Provides a comprehensive survey of the private military groups involved in conflicts worldwide. This book covers the history of private military forces since 1600, the main contemporary actors and their defining characteristics, the environments in which private armed forces operate, and an analysis of the logic behind privatizing security.

“Private Armed Forces and Global Security: A Reference Handbook” is the first book to provide a comprehensive, yet accessible survey of the private military groups involved in conflicts worldwide. Organized around four themes, it covers the history of private military forces since 1600, the main contemporary actors and their defining characteristics, the environments in which private armed forces operate, and an analysis of the logic behind privatizing security. This book goes beyond conventional knowledge, offering both a theoretical approach and a new, practical perspective to advance the understanding of the ongoing climate of global instability and relevant players within it. Numerous examples help the reader grasp the full range of real-world challenges and conceptual facets surrounding this fascinating, yet highly polarizing topic.

Review

“Highly recommended. All readership levels.” -

Choice

Carlos Ortiz is a visiting research fellow at the Centre for Global Political Economy at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom. Dr. Ortiz has written numerous journal articles and papers about Private Military Companies, the privatization of security, and military history.