate on ‘risk society’. Rasmussen should be read by everyone concerned with today’s strategic dilemmas, as well as by social scientists interested in risk.”
-Martin Shaw, Professor of International Relations and Politics, University of Sussex
“The overall quality of The Risk Society at War is testimony to the careful research and analysis that underpins the book. Weaving together various theoretical developments on risk research from otherwise disparate disciplines of sociology, criminology and international relations, and demonstrating their explanatory power in contemporary questions of war and question is itself a creditable achievement. Not only does it reiterate the benefits of broader cross-disciplinary research in risk studies, it is also a valuable contribution to the existing IR literature on strategy and security.”
-Yee-Kuang Heng, Lecturer in International Relations, University of St. Andrews, UK
“…The Risk Society at War offers a number of intriguing insights about the direction of strategy in the context of risk. Rasmussen convincingly argues that the RMA [revolution in military affairs] may give policymakers a false sense of control over international events and will create new problems as states are lulled into the belief that new technologies will lift the fog of war. He also worries that preventive military doctrines are ultimately self-defeating because states do not have the resources to deal with every imaginable risk. Finally, he criticizes the Bush Administration for making decisions with a sense of moral certainty that has kept it from anticipating the consequences of its actions.”
-Joshua Rovner, Williams College, The Journal of Politics
“…The Risk Society at War does an admirable job in addressing issues that arise when one moves from the singular threat and clear outcome of mutually assured destruction (MAD) to a future of multiple, uncertain risks.”
-David A. Siegel, Florida State University, Perspectives on Politics
About the Author
Mikkel Vedby Rasmussen is director of the Centre for Military Studies at the Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen. He was a member of the Danish Defence Commission of 2008, was a co-writer of the Danish white paper on defence in 2004, and in 2007 to 2008 was part of a Defence Department commission on emergency services. He has also testified to the foreign affairs and defence committees at the Danish Parliament, and in 2007 the Norwegian Foreign Ministry asked him to write a position paper on the future of foreign policy. In 2009, he gave a presentation to the NATO-military committee and briefed the NATO Secretary General. Professor Rasmussen has taught classes at the University of Copenhagen and the Royal Danish Defence College, and has recently lectured at the Baltic Defence College, the Norwegian Air War College, St Andrews University, the Finish National Defence University, the London School of Economics and the NATO Defence College. He publishes regularly in Danish newspapers and is often used as a commentator in the Danish media. From 2006 to 2009 he was the Head of the Danish Institute for Military Studies while on leave from his position at the University of Copenhagen. Previously, he worked at the Danish Institute for International Affairs as a Project Director for a large MoD funded project on defence and security issues. He is also an Adjunct Professor of the Baltic Defence College. Professor Rasmussen received his PhD from the University of Copenhagen and holds an MSc in Political Science from that university as well as an MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics.
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