Welcome to the War, Virtual War and Human Security project. The aim of the project is to provide an innovative, cutting-edge inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary research forum which will enable multiple insights and perspectives to be brought to bear on the many and various issues which relate to war and virtual war.

In particular, the project will initially focus on the nature, purpose and experience of war, and its impacts on all aspects of communities across the world. Viewing war as a multi-layered phenomenon, the project will seek to explore the historical, legal, social, religious, economic, and political contexts of conflicts, and assess the place of art, journalism, literature, music, the media and the internet in representation and interpretation of the experience of warfare.

• the sources, origins, and causes of war
• the ‘control', conduct and limit of warfare
• the nature of warfare
• strategy, strategic thinking and the influence and effect of technologies
• types of warfare
• war crimes and crimes against humanity
• the extent of war; blockades, sanctions, defence expenditure and the impact on social and public policy
• the ‘ethics' of war; just war, deterrence, defence and self-defence, collateral damage
• the experience of war; art, literature, music, poetry, and the theatre
• the role of the media - journalism, radio, television, the internet
• the prevention of war; the role of conflict resolution, peace-keeping and the role and importance of law and international legal order
• the rise and impact of non-violent movement

These are indicative themes; as the project develops, further areas of research will be added for exploration and examination.