Reviews
The founders anticipated that American democracy would escape the militarism of most other societies, but this compelling book shows otherwise. Ranging from law and combat to race and film, and many more topics, the authors describe how the U.S. military influences all parts of our daily lives. This book does not condemn military influences in American society; it demands that we understand them better when we make policy and renew our troubled democracy. This is a book all concerned citizens should read., By highlighting culture, this fascinating collection informs the problem of how persistent war could broadly impact the United States but most contemporary American civilians are oblivious to it. Well written, deeply researched, and perfect for course use., Kieran and Martini have done a truly magnificent job. The table of contents of At War is enough to make one want to immediately buy and use the book. I cannot praise highly enough the concept and the fulfilled ambition of the editors., [A] strength of this book is that the editors selected a wide variety of military-society interactions. The sixteen essays examine the intersections of war and justice, empire, domestic politics, the military-industrial complex, demographics, combat, veterans, refugees, race, gender, the human body, the environment, the media, visual culture, film, and memory., This volume will enrich understandings of the centrality of war to contemporary American life. Intelligibly written and augmented by discussion questions, recommendations for further reading, and arresting images, the essays range widely and are a must-read in and out of the classroom., Kieran and Martini have done a truly magnificent job. The table of contents of At War is enough to make one want to immediately buy and use the book. I cannot praise highly enough the concept and the fulfilled ambition of the editors.
Table of Content
Introduction: War, the military, and American culture / David Kieran and Edwin A. Martini War and justice / Sahr Conway-Lanz American empire / Stefan Aune Domestic politics and antiwar activism / Nick Witham The military-industrial complex / Mark R. Wilson Military demographics / Jennifer Mittelstadt Combat / Christopher Hamner Veterans and veterans' issues / Wilbur J. Scott War, persecution, and displacement: U.S. refugee policy since 1945 / Jana K. Lipman Race and/in war / Christine Knauer Gender, the military, and war / Kara Dixon Vuic The embodiment of war: bodies for, in, and after war / John M. Kinder War and the environment / Richard P. Tucker Communications media, the U.S. military, and the war brought home / Susan L. Carruthers War in visual culture / Bonnie M. Miller War and film / Scott Laderman War and memory / G. Kurt Piehler Timeline: Major events in U.S. military history, 1890-2017 / Katherine Ellison and William Watson
