Strategic Studies
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The Strategic Studies course aims to provide students with the elements necessary to understand the nature and rationale for using military force in the realm of international politics. Teaching focuses on the concepts underlying Strategy (intended as the link between the political interests of actors in the international arena and the use of military force).
More specifically, the course will define the "spectrum" of strategic action (deterrence/compellence/war) and will specify the levels with which military force is applied (tactical and strategic) and the primary domains of warfare (technological, logistical, social, operational). Teaching will also reconstruct how military practice and strategic theory (the cornerstones of military thought) have influenced each other in the contemporary era, and will outline the tenets of naval and air warfare (conventional and nuclear) Finally, the course will highlight the progression of Strategy since the end of the Cold War, focusing on debate surrounding the "Revolution in Military Affairs", the advent of cyberwar, trends in irregular warfare (guerrilla warfare, armed insurgencies) and hybrid warfare.
More specifically, the course will define the "spectrum" of strategic action (deterrence/compellence/war) and will specify the levels with which military force is applied (tactical and strategic) and the primary domains of warfare (technological, logistical, social, operational). Teaching will also reconstruct how military practice and strategic theory (the cornerstones of military thought) have influenced each other in the contemporary era, and will outline the tenets of naval and air warfare (conventional and nuclear) Finally, the course will highlight the progression of Strategy since the end of the Cold War, focusing on debate surrounding the "Revolution in Military Affairs", the advent of cyberwar, trends in irregular warfare (guerrilla warfare, armed insurgencies) and hybrid warfare.
Expected learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students will have a firm grasp of the military dimension of international relations and the reasoning for strategic action by international political actors. Students will also be able to distinguish between the different levels of military force deployed (tactical and strategic), know the concepts of deterrence, identify the major facets of warfare (logistics, operational technology, social), highlight the interaction between the different geostrategic arenas of war (land, sea, air, cyberspace) and understand the specificities of regular, irregular and hybrid warfare.
By understanding Strategy, students will add a valuable element to their body of knowledge acquired during their studies in International Relations and will significantly enhance their ability to read and interpret events in international politics, in addition to benefiting them as they continue along their study or career path in the international arena.
By understanding Strategy, students will add a valuable element to their body of knowledge acquired during their studies in International Relations and will significantly enhance their ability to read and interpret events in international politics, in addition to benefiting them as they continue along their study or career path in the international arena.
Lesson period: Third trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Third trimester
Course syllabus
- War and politics
- The levels of war (tactics and strategy)
- The dimensions of warfare (technological, logistic, social, operative)
- The "diplomacy of Violence": deterrence and compellence
- Napoleon and the birth of modern strategy
- The military thought after Napoleon: Jomini and Clausewitz
- First World War and the crisis of the Napoleonic paradigm
- Liddell Hart and the indirect approach
- Armored Warfare
- Naval Strategy
- Air Strategy
- Nuclear Strategy
- Irregular Warfare
- Hybrid Warfare
- Cybwerwar and information warfare
- The levels of war (tactics and strategy)
- The dimensions of warfare (technological, logistic, social, operative)
- The "diplomacy of Violence": deterrence and compellence
- Napoleon and the birth of modern strategy
- The military thought after Napoleon: Jomini and Clausewitz
- First World War and the crisis of the Napoleonic paradigm
- Liddell Hart and the indirect approach
- Armored Warfare
- Naval Strategy
- Air Strategy
- Nuclear Strategy
- Irregular Warfare
- Hybrid Warfare
- Cybwerwar and information warfare
Prerequisites for admission
Basic knowledge of International Relations and Contemporary history is presumed
Teaching methods
Lectures
Teaching Resources
Attending students:
1. Lecture notes
2. P. Paret (a cura di), Guerra e strategia nell'età contemporanea, Marietti, Genova-Milano, 1992
3. C. Stefanachi, 'Guerra indolore'. Dottrine, illusioni e retoriche della guerra limitata, Vita e Pensiero, Milano, 2011
4. C. Stefanachi, Guerra e informazioni nell'era digitale, Mondadori, Milano, 2026.
5. C. Stefanachi, Guerra Ibrida. Origine, significati ed equivoci di un concetto ambiguo, in "Storia del pensiero politico", n. 2, 2024, pp. 239-264.
