ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines Critical War Studies from the perspective of one of the researchers who coined that phrase. Beginning with some points of departure from the conceptualisation of war in academic IR and security studies, it goes on to reflect on changing conceptions of war before discussing two core concepts for Critical War Studies. The first of these is that, in addition to its obvious destructiveness, war should be understood as a ‘generative’ phenomenon. The second concept, ‘war/truth’, attempts to provide a critical, analytical frame for thinking about that which is generated. The chapter ends with some brief, forward-looking observations about critique, war and intersectionality.
