War: Why Is It Fought, and Why Is It Legal? (Virtual Sample Class)

Prussian military theorist Carl von Clausewitz famously said, “war is not merely an act of policy but a true political instrument, a continuation of political intercourse, carried on with other means.”

Led by Syracuse instructor Scott Taylor, this class will discuss why states go to war, even when the outcome is uncertain, and even when states have other means to achieve their interests. Through discussion, the class will also examine what actions are legal in war. The current war between Ukraine and Russia will serve as an example and point of conversation throughout this class.