Toward the End of War? Peeking Through the Gap

Abstract

The concept of war is clearly not its old self. The recent debate indicates with considerable clarity that there no longer exists a superior position from which to authoritatively enforce a dominant and broadly accepted definition. The most profound challenges consist of the claims that the concept has had its days and should accordingly be abandoned. In addition to exploring the background of this critique, the article aims to evaluate what accounts for the openness in the first place. The effort is to probe the broader constellations underpinning war and in particular the nexus between war and the state in order to trace possible changes. The article argues that these broader constellations provide a firmer basis for arriving at conclusions about both the nature of the debate and the future of war as a fundamental political and social concept.