STRATEGIC THOUGHT. Autumn 2013

Transcription

1 STRATEGIC THOUGHT Autumn

2 STRATEGIC THOUGHT Autumn 2013 LTC, D.Soc.Sc. Mika Kerttunen Room 404 COURSE DESCRIPTION Course overview The course proceeds from a thematic and meta-thematic point of view, and allows the student to explore various approaches to strategy and strategic studies. The course begins by tentatively defining strategy. The first three sessions cover classical variations from ancient Occidental and Oriental schools of thought to Clausewitz. The next two sessions examine strategic studies as a discipline by focusing on different epistemic orientations of the field. The following five sessions offer the students practical political, cultural and military strategic insights on strategy. The last session asks about the validity of strategy and strategic thinking in a world where fiscal concerns seem to override other political consideration, where the traditional Western and male dominated logic of strategy is openly questioned and where non- and antistate actors have a bigger role. The required writings will complement the readings and the seminar sessions and enable the students to reflect and synthetize their deepened understanding. Course aims The course will develop and deepen the student s understanding of strategy as a concept, practice and discipline. Canonized texts or any particular national or operative strategy will not be examined; instead the seminar focusses on investigating the universal, cultural and contingent ideas underlying in strategic thinking and studies. Doing this it will develop the analytical and critical thinking skills needed to interpret the delicate and often problematic tension between political ambitions, military and other means and far than perfect execution of the man and her organizations and technology. The enhanced cognitive skills in the field of strategy and strategic studies will help the officers to grasp the complex and comprehensive political and military operative environment they serve in. The enhanced academic skills will also support the officers in their studies and future service. Methodology and course assignments During the seminar supervisions ( lessons ) the students are expected to discuss, debate and present the key contents and their own thoughts and findings of the directed readings. In addition to the directed readings the students are encouraged to find and cover also additional selected or supplementary readings. Each seminar starts with students presentations: individual students are asked to examine the topic of the session. After briefings are made, a discussion period with questions and answers will take place. The requirements for presentations: 2

3 1. Content: the main arguments of the individual authors, cross reflections between the texts or the text and current or other thoughts, own arguments either supporting or arguing against the views or taking the theme further. 2. Presentation: clear, lively, verbal, can be supported with PowerPoint or other pedagogical tools, minutes. In addition the students need to write a critical and analytical review (in a format of executive summary, words) of the lessons 6-10, and an essay ( words) on a relevant topic of their choice within the framework of strategic thought. Both papers are graded. Participation, i.e. insightful contribution to different forms of seminar work, is also graded. The overall evaluation will be based on the following items Participation in supervisions: 25% Review: 25% Essay: 50% List or supervisions and readings Lesson 1: Defining Strategy Lesson 2: Historical development of strategic thought Lesson 3: Clausewitz on Strategy Lesson 4: Strategic Studies 1: Traditional and Scientific Approaches Lesson 5: Strategic Studies 2: Reflective and Postmodern Approaches Lesson 6: Strategy as practice 1: The Makers of Strategy and Strategy-Making Lesson 7: Strategy as practice 2: Strategic Culture Lesson 8: Strategy as practice 3: Military Strategy Lesson 9: Strategy as practice 4: Nuclear Strategy Lesson 10: Strategy as practice 5: Revolutionary Warfare as Strategy Lesson 11: Future of strategy Schedule 1. Supervisions on Tuesday afternoons at as defined by JCGS CP or as agreed due to other engagements. 2. Critical and analytical review within two weeks after the last supervision. 3. Essay within two months after the last supervision. Preliminary meeting Introduction, outline and objectives of the course; assignments; assessment criteria. Introduction to philosophy of science with emphasis on epistemic orientations of the field. 3

4 LESSON 1: Defining Strategy By introducing several aspects on strategy from military operative to political as well as on strategic studies the lesson will widen the students understanding of strategy as a practice and discipline. Lesson 1 Readings: John Baylis et al, eds., Strategy in the Contemporary World: An Introduction to Strategic Studies, (Oxford: OUP, 2002), Introduction, p Colin S. Gray, Modern Strategy, (Oxford: OUP, 1999), Introduction and Ch. 1 The Dimensions of Strategy, p and Beatrice Heuser, The Evolution of Strategy, (Cambridge: CUP, 2010), What is strategy, p LESSON 2: Historical Development of Strategic Thought By examining few historical approaches to strategy the students will deepen their knowledge on the concept of strategy. Lesson 2 Readings: Beatrice Heuser, The Evolution of Strategy, Themes in early thinking about strategy, p Williamson Murray et al, eds., The Making of Strategy, (Cambridge: CUP, 1994), alternatively Ch. 2 (Athens), Ch. 3 (Chinese strategy), or Ch. 6 (England). LESSON 3: Clausewitz on Strategy The students will deepen their understanding on Clausewitizan concepts and approaches to war and strategy. After the lesson they are better able to situate both Clausewitz and contemporary thinking in a historical and intellectual framework. Lesson 3 Readings: Carl von Clausewitz, On War, (Michael Howard-Peter Paret edition, Princeton: PUP, 1984), Book 1, Ch.1; Book 2, Ch. 1; Book 3, Chapter 1-2. Peter Paret, Clausewitz in Paret, Peter (ed.) The Makers of Modern Strategy, (Oxford: OUP, 1999), p Thomas G. Manhken, Strategic Theory in Baylis et al, eds., Strategy in the Contemporary World: An Introduction to Strategic Studies, (Oxford: OUP, 2002), p LESSON 4: Strategic Studies 1: Traditional and Behavioristic Approaches By examining the scientific foundations of social science and selected strategic thinkers the students will develop their academic skills and critical thinking. Lesson 4 Readings: 4

