Why war? : the cultural logic of Iraq, the Gulf War, and Suez

Resource Information

The work Why war? : the cultural logic of Iraq, the Gulf War, and Suez represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in University of Missouri Libraries. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

Why war? : the cultural logic of Iraq, the Gulf War, and Suez

Title remainder

the cultural logic of Iraq, the Gulf War, and Suez

Statement of responsibility

Philip Smith

Creator

• Smith, Philip, (Philip Daniel), 1964-

Subject

• Persian Gulf War, 1991 -- Social aspects
• Egypt -- History -- Intervention, 1956
• War and society
• Iraq War, 2003-2011 -- Social aspects
• History
• Politics and culture
• War (Philosophy)
• Culture conflict

Genre

• History

Language

eng

Summary

"Why did America invade Iraq? Why do nations choose to fight certain wars and not others? How do we bring ourselves to believe that the sacrifice of our troops is acceptable? For most, the answers to these questions are tied to struggles for power or resources and the machinations of particular interest groups. Philip Smith argues that this realist answer to the age-old "why war?" question is insufficient. Instead, Smith suggests that every war has its roots in the ways we tell and interpret stories." "Comprised of case studies of the War in Iraq, the Gulf War, and the Suez Crisis, Why War? decodes the cultural logic of the narratives that justify military action. Each nation, Smith argues, makes use of binary codes - good and evil, sacred and profane, rational and irrational, to name a few. These codes, in the hands of political leaders, activists, and the media, are deployed within four different types of narratives - mundane, tragic, romantic, or apocalyptic. With this cultural system, Smith is able to radically recast our "war stories" and show how nations can have vastly different understandings of crises as each identifies the relevant protagonists and antagonists, objects of struggle, and threats and dangers." "Offering an innovative approach to understanding how major wars are packaged, sold, and understood, Why War? will be applauded by anyone with an interest in military history, political science, cultural studies, and communication."--Jacket

Cataloging source

DLC

Dewey number

303.6/6

Index

index present

LC call number

HM554

LC item number

.S64 2005

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

bibliography