Not attending students:
1. P. Paret (a cura di), Guerra e strategia nell'età contemporanea, Marietti, Genova-Milano, 1992
2. C. Stefanachi, 'Guerra indolore'. Dottrine, illusioni e retoriche della guerra limitata, Vita e Pensiero, Milano, 2011
3. C. Stefanachi, Guerra e informazioni nell'era digitale, Mondadori, Milano, 2026.
4. C. Stefanachi, Guerra Ibrida. Origine, significati ed equivoci di un concetto ambiguo, in "Storia del pensiero politico", n. 2, 2024, pp. 239-264.
5. One text of student's choice among the following:
- K. Von Clausewitz, Della guerra (ed.ridotta), Einaudi, Torino, 2000
- B. Liddell Hart, Paride o il futuro della guerra, Libreria Editrice Goriziana, Gorizia, 2007
- G. Douhet, Il dominio dell'aria, in Il domino dell'aria e altri saggi, Aeronautica Militare, Ufficio Storico, Roma, 2002, pp. 5-171
1. Lecture notes
2. P. Paret (a cura di), Guerra e strategia nell'età contemporanea, Marietti, Genova-Milano, 1992
3. C. Stefanachi, 'Guerra indolore'. Dottrine, illusioni e retoriche della guerra limitata, Vita e Pensiero, Milano, 2011
4. C. Stefanachi, Guerra e informazioni nell'era digitale, Mondadori, Milano, 2026.
5. C. Stefanachi, Guerra Ibrida. Origine, significati ed equivoci di un concetto ambiguo, in "Storia del pensiero politico", n. 2, 2024, pp. 239-264.
Not attending students:
1. P. Paret (a cura di), Guerra e strategia nell'età contemporanea, Marietti, Genova-Milano, 1992
2. C. Stefanachi, 'Guerra indolore'. Dottrine, illusioni e retoriche della guerra limitata, Vita e Pensiero, Milano, 2011
3. C. Stefanachi, Guerra e informazioni nell'era digitale, Mondadori, Milano, 2026.
4. C. Stefanachi, Guerra Ibrida. Origine, significati ed equivoci di un concetto ambiguo, in "Storia del pensiero politico", n. 2, 2024, pp. 239-264.
5. One text of student's choice among the following:
- K. Von Clausewitz, Della guerra (ed.ridotta), Einaudi, Torino, 2000
- B. Liddell Hart, Paride o il futuro della guerra, Libreria Editrice Goriziana, Gorizia, 2007
- G. Douhet, Il dominio dell'aria, in Il domino dell'aria e altri saggi, Aeronautica Militare, Ufficio Storico, Roma, 2002, pp. 5-171
Assessment methods and Criteria
The final assessment is based on a written exam designed to assess students' ability to present and use fundamental concepts of strategy, and their mastery of the topics of strategic theory and military history presented during the course.
For attending students, there will be a midterm exam in which they will have 30 minutes to answer a question on the topics covered in the first part of the course, and a final exam in which they will have one hour to answer two questions on the rest of the program.
Non-attending students will take the exam in a single 90-minute test in which they will have to answer three questions on the exam program.
For attending students, there will be a midterm exam in which they will have 30 minutes to answer a question on the topics covered in the first part of the course, and a final exam in which they will have one hour to answer two questions on the rest of the program.
Non-attending students will take the exam in a single 90-minute test in which they will have to answer three questions on the exam program.
SPS/04 - POLITICAL SCIENCE - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Stefanachi Corrado Salvatore
Professor(s)