| ID | 146232 |
| Title Proper | Norms, military utility, and the use/non-use of weapons |
| Other Title Information | the case of anti-plant and irritant agents in the Vietnam war |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Martin, Susan B |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | The role of norms and military utility in the use of weapons is disputed by constructivist and realist scholars. Through an examination of US decision-making regarding anti-plant and irritant agents in the Vietnam War, I advance this debate in three key ways. First, I develop structural realism’s expectations regarding the role of military utility. Second, I demonstrate that social and material factors are at play in our understandings of both ‘norms’ and ‘military utility’, and that both played a role in US decisions. Third, I find that the dominant role – as structural realism expects – was played by military utility. |
| `In' analytical Note | Journal of Strategic Studies Vol. 39, No.3; Jun 2016: p.321-364 |
| Journal Source | Journal of Strategic Studies Vol: 39 No 3 |
| Key Words | Chemical Weapons ; Non-Lethal Weapons ; Structural Realism ; Norms ; Taboo |