Research and Publications

Military History

During the four decades that the late Russell F. Weigley taught in Temple University’s History Department, he established it as one of the world’s most preeminent centers for the serious study of military history.  Weigley created new standards in institutional, policy, and operational studies that continue to influence the field, as do the large number of doctoral students that he trained.  That Weigley tradition has continued unabated since his passing in 2004, and a new generation of professionally trained military historians from Temple is making its presence felt in academe and the American military’s various schools and historical programs. [Learn More]

Small Arms, Violence and World Security

While the study of small arms and light weapons is a new research focus for historians at large, recent methodological developments within various social science disciplines and historical sub-fields have prepared the way for integrating small arms policy issues into the flourishing academic debate on transnationalism, gender studies, and human security. Small arms present a much graver challenge to developing societies than to established nation states. The small arms topic is ready-made to channel the most innovative trends that moved traditional security studies to human security studies. [Learn More]

JROTC: The Military, Education and American Society

In recent years, the Department of Defense has been responsible for the expansion of JROTC nationwide. According to the Army JROTC website, JROTC has expanded to 1555 schools today and to every state in the nation and American schools overseas. Cadet enrollment has grown to 273,000 cadets with 3,900 professional instructors in the classrooms. JROTC has also expanded in Philadelphia, due to the efforts of Philadelphia School District CEO Paul Vallas, who has brought his experiences in working with the Chicago School District to bear on the matter. Many parents and activists who are not only vehemently opposed to JROTC, but who are also alarmed by its rapid expansion have advocated alternatives—namely, Peace Academies— that they believe are far more effective in encouraging students to resolve conflict peacefully, without resort to the use of force. [Learn More]