War is collective violence that is perceived as licit; in other words, it is violence shaped by culture. The University of Reading’s Ways of War Centre is committed to the study of the practices, beliefs and motivations that have together constituted the phenomenon.
Our interdisciplinary Centre brings together scholars from every field of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences with a shared serious interest in understanding war.
Some of us have a background in the study of strategy; others include historians, political scientists, international relations theorists and international lawyers.
We share a hope that better understanding of warfare’s past and present may, at the margin, modify its future.
The Centre’s activities include talks by outside speakers, public lectures, workshops, seminars, conferences and field trips for students to enhance the interface between our students on the one hand and academics and practitioners on the other.
Articles of interest
War Books: The Works of Colin Gray