Causes of War

Theories on the origins of war are often based on the premise that the rational actor is in pursuit of material satisfaction, such as the quest for power or for wealth. These perspectives disregard the need for homo symbolicus - meaning the preservation of a positive self-image for both emotional and instrumental reasons. A good reputation ensures authority and material resources. Non-recognition can be as much as an explanation of war as that of other explicative 'variables'. Two empirical studies examining the role of non-recognition in great power conflicts and in international crises will demonstrate the value of this symbolic approach. "Thomas Lindemann's book explores a central characteristic of contemporary warfare that military strategists and geopoliticians try to minimise because it does not fit with their premises: struggles for recognition may be more important than terrestrial conquest and losing the war. If winning recognition and respect is central in many combats. In a very detailed and subtle analysis, the author succeeds brilliantly in convincing his readers that any scholar interested in war studies needs to recognise the role of the struggle for recognition as well as understanding the meaning of symbolic power." Didier Bigo, Professor of War Studies, King's College London, and Sciences Po Paris