Robert Egnell
Biographic Data
| ID | 335227 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Robert Egnell |
| GIVEN NAMES | Robert |
| FAMILY NAME | Egnell |
| SIGNATURE | EGNELL R |
| AFFILIATIONS | Swedish Defence University |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 13 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 51 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 12 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 1 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2006 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2013 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
New agendas in statebuilding
"This volume connects the study of statebuilding to broader aspects of social theory and the historical study of the state, bringing forth new questions and starting-points, both academically and practically, for the field. Building states has become a highly prioritized issue in international politics. Since the 1990s, mainly Western countries and international institutions have invested large sums of money, vast amounts of manpower, and conside…
Gender Perspectives and Fighting
Many concerns related to women in combat roles stem from two related assumption: (a) the existing structure and culture of the armed forces are well adapted to the requirements of combat; and (b) politically imposed change is harmful to the professionalism and effectiveness of the military. These can be dangerous assumptions. Instead, the traditional "truths" about the nature of unit cohesion and the optimal capabilities of individual soldiers an…
New Agendas in Statebuilding
Counterinsurgency in Crisis
By juxtaposing the deterioration of situations from the Iraq War against Britain’s celebrated legacy of counterinsurgency, this investigation identifies both the contributions and limitations of traditional tactics in such settings, exposing a disconcerting gap between ambitions and resources, intent and commitment
Civil-military coordination for operational effectiveness
The last decade has witnessed a cascading proliferation of strategic concepts that emphasise the importance of civil–military cooperation, coordination, or integration for effectiveness in complex operations. These efforts nevertheless often lack an appreciation for why, where, and how such integration and coordination should take place to achieve the desired outcomes. This article introduces a new approach to civil–military coordination that inc…
Lessons from Helmand, Afghanistan
This article analyses the conduct of British operations in Helmand between 2006 and 2010 and discusses the implications for the legacy and future of British counterinsurgency. A number of lessons stand out: first, competence in the field of counterinsurgency is neither natural nor innate through regimental tradition or historical experience. The slow adaptation in Helmand—despite the opportunity to allow the Basra experience to be a leading examp…
Winning ‘Hearts and Minds’? A Critical Analysis of Counter-Insurgency Operations in Afghanistan
This article conducts a critical analysis of the historical lessons, the assumptions and the conduct of ‘hearts and minds’ approaches to counter-insurgency. This results in challenges. Theoretically the ‘hearts and minds’ approach is rooted in modernisation theory and a normative Western approach to legitimacy that fails to live up to the expectations of the local population. The approach is also based on lessons from past successes such as the B…
Contextualising international state-building
The organised hypocrisy of international state-building
This paper uses the concept of ‘organised hypocrisy’ as a means of making sense of the inconsistencies and contradictions in contemporary theory and practice of international state-building. While organised hypocrisy in international politics allows states and organisations to maintain systemic stability and legitimacy by managing irreconcilable pressures that might otherwise render them unable to operate effectively, this paper argues that organ…
Complex Peace Operations and Civil-Military Relations
This book explores the impact of different civil-military structures on operational effectiveness in complex peace operations. Recent operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia are examples of gra
Laudable, ahistorical and overambitious
Security sector reform (SSR) is a concept that is highly visible within policy and practice circles and that increasingly shapes international programmes for development assistance, security co-operation and democracy promotion. This paper examines the concept and practice of SSR using theories of the state and state formation within a historical-philosophical perspective. The paper recognises that the processes of SSR are highly laudable and pre…
Between reluctance and necessity
The civil-military interface in peace support operations is changing due to increasingly overlapping tasks, increased military involvement in humanitarian activities, and increased integration of all involved actors, not least through various current strategic concepts. This article not only describes these trends, but also, more importantly, analyses certain consequences in terms of mission effectiveness. The focus of the analysis is the ideas o…
Explaining US and British performance in complex expeditionary operations
A nation's structure and culture of civil-military relations are important and largely overlooked factors in explaining the performance of armed forces involved in complex expeditionary operations. The US model of ‘Huntingtonian’, divided civil-military structures and poor interagency cooperation, makes the US military less suited for complex expeditionary operations. British civil-military relations involve a Defence Ministry that conscientiousl…
Winning ‘Hearts and Minds’? A Critical Analysis of Counter-Insurgency Operations in Afghanistan
This article conducts a critical analysis of the historical lessons, the assumptions and the conduct of ‘hearts and minds’ approaches to counter-insurgency. This results in challenges. Theoretically the ‘hearts and minds’ approach is rooted in modernisation theory and a normative Western approach to legitimacy that fails to live up to the expectations of the local population. The approach is also based on lessons from past successes such as the B…
Laudable, ahistorical and overambitious
Security sector reform (SSR) is a concept that is highly visible within policy and practice circles and that increasingly shapes international programmes for development assistance, security co-operation and democracy promotion. This paper examines the concept and practice of SSR using theories of the state and state formation within a historical-philosophical perspective. The paper recognises that the processes of SSR are highly laudable and pre…
Lessons from Helmand, Afghanistan
This article analyses the conduct of British operations in Helmand between 2006 and 2010 and discusses the implications for the legacy and future of British counterinsurgency. A number of lessons stand out: first, competence in the field of counterinsurgency is neither natural nor innate through regimental tradition or historical experience. The slow adaptation in Helmand—despite the opportunity to allow the Basra experience to be a leading examp…
