Introduction to Section on War

Abstract

As an undergraduate student I was drawn to the study of international relations because of a concern with war. I have already outlined the sources of this fascination in the biography section, but will add only that while interested with the various approaches to the study of armed conflicts, I noted in them an important lacuna: what were the issues—the interests, stakes, values, beliefs, and fears—that drove men (generically speaking) to put at risk thousands and even millions of lives?