Anthropology and Sociology program's focusing on warfare/political violence?

[Kevin1990]

I'm a current undergrad junior at a large state school on the East Coast who is majoring in History/International Studies, and is looking on making the jump to grad school once I finish my bachelors. I currently have a pretty good academic record overall with a GPA well above 3.0 but under 3.5 at this time. I also haven't taken the GRE at this time, however I'm planning to before this summer.

Over the course of my undergraduate career I've become very interested in the evolution of warfare and it's theorists since the late 19th century up until the modern day. I'm also interested in the origins of war and other forms of related violence like terrorism and insurgency. Furthermore, I've recently developed an interest in methodologies used to trace these evolutions. Even though my interest's overall are still pretty broad. Also,I really haven't done much shopping around in terms of programs since it is still fairly early for me to be looking.

Additionally, what grad school research I've done has largely been focused on poli sci/strategic studies and military history programs. However given alot of what I'm interested seems to exist in some areas of academic anthropology and sociology, I thought I should ask if there is any programs that could be recommended that I look at in this early stage of the process?

Thank's again,

[RefurbedScientist]

I see two approaches here and I think you've intimated at both of them. One is the professional route and the other is the academic route.

Within the professional route there are myriad options for professional degrees. There is the IR/defense studies track, which will probably come in the form of an MA in Security Studies or an MPP or MA in foreign affairs or international relations [e.g. http://cpass.georgetown.edu/]. There is also the conflict resolution track, which will also be an MA in International Conflict Resolution or an MPP [e.g. http://www.american.edu/sis/]. These may not seem so different in name, but the cultures, values, and methods of the departments vary widely. If you're interested in strategic defense studies, then you would probably be unhappy at a conflict resolution program, and vice versa. So research those closely, particularly what sorts of jobs graduates go on to take.

The other route, the academic (rather than professional) route, has a few tracks also. If you're interested in sociology of the military, I would look at University of Maryland's sociology department. They expressly focus on military sociology, and you have access to the policy/defense players in D.C. On the other hand, there is the sociology of violence and terrorism (try Jeff Goodwin at NYU or Charlie Kurzman at UNC). On yet a third hand (you don't have three hands?), there is peace studies. Look at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at Notre Dame, which offers degrees and even has a dual PhD with the sociology department [http://kroc.nd.edu/].

Keep in mind that I am not enrolled in any of these programs, and my impressions are based on an undergrad background in peace studies and a good deal of research into grad programs for my own purposes, not to mention a fair amount of bias. I'm personally interested in the sociology of war, insofar as understanding it can end it.

Here's a scattered list of other programs that represent how diverse the options are:

NYU Global Affairs

Brandeis Coexistence Studies

UC San Diego School for Peace Studies

Any of the DC Schools (GW, American, Georgetown)

[Kevin1990]

I see two approaches here and I think you've intimated at both of them. One is the professional route and the other is the academic route.

Within the professional route there are myriad options for professional degrees. There is the IR/defense studies track, which will probably come in the form of an MA in Security Studies or an MPP or MA in foreign affairs or international relations [e.g. http://cpass.georgetown.edu/]. There is also the conflict resolution track, which will also be an MA in International Conflict Resolution or an MPP [e.g. http://www.american.edu/sis/]. These may not seem so different in name, but the cultures, values, and methods of the departments vary widely. If you're interested in strategic defense studies, then you would probably be unhappy at a conflict resolution program, and vice versa. So research those closely, particularly what sorts of jobs graduates go on to take.

The other route, the academic (rather than professional) route, has a few tracks also. If you're interested in sociology of the military, I would look at University of Maryland's sociology department. They expressly focus on military sociology, and you have access to the policy/defense players in D.C. On the other hand, there is the sociology of violence and terrorism (try Jeff Goodwin at NYU or Charlie Kurzman at UNC). On yet a third hand (you don't have three hands?), there is peace studies. Look at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at Notre Dame, which offers degrees and even has a dual PhD with the sociology department [http://kroc.nd.edu/].

Keep in mind that I am not enrolled in any of these programs, and my impressions are based on an undergrad background in peace studies and a good deal of research into grad programs for my own purposes, not to mention a fair amount of bias. I'm personally interested in the sociology of war, insofar as understanding it can end it.

Here's a scattered list of other programs that represent how diverse the options are:

NYU Global Affairs

Brandeis Coexistence Studies

UC San Diego School for Peace Studies

Any of the DC Schools (GW, American, Georgetown)

I understand quite well from you are coming from in term's of your interests.

To answer your question more fully, I'm more interested in going down the academic track. Since I'm interested in ether doing research at ether a think-tank or university eventually. However, what the defense and strategic studies programs out there offer interest's me intensively.

That being said when looking at programs dealing with warfare and international conflict in some aspect ranging from defense and strategic programs to anthropology/sociology programs. I'd say next to the former mentioned this area along with political science and history has alot of what I'm interested in. You are probably right in saying that I would be unhappy at a conflict resolution program, since alot of these don't tend to focus on the areas I'm interested in.

Although, I don't much about Peace Studies but from what I've seen it seems alot more like strategic studies with other subject areas thrown in.

At this stage though I'm still trying to figure out where my interests fit though.