Please join the Army Strategist Association as we host a virtual discussion with the 2021 Krepinevich Award Winner, Kyle Wolfley, on Wednesday, May 18 (7:30-9:00 PM, EST). Kyle will discuss his award-winning book – Military Statecraft and the Rise of Shaping in World Politics – and the process that led to its completion. This event is open to the public.

In today’s complex international environment, how do the United States, China, and Russia manage the return of great power competition as well as the persistent threat of violent non-state actors? Military Statecraft and the Rise of Shaping in World Politics explores "shaping": the use of military power to construct a more favorable environment by influencing the characteristics of other militaries, altering the relationships between them, or managing the behavior of allies. As opposed to traditional strategies of warfighting or coercion, shaping relies less on threats, demonstrations, and uses of violence and more on attraction, persuasion, and legitimacy. Because shaping relies more on soft power than on hard power, this approach contradicts the conventional wisdom of the purpose militaries serve.

Kyle J. Wolfley explores the emergence of shaping in classical strategy and its increased frequency following the end of the Cold War when threats and allies became more ambiguous. He illustrates the four logics of shaping—attraction, socialization, delegation, and assurance—through five case studies of recent major military exercise programs led by the United States, China, India, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Moreover, the author reveals through sentiment analysis and statistics of over one thousand multinational exercises from 1980 to 2016 how major powers reacted to a complex international environment by expanding the number and scope of shaping exercises. Illuminating an understudied but surprisingly common tool of military statecraft, this book offers a fresh understanding of military power in today's competitive international system.

“Militaries do more than fight wars. Military Statecraft and the Rise of Shaping in World Politics offers a rigorous way to understand and assess how great powers—such as the United States, India, China, and Russia—use their militaries in foreign policy in ways that do not involve coercion. The rich case studies and empirical analysis do much to understand the understudied role of militaries and foreign policy.”

— Derek S. Reveron, U.S. Naval War College and Belfer Center

“In today's complex security environment, this book offers an important and timely contribution to the literature on military power, strategy, and alliance politics. Through accessible case studies and statistics, Kyle Wolfley reveals why and how great powers leverage shaping to compete below the threshold of threats and violence.”

— Sarah Kreps, Cornell University and Brookings Institute

“As policymakers and military officers grapple with today's international challenges, I would strongly recommend Military Statecraft and the Rise of Shaping in World Politics. Great power rivalry is much more than wielding hard power: it also involves influencing allies, attracting partners, and gaining access as Kyle Wolfley reveals in his book. The character and use of military power is changing; this book is a strong effort toward understanding future interstate competition.”

— Admiral James Stavridis, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander (2009–2013) and dean of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (2013–2018

About the Author: Kyle J. Wolfley is an Army Strategist currently assigned to U.S. Army Cyber. Previously, Kyle was assistant professor of international affairs in the department of social sciences at West Point. He holds a PhD in government from Cornell University and is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

For further reading, see:

"Military Power Reimagined," Joint Force Quarterly: jfq-102_20-28_Forum-Military_Power.pdf (ndu.edu)

"The Shape of Things to Come" Modern War Institute, The Shape of Things to Come: Why the Pentagon Must Embrace Soft Power to Compete with China - Modern War Institute (usma.edu)

To order, Military Statecraft and the Rise of Shaping in World Politics, go to https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538150641/Military-Statecraft-and-the-Rise-of-Shaping-in-World-Politicsand enter code RLFANDF30.