US national security: new threats, old realities

Abstract

This is the first of a series of ‘review forums’ in which we ask several reviewers to reflect on a single book. Given the recent inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States, we thought it pertinent to launch this new series with a review forum on Paul R. Viotti's new volume seeking to bring fresh insights into US national security. Now in office, the new Trump administration is struggling to bring order to its own self-induced chaos, as the world looks on, trying to understand where the United States is headed and what this will mean for other countries. The state and its provision of national security remain central elements of international relations. At its heart is the essentially contested issue of what constitutes national security and how it may change over time, whom it is for and what role the state should play in its provision.