ID | 175119 |
Title Proper | Exercising war |
Other Title Information | how tactical and operational modelling shape and reify military practice |
Language | ENG |
Author | Öberg, Dan |
Summary / Abstract (Note) | This article analyzes how contemporary military training and exercises shape and reify specific modalities of war. Historically, military training has shifted from being individual- and experience-oriented, towards becoming modelled into exercise environments and practices. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with military officers, exercise controllers, and war-game designers, the article distinguishes between tactical training, characterized by military functions embodied through weapon platforms in a demarcated battlespace, and operational training, characterized by administrative and organizational processes embodied through self-referential staff routines. As military exercises integrate the tactical and operational dimensions into a model for warfare, they serve as blueprints for today’s battles at the same time as they perpetuate a martial viewpoint of the world. As a result, preparations for potential future conflicts constitute a fertile ground for apprehending the becoming of war. |
`In' analytical Note | Security Dialogue Vol. 51, No.2-3; Apr-Jun 2020: p.137-154 |
Journal Source | Security Dialogue Vol 51 No 2-3 |
Key Words | Tactics ; Warfare ; Practices ; Military Exercises ; Operational Art ; War Studies |