Engelska

Ever since the end of the Second World War, most Europeans have felt fortunate to have lived through the longest period of relative peace ever experienced on the continent. Some now take this for granted. Is their sense of security realistic? Security is no longer perceived not only as the absence of war. It now also includes development, freedom, and justice, all part of a comprehensive concept of security. This book bridges a vital gap between the academic literature, publications of think tanks and EU documents. It gives structure to a comprehensive set of security issues facing Europe in the era of globalization and renewed security threats after the Cold War.<br/><br/>Together with the website www.lelundin.org, structured as the book, it provides vital links between theory and actual cases in real time. The author, currently Distinguished Associate Fellow at Sipri, has an extensive experience as a security policy practitioner inside the EU institutions and as a national diplomat working with a number of international organisations. The value of the book is enhanced through interviews with many officials and academic experts. It provides a unique source of inspiration for all those focussing on the added value of the EU for security.<br/><br/>The book aims at senior level courses in the EU itself, including in the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) context. It is also well suited for those preparing themselves for working on security with and in the EU on all levels from NGO:s, national governments to international organisations.

Despite their different experiences during the Second World War Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden are often regarded as, in many ways, similar welfare states. However, their approach to the EU and Nato in matters of security and defence politics, differs and this indicates that they might not be that similar after all. But they have all been active contributors to the efforts of conflict management by the international community. Providing military units to peace support operations all over the globe is consequently yet another similarity. In this book the strategic decision making procedures of the four states are explored and compared.

<p>This book is a detailed and fascinating account of how ministers and generals scrapped Sweden s traditional invasion defence and turned it into an active player in international affairs. Episodes include the creation of the first Nordic Battle Group, how strategy challenged the mighty defence industry and the controversies in government over the war in Afghanistan. Based on in-depth interviews and first-hand sources, this book provides a unique insight into the deliberations and struggles of one of the most dramatic reform periods in Swedish history.</p><p>Magnus Christiansson is associate lecturer at the Swedish Defence University. His main research interests are transatlantic security, Baltic Sea security and civil-military relations.</p>

<p>'An extraordinary novel, spiny and delicate, scathingly funny and wildly moving'<br/><b>Lauren Groff, author of <i>Fates and Furies</i></b><br/><br/>'Sarah Thankam Mathews' prose is undeniable . . . she captures the sneaky, unsaying parts of longing'<br/><b>Raven Leilani, author of <i>Luster</i></b><br/><br/>'Some books are merely luminous . . . this one is iridescent'<br/><b>Susan Choi, author of <i>Trust Exercise</i></b><br/><b><i><br/>'This is not a story about work or precarity. I am trying, late in the evening, to say something about love, which for many of us is not separable from the other shit.'</i></b><br/><br/>This is a novel about being young in the 21st century.<br/>About being called a 'rockstar' by your boss because of your Excel skills.<br/>About staying up too late buying furniture online, despite the threat of eviction hanging over you.<br/>About feeling like all your choices are mortgaged to the parents that made your life possible.<br/>About the excitement of moving to a new city: about gay bars, house parties and new romances.<br/>About a group of friends - about Sneha, Tig and Thom - and how that can become a family.<br/>About love and sex and hope.<br/>About knowing that all this could be different.</p>

When it comes to the discourse of military intervention, the market is saturated with all sorts of books of war. Such books, for the most part, tend to be narrative accounts of heroic militarism which often do not address the aspect of [societal] rehabilitation. Scores of these books do not highlight the relevance of interactive socialization as regards politically embattled nations that harbour [sociologically] shattered societies. So, there is a gap in the market when it comes to the rehabilitation of battle-scarred societies with psychologically distressed masses. Garrison Metropolis explores the adaptive rehabilitation of this embattled universe through a regenerative doctrine of military intervention called Pure militarism.

A Fatherland wherein peace is taken for granted would be headed for rack and ruin. In the fullness of time, this Fatherland will morph into a politically embattled nation wherein psychologically distressed compatriots would liquidate each other across an incensed and sociologically shattered society. Garrison Metropolis casts light on the adaptive rehabilitation of this embattled universe through a regenerative doctrine of military intervention which has been christened Pure militarism. This involves the enlistment of reformed Soldiers as part of a measured campaign against fratricidal bloodletting. This campaign will keenly address the full depth of a culture of vileness in connection with adulteration and weaponized entrapment in a dystopian setting.

In this book experts from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden examine strategic decision-making for international military engagement in the Baltic region. They provide an essential description of the actors, framework and processes, as well as case studies. They also analyse why decisions went as they did. An introductory chapter examines the notion of strategic culture and its impact. The book will be of value to anyone interested in Baltic security or strategic decision-making.