Armed Forces & Society
Encyclopedia
Armed Forces & Society is a quarterly peer-reviewed
academic journal
that publishes scholarly articles and book reviews on civil–military relations, military sociology
, military institutions, conflict management
, arms control
, peacekeeping
, conflict resolution
, military contracting, terrorism
, and military ethics. It is the official journal of the Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society
and published by SAGE Publications
. The current editor is Patricia M. Shields
(Texas State University–San Marcos
).
Armed Forces & Society was established in 1974 by Morris Janowitz
(University of Chicago
) and became the "first professional journal to focus on the connection between the military and society in an international and interdisciplinary way." It covers a variety of topics, from Dutch peacekeeping missions, to gender-military and veterans issues. Furthermore, the journal attempts to include a broad focus on "larger theoretical and policy connections," which emphasize questions about the role of the military in sustaining democratic values.
The journal has also been the subject of study by graduate students in the MPA program at Texas State University. Olldahsi (2002) examined civil-military relations within emerging democracies, as treated in twenty key articles on the subject, and concluded that institutional structures were emphasized, but that there is more room for theoretical scholarship on the subject. Sexton (2003) established descriptive categories for 117 articles between 1998 and 2003, using Seibold's military sociology as a framework for issue categories. Bowman (2005) conducted a descriptive study of manuscripts and reviewers for the journal, utilizing content analysis and archival records analysis. Brady (2010) reviewed articles from the journal between 1974 and 2009 with a focus on peacekeeping issues and found that most peacekeeping articles related to personnel administration among peacekeeping forces. Brady's study concluded that there is a potential for greater publication on the wider political and military context in which peacekeeping missions take place.
, Armed Forces & Society has a 2010 impact factor
of 0.615, ranking it 75th out of 141 journals in the category "Political Science" and 75th out of 132 journals in the category "Sociology".
Peer review
Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...
academic journal
Academic journal
An academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of new research, and the critique of existing research...
that publishes scholarly articles and book reviews on civil–military relations, military sociology
Military sociology
Military sociology aims toward the systematic study of the military as a social group rather than as an organization. It is a highly specialized subfield which examines issues related to service personnel as a distinct group with coerced collective action based on shared interests linked to...
, military institutions, conflict management
Conflict management
Conflict management involves implementing strategies to limit the negative aspects of conflict and to increase the positive aspects of conflict at a level equal to or higher than where the conflict is taking place. Furthermore, the aim of conflict management is to enhance learning and group outcomes...
, arms control
Arms control
Arms control is an umbrella term for restrictions upon the development, production, stockpiling, proliferation, and usage of weapons, especially weapons of mass destruction...
, peacekeeping
Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
, conflict resolution
Conflict resolution
Conflict resolution is conceptualized as the methods and processes involved in facilitating the peaceful ending of some social conflict. Often, committed group members attempt to resolve group conflicts by actively communicating information about their conflicting motives or ideologies to the rest...
, military contracting, terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
, and military ethics. It is the official journal of the Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society
Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society
The Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society ' is a professional organization and forum for the exchange and evaluation of research on military institutions, civil-military relations, and military sociology with a broad emphasis across the social and behavioral sciences...
and published by SAGE Publications
SAGE Publications
SAGE is an independent academic publisher of books, journals, and electronic products in the humanities and social sciences and the scientific, technical, and medical fields. SAGE was founded in 1965 by George McCune and Sara Miller McCune. The company is headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California,...
. The current editor is Patricia M. Shields
Patricia M. Shields
Patricia M. Shields is a Professor of Political Science and the current director of the master of public administration program in the political science department at Texas State University. She is also the current editor of the journal Armed Forces & Society. Patricia M...
(Texas State University–San Marcos
Texas State University–San Marcos
Texas State University–San Marcos is a doctoral-granting university located in San Marcos, Texas...
).
Armed Forces & Society was established in 1974 by Morris Janowitz
Morris Janowitz
Morris Janowitz, was an American sociologist and professor who made major contributions to sociological theory, the study of prejudice, urban issues, and patriotism. He was one of the founders of military sociology and made major contributions, along with Samuel Huntington, to the establishment of...
