Course syllabus Militarism and Militarisation in the Study of War: Conceptual Debates
Swedish name: Militarism och militarisering i studiet av krig: konceptuella debatter
Course code:
2KR036
Valid from semester:
Spring Term 2026
Education cycle:
Second cycle
Scope:
7.5 credits
Progression:
A1N
Grading scale:
Three-grade scale
Main field of study:
War Studies
Department:
Department of War Studies
Subject:
War Studies
Language of instruction:
The teaching is conducted in English.
Decided by:
Forsknings och utbildningsnämndens kursplaneutskott (KUS)
Decision date:
2025-08-20
Entry requirements
180 credits, of which 90 credits must be in War Studies or another similar subject. In addition, a level of proficiency in the English language, corresponding to English 6/English B or equivalent (for example, IELTS level 6.5 and above) is required.
Course content and structure
In the course the student examines three important concepts in the study of war: Militarism, militarisation and martial politics. Militarism, militarisation and martial politics are interrelated and interdisciplinary concepts. Studying these help explore question about the knowledge, practice, and effect of contemporary warfare.
In the first part of the course the student will be introduced to critical military studies, militarisation and martial politics. What is militarism and where does it stem from? What does it mean for a state, institution, person or a process to be militarized? How can we study militarism, and how do we explore its workings in everyday and intimate spheres? Why have some called for martial politics to replace militarism as a way to understand the operations of war?
In the second part of the course the student will take a closer look at the everyday and intimate workings of militarisation, and its gendered, classed and racialized effects and colonial roots. The student will trace how militarism operates across supposedly domestic or civilian spheres such as the home, fashion, bodies and fitness, and how militarisation as a lens can be used to understand military preparedness and warmaking among both state and non-state actors, including in Sweden today.
The course ends with an independently written assignment where the student synthesizes the literature using a critical and analytical approach.
Instruction is in the form of lectures and seminars.
In the first part of the course the student will be introduced to critical military studies, militarisation and martial politics. What is militarism and where does it stem from? What does it mean for a state, institution, person or a process to be militarized? How can we study militarism, and how do we explore its workings in everyday and intimate spheres? Why have some called for martial politics to replace militarism as a way to understand the operations of war?
In the second part of the course the student will take a closer look at the everyday and intimate workings of militarisation, and its gendered, classed and racialized effects and colonial roots. The student will trace how militarism operates across supposedly domestic or civilian spheres such as the home, fashion, bodies and fitness, and how militarisation as a lens can be used to understand military preparedness and warmaking among both state and non-state actors, including in Sweden today.
The course ends with an independently written assignment where the student synthesizes the literature using a critical and analytical approach.
Type of instruction
Instruction is in the form of lectures and seminars.
Objectives
Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:
Knowledge and understanding
Competence and skills
Judgement and approach
Knowledge and understanding
- systematically compare and contrast different conceptual approaches for understanding war
- analyse the relation between different conceptual understandings of war and knowledge about war
Competence and skills
- problematise theoretical assumptions about war using different conceptual approaches
- apply the theoretical perspectives used in the course to contemporary examples
Judgement and approach
- independently and critically reason about the epistemological assumptions embedded in different conceptual approaches.
Examination formats
The course is assesed through active and constructive participation in the mandatory seminars and through a written assignment.
The examiner may decide to request supplementary assignments in order to achieve a passing grade on the course. Supplementary assignments shall be submitted no later than three working days after the result and supplementary assignment for the examination in question have been notified. Examination papers submitted late will not be graded unless special circumstances exist that are acceptable to the examiner.
The student is graded on a three-point grading scale: Fail (U), Pass (G) and Pass with Distinction (VG). Grading criteria are reported at the latest at the start of the course.
To achieve the grade Pass (G), the student must actively and constructively participate in mandatory seminars and achieve a grade of Pass (G) on the written assignment.
To achieve the grade Pass with Distinction (VG) in the course, the student must meet the requirements for Pass (G) and achieve a grade of Pass with Distinction (VG) on the written assignment.
There is no limit on the total number of examination opportunities.
The examiner may decide to request supplementary assignments in order to achieve a passing grade on the course. Supplementary assignments shall be submitted no later than three working days after the result and supplementary assignment for the examination in question have been notified. Examination papers submitted late will not be graded unless special circumstances exist that are acceptable to the examiner.
Grading
The student is graded on a three-point grading scale: Fail (U), Pass (G) and Pass with Distinction (VG). Grading criteria are reported at the latest at the start of the course.
To achieve the grade Pass (G), the student must actively and constructively participate in mandatory seminars and achieve a grade of Pass (G) on the written assignment.
To achieve the grade Pass with Distinction (VG) in the course, the student must meet the requirements for Pass (G) and achieve a grade of Pass with Distinction (VG) on the written assignment.
Restrictions in Number of Examinations
There is no limit on the total number of examination opportunities.
Transitional provisions
When the course is no longer offered or when the course content has changed substantially, the student has the right to be examined once per semester during a three-term period in accordance with this syllabus.
Other regulations
- The course cannot be included in a degree with another course whose content fully or partially corresponds to the content of this course.
- If the Swedish Defence University has formally decided that the student is entitled to receive special educational support due to a disability, the examiner may decide on alternative forms of examination for the student.
- The course director will conduct an evaluation on the completion of the course, which will form the basis for any changes to the course.