NSPC Seminar: Causes of War with Allan Stam

Why do states go to war? Our first two-hour seminar of the semester will address the foundational question.

After two decades in which terrorism and insurgency dominated the attention of the national security community, the prospect of great power conflict has reemerged. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and rising tensions with China call into question many a wide array of assumptions, ranging from the use of nuclear weapons to the cooperative effects of economic interdependence. The current strategic environment requires a reassessment of interstate conflict in the modern age. Specifically, intelligence analysts need an updated framework of interstate war to assess foreign military capabilities and identify indications and warnings properly. Greater contextual understanding will propel U.S. Army modernization and prepare for future crises and conflicts.

Led by Dr. Allan Stam and Dr. Phil Potter, the seminar will provide NGIC analysts with a framework for understanding of the causes of war and then apply it to a case study of the ongoing war in Ukraine.