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Political Science Military Policy

Total Defence Forces in the Twenty-First Century

edited by Joakim Berndtsson, Irina Goldenberg & Stéfanie von Hlatky

Publisher
McGill-Queen's University Press
Initial publish date
Dec 2023
Category
Military Policy, Geopolitics, Security (National & International)
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9780228019411
    Publish Date
    Dec 2023
    List Price
    $44.95
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9780228019282
    Publish Date
    Dec 2023
    List Price
    $140.00
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9780228019299
    Publish Date
    Dec 2023
    List Price
    $44.95

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Description

Total defence, as a concept, combines and extends military and civil defence: in a state of war or emergency, all social institutions mobilize to defend the state. Total defence forces, led by a diverse workforce of defence and security professionals, are critical to both national defence and international security goals.

Total Defence Forces in the Twenty-First Century looks at the various groups that make up this workforce: members of the military’s regular force, reservists, defence civil servants, and contractors working for private military and security companies. When civilian staff and military personnel work towards a common goal, their distinct professional cultures and identities can make integration challenging. Despite the often high levels of partnership, underlying differences affect the quality of the collaboration and, ultimately, organizational and operational effectiveness. Defence ministries around the world are increasingly recognizing the importance of optimizing the ways in which they employ and integrate civilian and military personnel.

This volume focuses on a critical question: what are the main challenges to workforce integration and collaboration, and how can such challenges be overcome to deliver the full potential of the total defence force? Together, scholars and practitioners provide some answers.

About the authors

Joakim Berndtsson is senior lecturer in the School of Global Studies at the University of Gothenburg.

Joakim Berndtsson's profile page

Irina Goldenberg is director of military personnel research at the Department of National Defence, Canada.

Irina Goldenberg's profile page

Stéfanie von Hlatky is associate professor of political studies at Queen's University, editor of Countering Violent Extremism and Terrorism: Assessing Domestic and International Strategies, and co-editor of Going to War? Trends in Military Interventions.

Stéfanie von Hlatky's profile page

Editorial Reviews

Total Defence Forces in the Twenty-First Century provides a very rich analysis of the changed landscape of the wider defence sector and will prove a gold mine for much future research.” Andrea Ellner, co-editor of When Soldiers Say No: Selective Conscientious Objection in the Modern Military

“This volume tackles a highly topical theme: analyzing change dynamics in the organization of defence establishments. Recent international events underscore the need to understand how warfare has changed and to unpack the implications for the operations of military forces and the organization of national defence.” Jozef Bátora, co-author of Fringe Players and the Diplomatic Order: The 'New' Heteronomy