The organised hypocrisy of international state-building
This paper uses the concept of ‘organised hypocrisy’ as a means of making sense of the inconsistencies and contradictions in contemporary theory and practice of international state-building. While organised hypocrisy in international politics allows states and organisations to maintain systemic stability and legitimacy by managing irreconcilable pressures that might otherwise render them unable to operate effectively, this paper argues that organ…
Between reluctance and necessity
The civil-military interface in peace support operations is changing due to increasingly overlapping tasks, increased military involvement in humanitarian activities, and increased integration of all involved actors, not least through various current strategic concepts. This article not only describes these trends, but also, more importantly, analyses certain consequences in terms of mission effectiveness. The focus of the analysis is the ideas o…
Civil-military coordination for operational effectiveness
The last decade has witnessed a cascading proliferation of strategic concepts that emphasise the importance of civil–military cooperation, coordination, or integration for effectiveness in complex operations. These efforts nevertheless often lack an appreciation for why, where, and how such integration and coordination should take place to achieve the desired outcomes. This article introduces a new approach to civil–military coordination that inc…
Contextualising international state-building
Explaining US and British performance in complex expeditionary operations
A nation's structure and culture of civil-military relations are important and largely overlooked factors in explaining the performance of armed forces involved in complex expeditionary operations. The US model of ‘Huntingtonian’, divided civil-military structures and poor interagency cooperation, makes the US military less suited for complex expeditionary operations. British civil-military relations involve a Defence Ministry that conscientiousl…
Between reluctance and necessity
The civil-military interface in peace support operations is changing due to increasingly overlapping tasks, increased military involvement in humanitarian activities, and increased integration of all involved actors, not least through various current strategic concepts. This article not only describes these trends, but also, more importantly, analyses certain consequences in terms of mission effectiveness. The focus of the analysis is the ideas o…
Complex Peace Operations and Civil-Military Relations
This book explores the impact of different civil-military structures on operational effectiveness in complex peace operations. Recent operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia are examples of gra
Laudable, ahistorical and overambitious
Security sector reform (SSR) is a concept that is highly visible within policy and practice circles and that increasingly shapes international programmes for development assistance, security co-operation and democracy promotion. This paper examines the concept and practice of SSR using theories of the state and state formation within a historical-philosophical perspective. The paper recognises that the processes of SSR are highly laudable and pre…
Winning ‘Hearts and Minds’? A Critical Analysis of Counter-Insurgency Operations in Afghanistan
This article conducts a critical analysis of the historical lessons, the assumptions and the conduct of ‘hearts and minds’ approaches to counter-insurgency. This results in challenges. Theoretically the ‘hearts and minds’ approach is rooted in modernisation theory and a normative Western approach to legitimacy that fails to live up to the expectations of the local population. The approach is also based on lessons from past successes such as the B…
Contextualising international state-building
The organised hypocrisy of international state-building
This paper uses the concept of ‘organised hypocrisy’ as a means of making sense of the inconsistencies and contradictions in contemporary theory and practice of international state-building. While organised hypocrisy in international politics allows states and organisations to maintain systemic stability and legitimacy by managing irreconcilable pressures that might otherwise render them unable to operate effectively, this paper argues that organ…
Lessons from Helmand, Afghanistan
This article analyses the conduct of British operations in Helmand between 2006 and 2010 and discusses the implications for the legacy and future of British counterinsurgency. A number of lessons stand out: first, competence in the field of counterinsurgency is neither natural nor innate through regimental tradition or historical experience. The slow adaptation in Helmand—despite the opportunity to allow the Basra experience to be a leading examp…
New agendas in statebuilding
"This volume connects the study of statebuilding to broader aspects of social theory and the historical study of the state, bringing forth new questions and starting-points, both academically and practically, for the field. Building states has become a highly prioritized issue in international politics. Since the 1990s, mainly Western countries and international institutions have invested large sums of money, vast amounts of manpower, and conside…
Gender Perspectives and Fighting
Many concerns related to women in combat roles stem from two related assumption: (a) the existing structure and culture of the armed forces are well adapted to the requirements of combat; and (b) politically imposed change is harmful to the professionalism and effectiveness of the military. These can be dangerous assumptions. Instead, the traditional "truths" about the nature of unit cohesion and the optimal capabilities of individual soldiers an…
New Agendas in Statebuilding
Counterinsurgency in Crisis
By juxtaposing the deterioration of situations from the Iraq War against Britain’s celebrated legacy of counterinsurgency, this investigation identifies both the contributions and limitations of traditional tactics in such settings, exposing a disconcerting gap between ambitions and resources, intent and commitment
Civil-military coordination for operational effectiveness
The last decade has witnessed a cascading proliferation of strategic concepts that emphasise the importance of civil–military cooperation, coordination, or integration for effectiveness in complex operations. These efforts nevertheless often lack an appreciation for why, where, and how such integration and coordination should take place to achieve the desired outcomes. This article introduces a new approach to civil–military coordination that inc…
Political science (13 works) · Law (9 works) · Peacebuilding and International Security (8 works) · Sociology (7 works) · Military History and Strategy (6 works) · Politics (6 works) · Politics and Conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Middle East (6 works) · Computer Science (5 works) · Global Peace and Security Dynamics (4 works) · Law and economics (4 works)