French Strategic Culture

I co-authored with Bastien Irondelle (Sciences Po Paris) a book chapter on the French strategic culture, published in a collective book entitled Strategic Cultures in Europe.

This is the first book adopting a common framework to compare the strategic cultures of all of the EU member-states. The product is then theoretically sound and empirically extremely rich, and should be of interest to anyone working on european security issues.

The book can be ordered on the editor’s website.

An Iron Hand in a Velvet Glove: Reclaiming the French art of Statecraft

I posted on Kings of War a short analysis of the French intervention in Mali. You can read it here.

Thinking about Strategic Culture

I published a book chapter (in French) in an edited book entitled “Thinking About Collective Violence”, edited by Cynthia Salloum and Benjamin Brice.

The book is a collection of essays by historians, political scientists and lawyers trying to grasp the different forms of collective violence (religious violence, war, genocides…).

My own contribution focuses on the concept of strategic culture, and tries to provide a balanced assesment of its analytical usefulness.

The book can be ordered here, and is also available as an ebook.

“Mud Academy”: Perspectives on military adaptation

I published a chapter in a collective book on military adaptation.

My own research focused on British military adaptation during the Afghan campaign (2006-2011), but there is a serie of fascinating chapters (some in French, others in English) on XVI° century warfare, counter-insurgency, the French experience in Afghanistan or military adaptation in EU operations (among others). This collection of chapters offers a large view on the processes of military adaptation.

The book is available from here and in PDF.

My own chapter is written in French, but English-speaking readers interested in British military adaptation in Afghanistan can look at the articles by Theo Farrell, Sergio Catignani and Tom Dyson.

I hope you will find it of interest.

“Which Planes for Aleppo?” (Le Monde)

I published with my friend Jean-Baptiste Jeangène Vilmer an op-ed in Le Monde, which is a reply to Bernard-Henry Lévy’s call for an intervention in Syria.

The op-ed can be read here (in French).

NATO and the end of the expeditionary model

I published an article (in French) in the prestigious Revue Défense Nationale on “Nato and the End of the Expeditionary Model”. It is available online and in PDF.

Here is the abstract: After twenty years of expeditionary activities, we can see the emergence of a less interventionist posture within the Atlantic alliance. A less interventionist NATO would nevertheless keep its utility as: a communication channel between the Europeans, the Russians and the Americans; a socializing institution for newcomers; a deterrent capability in new areas of collective vulnerability.

The paper is published in a special issue on NATO, which deals with many aspects of the alliance in a fresh and multinational perspective. You can access the TOC here.

A blog on recent publications in the field of War Studies

I recently launched a blog -in French- called “War Studies Publications“.

The goal is to present to a French-speaking audience the latest publications in the field of War Studies, broadly defined (history, international relations, international law, political science, strategic studies…).

I welcome any suggestion or book review (in French or in English), please do not hesitate to contact me.