5 Michael Crotty, The Foundations of Social Research, (London: Sage, 1998/2010), Introduction and Positivism, p and Robert Jackson & Georg Sörensen, Introduction to International Relations, (Oxford: OUP, 1999), Methodological Debates, p Selected writings of e.g. Sunzi, Carl von Clausewitz, Basil Henry Liddell Hart, André Beaufre, and Edward Luttwak. LESSON 5: Strategic Studies 2: Constructivist and Postmodern Approaches By examining the scientific foundations of social science and selected strategic thinkers the students will develop their academic skills and critical thinking. Lesson 5 Readings: John Baylis & Steve Smith, The Globalization of World Politics, (Oxford: OUP, 2001), Alternative approaches to international theory, p Selected writings of e.g. Cynthia Enloe, Arundhati Roy, Paul Virilio, James Der Derian, Alexander Wendt, and Mary Kaldor. LESSON 6: Strategy as Practice 1: The Makers of Strategy and Strategy- Making By focusing on the practical making of strategy and strategic considerations in historical frameworks the students will deepen and test their previously gained theoretical understanding of strategy. Lesson 6 Readings: Williamson Murray et al, eds., The Making of Strategy, (Cambridge: CUP, 1994), alternatively Ch. 12 (Germany), Ch. 13 (Britain), Ch. 14 (United States), or Ch. 15 (France). Barry Posen, The Sources of Military Doctrine, (Ithaca: Cornell UP, 1984), Ch. 1. David Fraser, Alanbrooke, (New York: Atheneum, 1982), Ch. XI Grand Strategist 1942, p LESSON 7: Strategy as Practice 2: Strategic Culture By examining the notion of strategic culture and selected strategic authors the students will widen their understanding of the universal and cultural nature of strategy, military strategy and strategic studies. Lesson 7 Readings: Colin S. Gray, Modern Strategy, Oxford: OUP, 1999), Ch. 5 Strategic Culture as Context, p Alistair Iain Johnston, Cultural Realism: Strategic Culture and Grand Strategy in Chinese History, (Princeton, PUP, 1995), p

6 Patrick Porter, Military Orientalism, (London: Hurst & Company, 2009), p. 1-22; , and LESSON 8: Strategy as Practice 3: Military strategy By examining the logic and premises of military strategy the students will deepen their understanding on the often problematic practical implementation of strategy and strategic decision-making. Lesson 8 Readings: Edward N. Luttwak, Strategy. The Logic of War and Peace, (Cambridge, The Belknap Press of Harward University Press, 2001), Ch. 7 The Operational Level, and Ch. 8 Theater Strategy I: Military Options and Political Choices, p and Thomas M. Kane and David J. Lonsdale, Understanding Contemporary Strategy, (London: Routledge, 2012), Ch. 7 Land power, p , and alternatively Ch. 8 Sea Power, Ch.9. Air power, or Ch. 10 Space Power. LESSON 9: Strategy as Practice 4: Nuclear Strategy By examining the key concepts and ideas in nuclear strategy, such as deterrence and targeting, the students will develop their understanding in the problematic nature of strategic thinking and political and strategic decision-making. Lesson 9 Readings: Colin S. Gray, Strategy in the nuclear age: The United States, in Murray et al, eds., The Making of Strategy, (Cambridge: CUP, 1994), p Albert Wohlstetter, The Delicate Balance of Terror, RAND publication P-1472, December 1958, Beatrice Heuser, The Evolution of Strategy, (Cambridge: CUP, 2010), Ch. 14 Nuclear Strategy, p LESSON 10: Strategy as practice 5: Revolutionary Warfare as Strategy By examining the ideas of revolutionary warfare the students will deepen their understanding of insurgency, and terrorism, as a strategy. Lesson 10 Readings: Mao Zedong, On Protracted War (May 1938). Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung, sections 1, 4, 6, 72 7, 91 6, 100, Marxist Internet Archive. reference/archive/mao/selected-works/volume-2/mswv2_09.htm. Mao Zedong, Strategy for the Second Year of the War of Liberation (September 1947), Marxist Internet Archive. 6

7 volume-4/mswv4_21.htm. John Shy and Thomas W. Collier, Revolutionary War in Paret, Peter (ed.) The Makers of Modern Strategy (Oxford: OUP, 1999), p James S. Corum, Fighting the War on Terror (St. Paul: Zenith Press, 2007), Ch.1 Contemporary Insurgency and Terrorism, p Mika Kerttunen, A transformed insurgency: The strategy of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) in the light of communist insurgency theories and a modified Beaufrean exterior/interior framework, Small Wars & Insurgencies, 22:01 (2011), p LESSON 11: Future of Strategy By examining the contemporary societal and security related issues the students will gain understanding of the limits and boundaries of strategic thinking and strategy making. Lesson 11 Readings: Mikkel Vedby Rasmussen, The Risk Society at War (Cambridge: CUP, 2006), Ch. 2 Strategy, strategic studies and risk, p James J. Wirtz, A New Agenda for Security and Strategy in Baylis et al, eds., Strategy in the Contemporary World: An Introduction to Strategic Studies, (Oxford: OUP, 2002), p Colin S. Gray, Another Bloody Century (London: Weidenfeld Nicolson, 2005), p