Last update: Mgr. et Mgr. Tomáš Kučera, Ph.D. (02.09.2019)
How war is transformed by changing technologies is one of the central questions this course is concerned with. Especially the modern history of humanity is a dramatic story of dealing with scientific and technological progress in general and ever-changing military technology in particular. It is among objectives of this course to examine whether people and their states are naturally forced to participate in the so-called “Red Queen’s race”, or whether regulation and management of technological progress be well within the human powers.
Participation in the course should bring and strengthen understanding of technological factors in warfare, military organisations and defence policies. Students should gain the ability to analyse and assess arguments concerning military technology critically.
Last update: Mgr. et Mgr. Tomáš Kučera, Ph.D. (29.01.2021)
“Guns don’t kill people, people do,” an NRA member would say in defence of the Second Amendment. Although we may doubt about the relevancy of this saying in the gun control debate, it is somewhat difficult to deny its plausibility. Moreover, plausible it remains if we apply these words in the history of warfare. Until present days it has always been people who thrust a sword, shoot an arrow, pull a trigger, release bombs or launch a guided missile. Weapons and military technology, in general, have always had a tremendous effect on the human ability to fight wars and kill other people. Nonetheless, is it only people who act in this story?
For man is not endowed with natural means of killing, artificial tools became a necessary condition for the first human war to emerge and technological progress continues to be among the most significant factors shaping the face of warfare. How war is transformed by changing technologies is thus one of the central questions this course is concerned with. However, it is not only war what is shaped by the progress in military technology. The changes in military technology have also been closely related to the social and political transformations. The historical narrative about the state and modern civilisation would be only half-done if the development of war-related instruments was not included.
Especially the modern history of humanity is a dramatic story of dealing with scientific and technological progress in general and ever-changing military technology in particular. It is another objective of this course to examine whether people and their states are naturally forced to participate in the so-called “Red Queen’s race”, or whether cultural factors determine their striving for new technologies or regulation and management of technological progress be well within the human powers. Closely related to the last point is the issue of ethics in technological development in general and in the use of technology in the war in particular.
Participation in the course should bring and strengthen understanding of technological factors in warfare, military organisations and defence policies. Students should gain the ability to analyse and assess arguments concerning military technology critically.
Making substantiated and convincing arguments is a particular skill that the seminar activities aim to train and cultivate.
Aim of the course
Last update: Mgr. et Mgr. Tomáš Kučera, Ph.D. (29.01.2021)
Aims and objectives
Participation in the course should bring and strengthen understanding of technological factors in warfare, military organisations and defence policies. Students should gain the ability to analyse and assess arguments concerning military technology critically.
Making substantiated and convincing arguments is a particular skill that the seminar activities aim to train and cultivate.
Course completion requirements
Last update: Mgr. et Mgr. Tomáš Kučera, Ph.D. (25.01.2023)
Course requirements
Reading forum and seminar activities 30%
Mid-term exam 20%
Final exam 50%
Literature
Last update: Mgr. et Mgr. Tomáš Kučera, Ph.D. (02.09.2019)
Biddle, Stephen. ‘The Past as Prologue: Assessing Theories of Future Warfare’. Security Studies 8, no. 1 (1 September 1998): 1–74. doi:10.1080/09636419808429365.
Boot, Max. War Made New: Weapons, Warriors, and the Making of the Modern World. New York, N.Y.: Gotham Books, 2007.
Buzan, Barry. An Introduction to Strategic Studies: Military Technology and Internat. Relations. Studies in International Security. Basingstoke: Macmillan Pr. [u.a.], 1987.
Fritsch, Stefan. ‘Technology and Global Affairs’. International Studies Perspectives 12, no. 1 (February 2011): 27–45. doi:10.1111/j.1528-3585.2010.00417.x.
MacKenzie, Donald. ‘Technology and the Arms Race’. International Security 14, no. 1 (1 July 1989): 161–75. doi:10.2307/2538768.
Murray, Williamson. “Thinking about Revolutions in Military Affairs.” Joint Forces Quarterly, Summer 1997.
Raudzens, George. ‘War-Winning Weapons: The Measurement of Technological Determinism in Military History’. The Journal of Military History 54, no. 4 (1 October 1990): 403–34. doi:10.2307/1986064.
Reppy, Judith. ‘The Technological Imperative in Strategic Thought’. Journal of Peace Research 27, no. 1 (1 February 1990): 101–6.
Van Evera, Stephen. ‘Offense, Defense, and the Causes of War’. International Security 22, no. 4 (April 1998): 5–43. doi:10.1162/isec.22.4.5.
Syllabus
Last update: Mgr. et Mgr. Tomáš Kučera, Ph.D. (25.01.2023)
viz https://docs.google.com/document/d/19FxjUvz2CFDtgbArq-SBsUSJnY3DQYfT/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=100264941869441551674&rtpof=true&sd=true
