An original conceptual approach to the study of war, attempting to capture the entire phenomenon of military adaptation―whether strategic, institutional or in the field.
The unravelling of the post-Cold War order has intensified geopolitical tensions, driving a global increase in defence spending. Most military organisations are engaged in a process of drastic transformation, trying to scale their activities, learn from contemporary battlefields, and improve readiness. Yet armed forces engaged in such reforms must solve a major dilemma: how to adapt to an uncertain future without losing their current identity, coherence or operational effectiveness.
In this incisive and timely study, Olivier Schmitt explores how modern militaries adapt, or fail to adapt, to evolving threats, technologies and political constraints. Drawing on global case-studies–from the trenches of Ukraine to the halls of the People’s Liberation Army leadership–he investigates how social expectations, political constraints and organisational cultures collide in the worldwide quest to reform the military.
| Publisher | Hurst Publishers |
| Author | Olivier Schmitt |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Publication Date | 09/04/2026 |
| Pages | 464 |
| Edition | first |
| Size | 15×22 |
| About the Author | Olivier Schmitt is Associate Professor and Head of Research at the Institute for Military Operations, Royal Danish Defence College, and Senior Non-Resident Associate Fellow at the NATO Defence College. His previous books include the co-edited volume War Time: Temporality and the Decline of Western Military Power. |
| Publisher Address | direct@hurstpub.co.uk |
| ISBN | 978-1805265269 |
