What Is War and Society? A Roundtable Discussion

Authors

• Andrew Huebner, University of Alabama
• Jennifer D. Keene, Chapman UniversityFollow
• Beth Bailey, University of Kansas
• Christopher Capozzola, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Lesley J. Gordon, University of Alabama
• John W. Hall, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Adriane D. Lentz-Smith, Duke University
• Brian McAllister Linn, Texas A&M University
• Susannah J. Ural, Mississippi State University
• Kara Dixon Vuic, Texas Christian University

Files

Description

In lieu of a traditional introduction, the editors elected to invite leading scholars to open the volume with a roundtable, inviting discussion and debate over the value, limits, and contributions of war and society studies to understanding the American experience of war. In a robust conversation prompted by questions from the editors, these prominent scholars tackled the question at the very heart of the volume—what defines the study of war and society? Their conversation is followed by commentary from a scholar who offers a counterpoint from the vantage point of military history. The introduction closes with some concluding thoughts from the editors and a roadmap for the volume that follows. The volume’s subsequent essays grapple, explicitly or implicitly, with the ideas laid out in the opening roundtable. The authors collectively aim to help define and elevate the field of war and society by showcasing its approaches, its promise, its sensitivities, and its possibilities. The volume overall stands as a collaborative declaration of the ambitions, character, and future of the field of war and society.

ISBN

9781108938037

Publication Date

7-1-2026

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

City

Cambridge, UK

Keywords

military history, war and society, historiography, operational history, civil-military relations, peacetime, warfare, citizen-soldiers, security studies

Disciplines

Cultural History | Diplomatic History | Military History | Other History | Political History | Public History | Social History | United States History

Comments

In Andrew J. Huebner and Jennifer D. Keene (Eds.), The Cambridge History of War and Society in America.

Recommended Citation

Huebner, Andrew J., Jennifer D. Keene, Beth Bailey, Christopher Capozzola, Lesley J. Gordon, John W. Hall, Adriane D. Lentz-Smith, Brian McAllister Linn, Susannah J. Ural, and Kara Dixon Vuic. “What Is War and Society? A Roundtable Discussion.” Chapter. In The Cambridge History of War and Society in America, edited by Andrew J. Huebner and Jennifer D. Keene, 1–28. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2026.

Copyright

Cambridge University Press