Description
Rape has always been part of war as well as peace, but until the late twentieth century this was taken for granted or ignored. In this fascinating work, Kerry Crawford examines why states have recently started thinking about sexual violence as a weapon-and, therefore, as a problem in need of a global policy response. In doing so, she importantly reminds us what is lost when states begin thinking of rape as a weapon of war. For unlike other 'weapons of war,' rape is-fundamentally-a human rights violation against not states at all but against people -- Charli Carpenter, Department of Political Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Crawford offers a convincing historic overview of wartime sexual violence and a thorough analysis of the "weapon of war" trope. She astutely crafts her narrative at the intersection of the role of strategic framing and that of advocacy, and perceptively allows this tension to lead the reader on an insightful journey of how sexual violence in war became a credible security issue at the turn of the 21st Century. This book is an essential read for students and professionals alike who are in the peace and security fields, international law and public policy. -- Kathleen Kuehnast, Director of Gender Strategy and Policy, United States Institute of Peace
About the Author
Kerry F. Crawford is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at James Madison University. She was the recipient of the 2015-2016 James N. Rosenau Postdoctoral Scholar Fellowship from the International Studies Association. This is her first book.
Reviews
A thought-provoking and accessible assessment of the meteoric rise of a once-ignored policy issue. Crawford's analysis-along with rich detail from three recent cases-provides a valuable framework that can serve as the foundation for future scholarship. * Perspectives on Politics *
Will be of interest not only to people studying wartime sexual violence and the global response to it but also to scholars of international norms, institutions, and security studies in general. * H-Diplo *
Awards
Winner of Georgetown University Book Prize honoring Joseph S. Lepgold (United States) and International Security Studies Section Best Book Award (United States) and Human Rights Section Best Book Award (United States) and PROSE Award in Government and Politics (United States).
Book Information
ISBN 9781626164666
Author Kerry F. Crawford
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint Georgetown University Press
Publisher Georgetown University Press
Weight(grams) 318g