Keir Alexander Lieber's Books

War and the Engineers

The Primacy of Politics over Technology

By: Keir A. Lieber

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

War and the Engineers

The Primacy of Politics over Technology

By: Keir A. Lieber

Do some technologies provoke war? Do others promote peace? Offense-defense theory contends that technological change is an important cause of conflict: leaders will be tempted to launch wars when they believe innovation favors attackers over defenders. Offense-defense theory is perhaps best known from the passionate and intricate debates about first-strike capability and deterrence stability during the cold war, but it has deeper historical roots, remains a staple in international relations theorizing, and drives modern arms control policymaking. In War and the Engineers, the first book systematically to test the logical and empirical validity of offense-defense theory, Keir A. Lieber examines the relationships among politics, technology, and the causes of war. Lieber's cases explore the military and political implications of the spread of railroads, the emergence of rifled small arms and artillery, the introduction of battle tanks, and the nuclear revolution. Lieber incorporates the new historiography of World War I, which draws on archival materials that only recently became available, to challenge many common beliefs about the conflict. The author's central conclusion is that technology is neither a cause of international conflict nor a panacea; instead, power politics remains paramount.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

240

Publisher

Cornell University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1501724460

ISBN 13

9781501724466

The Myth of the Nuclear Revolution

Power Politics in the Atomic Age

By: Keir A. Lieber,Daryl G. Press

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

The Myth of the Nuclear Revolution

Power Politics in the Atomic Age

By: Keir A. Lieber,Daryl G. Press

Leading analysts have predicted for decades that nuclear weapons would help pacify international politics. The core notion is that countries protected by these fearsome weapons can stop competing so intensely with their adversaries: they can end their arms races, scale back their alliances, and stop jockeying for strategic territory. But rarely have theory and practice been so opposed. Why do international relations in the nuclear age remain so competitive? Indeed, why are today's major geopolitical rivalries intensifying? In The Myth of the Nuclear Revolution, Keir A. Lieber and Daryl G. Press tackle the central puzzle of the nuclear age: the persistence of intense geopolitical competition in the shadow of nuclear weapons. They explain why the Cold War superpowers raced so feverishly against each other; why the creation of "mutual assured destruction" does not ensure peace; and why the rapid technological changes of the 21st century will weaken deterrence in critical hotspots around the world. By explaining how the nuclear revolution falls short, Lieber and Press discover answers to the most pressing questions about deterrence in the coming decades: how much capability is required for a reliable nuclear deterrent, how conventional conflicts may become nuclear wars, and how great care is required now to prevent new technology from ushering in an age of nuclear instability.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

114

Publisher

Cornell University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1501749307

ISBN 13

9781501749308

War and the Engineers

The Primacy of Politics Over Technology

By: Keir Alexander Lieber

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

War and the Engineers

The Primacy of Politics Over Technology

By: Keir Alexander Lieber

Lieber's cases explore the military and political implications of the spread of railroads, the emergence of rifled small arms and artillery, the introduction of battle tanks, and the nuclear revolution. Lieber incorporates the new historiography of World War I, which draws on archival materials that only recently became available, to challenge many common beliefs about the conflict.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

266

Publisher

Cornell University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0801443830

ISBN 13

9780801443831

Book's by Keir Alexander Lieber

War and the Engineers

War and the Engineers

The Myth of the Nuclear Revolution

The Myth of the Nuclear Revolution

War and the Engineers

War and the Engineers

Username

Password

Username

Password

Password again

Birthday

Email