MACMILLAN The Sociology of Privatized Security

The first book dedicated to the sociology of privatized security, this collection studies the important global trend of shifting security from public to private hands and the associated rise of Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs) and their contractors. The volume first explores the trend itself, making important historical and theoretical revisions to the existing social science of private security. These chapters discuss why rulers buy, rent and create private militaries, why mercenaries have become private patriots, and why the legitimacy of military missions is undermined by the use of contractors. The next section challenges the idea that states have a monopoly on legitimate violence and questions our legal and economic assumptions about private security. The collection concludes with a discussion of the contractors themselves, focusing on gender, race, ethnicity, and other demographic factors. Featuring a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods and a range of theoretical and methodological innovations,  this book will inspire sociologists to examine, with fresh eyes, the behind-the-scenes tension between the high drama of war and conflict and the mundane realities of privatized security contractors and their everyday lives. Review “The re-appearance of privatised military forces has been one of the most striking and debated military developments since the end of the Cold War. Does the emergence of private military and security companies constitute the end of the state's monopoly of legitimate violence or only its extension? This volume seeks to address this vital question and its diverse and portentous implications. Although the collection explores the privatisation of military power from a number of illuminating angles, including nationalism, law and the reserves, the collection is unified by its resolutely sociological orientation. As such, it is unique and will be an indispensable guide for scholars interested in this important topic.” (Anthony King, The University of Warwick, UK) “Who are contemporary corporate warriors? What do they do? What motivates them? How do they compare to their historical predecessors? What are the implications for global security? Are there implications for inequities within and across boarders?  From the gates of exclusive African neighborhoods to the hills of Afghanistan, private military security contractors are redefining the face of global security. The time has come for a sociology of privatized security. In  The Sociology of Privatized Security, Ori Swed and Thomas Crosbie masterfully make the case.” (Patricia M. Shields, Texas State University, USA ) From the Back Cover The first book dedicated to the sociology of privatized security, this collection studies the important global trend of shifting security from public to private hands and the associated rise of Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs) and their contractors. The volume first explores the trend itself, making important historical and theoretical revisions to the existing social science of private security. These chapters discuss why rulers buy, rent and create private militaries, why mercenaries have become private patriots, and why the legitimacy of military missions is undermined by the use of contractors. The next section challenges the idea that states have a monopoly on legitimate violence and questions our legal and economic assumptions about private security. The collection concludes with a discussion of the contractors themselves, focusing on gender, race, ethnicity, and other demographic factors. Featuring a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods and a range of theoretical and methodological innovations,  this book will inspire sociologists to examine, with fresh eyes, the behind-the-scenes tension between the high drama of war and conflict and the mundane realities of privatized security contractors and their everyday lives.