Research Methods in Defence Studies

'If you still believe the old canard that defence studies are lacking in rigor or merely policy analysis about "bombs and bullets", think again. Delphine Deschaux-Dutard and her contributors pointedly show that this stereotype is not to be taken seriously. They take us on a lively journey through a wide range of indispensable methodological tools, both qualitative and quantitative, to study defence issues rigorously. Research Methods in Defence Studies will be a reference for scholars and students of defence and equally useful to practitioners who need the right methods to grasp the complexity of their rapidly changing profession. The interdisciplinary breath of the book alone is worth the price of admission.'-- Pascal Vennesson, Professor of Political Science, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University

"There is now a very rich academic literature in the social sciences on warfare and the armed forces in the early twenty-first century. However, although a diversity of methods have been used by scholars in this field, there has been no systematic attempt to interrogate the methodology of military inquiry. This indispensable and comprehensive volume now fills that gap. It explores in vivid detail a variety of methodologies across the disciplines from geography, law to sociology. It will be required reading for any serious student of military affairs."-- Professor Anthony King, Chair in War Studies, University of Warwick

'If you still believe the old canard that defence studies are lacking in rigor or merely policy analysis about "bombs and bullets", think again. Delphine Deschaux-Dutard and her contributors pointedly show that this stereotype is not to be taken seriously. They take us on a lively journey through a wide range of indispensable methodological tools, both qualitative and quantitative, to study defence issues rigorously. Research Methods in Defence Studies will be a reference for scholars and students of defence and equally useful to practitioners who need the right methods to grasp the complexity of their rapidly changing profession. The interdisciplinary breath of the book alone is worth the price of admission.'-- Pascal Vennesson, Professor of Political Science, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University

'There is now a very rich academic literature in the social sciences on warfare and the armed forces in the early twenty-first century. However, although a diversity of methods have been used by scholars in this field, there has been no systematic attempt to interrogate the methodology of military inquiry. This indispensable and comprehensive volume now fills that gap. It explores in vivid detail a variety of methodologies across the disciplines from geography, law to sociology. It will be required reading for any serious student of military affairs.'-- Professor Anthony King, Chair in War Studies, University of Warwick

'This reviewer would highly recommend this book to anyone in the field of defence studies. It is simple and engaging enough to hold the attention of first-year university students. It is detailed enough to benefit seasoned academicians. Perhaps most useful, it is practical enough to benefit those in the defence industry.'--Jeremy Lamoreaux, Defence Studies, Vol. 21(3)