(University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
) and became the "first professional journal to focus on the connection between the military and society in an international and interdisciplinary way." It covers a variety of topics, from Dutch peacekeeping missions, to gender-military and veterans issues. Furthermore, the journal attempts to include a broad focus on "larger theoretical and policy connections," which emphasize questions about the role of the military in sustaining democratic values.
Scholarly studies of Armed Forces & Society
Armed Forces & Society has been the subject of multiple scholarly publications. Ender (2001) examined the characteristics of the journal's first 25 volumes, exploring such factors as academic, regional, and institutional affiliation, as well as co-authorship and the gender configuration of co-authors. Camacho and Atwood (2007) reviewed publications in Armed Forces & Society between 1974 and 2006 regarding veterans and proposed new research projects on the subject.The journal has also been the subject of study by graduate students in the MPA program at Texas State University. Olldahsi (2002) examined civil-military relations within emerging democracies, as treated in twenty key articles on the subject, and concluded that institutional structures were emphasized, but that there is more room for theoretical scholarship on the subject. Sexton (2003) established descriptive categories for 117 articles between 1998 and 2003, using Seibold's military sociology as a framework for issue categories. Bowman (2005) conducted a descriptive study of manuscripts and reviewers for the journal, utilizing content analysis and archival records analysis. Brady (2010) reviewed articles from the journal between 1974 and 2009 with a focus on peacekeeping issues and found that most peacekeeping articles related to personnel administration among peacekeeping forces. Brady's study concluded that there is a potential for greater publication on the wider political and military context in which peacekeeping missions take place.
Impact
According to the Journal Citation ReportsJournal Citation Reports
Journal Citation Reports is an annual publication by the Healthcare & Science division of Thomson Reuters. It has been integrated with the Web of Knowledge, by Thomson Reuters, and is accessed from the Web of Science to JCR Web. It provides information about academic journals in the sciences and...
, Armed Forces & Society has a 2010 impact factor
Impact factor
The impact factor, often abbreviated IF, is a measure reflecting the average number of citations to articles published in science and social science journals. It is frequently used as a proxy for the relative importance of a journal within its field, with journals with higher impact factors deemed...
of 0.615, ranking it 75th out of 141 journals in the category "Political Science" and 75th out of 132 journals in the category "Sociology".
Board of editors
- James Burk (Texas A&M UniversityTexas A&M UniversityTexas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
) - Mark J. Eitelberg (Naval Postgraduate SchoolNaval Postgraduate SchoolThe Naval Postgraduate School is an accredited research university operated by the United States Navy. Located in Monterey, California, it grants master's degrees, Engineer's degrees and doctoral degrees...
) - David Segal (University of MarylandUniversity of MarylandWhen the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:...
) - Jay Stanley (Towson UniversityTowson UniversityTowson University, often referred to as TU or simply Towson for short, is a public university located in Towson in Baltimore County, Maryland, U.S...
) - Claude E. Welch, Jr.(State University of New York at Buffalo)
See also
- Journal of Peace ResearchJournal of Peace ResearchThe Journal of Peace Research is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes scholarly articles and book reviews in the fields of peace studies, conflict resolution, and international security. Its scope is similar to that of the Journal of Conflict Resolution. Founded by Johan Galtung in 1964,...
- ParametersParameters (journal)Parameters is a quarterly academic journal published by the United States Army War College....
- Naval War College ReviewNaval War College ReviewThe Naval War College Review is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal published by the United States Navy's Naval War College. It covers public policy matters of interest to the maritime services and was established in 1948....
- Journal of Conflict ResolutionJournal of Conflict ResolutionThe Journal of Conflict Resolution is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes scholarly articles and book reviews dealing with international conflict and conflict resolution. Its scope is similar to that of the Journal of Peace Research...
- International SecurityInternational SecurityInternational Security is a peer-reviewed academic journal in the field of international and national security. It was founded in 1976 and is edited by the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University and published four times a year by MIT Press, both of Cambridge,...
- Security Studies (journal)Security Studies (journal)Security Studies is a peer-reviewed quarterly academic journal covering international relations published by Routledge that was established in 1991. According to the Journal Citation Reports, it had a 2008 impact factor of 1.024....
- Military Review
- Res Militares