The Heart of War: On Power, Conflict and Obligation in the Twenty-first Century

This book, written by one of the most highly regarded experts on global security, is a controversial look at the changing face of war and the role of the military in the twenty-first century. Military forces are now confronted not only with the non-conventional threats of terrorism but the moral dilemmas of humanitarianism intervention and human rights. Gwyn Prins explores these conflicting impulses using a variety of fascinating examples: the September 11th attacks and the history of "spectacular" terrorism; humanitarian intervention in Bosnia, Kosovo, West Africa and elsewhere; the extradition of General Pinochet for human rights abuses; and the potential nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan. Wide-ranging and challenging, this book will interest all those seeking to understand the enormous recent changes in military strategy and global politics.

Gwyn Prins is Alliance Professor jointly at the London School of Economics and Political Science (where he is Research Professor of the European Institute), and at Columbia University, New York. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.