War volunteering in modern times: from the French Revolution to the Second World War

Abstract

Why do individuals voluntarily fight in wars? Volunteering is a characteristic phenomenon of modern wars, yet has surprisingly never been approached by historians, sociologists or political scientists in a comprehensive way. This book therefore fills an important gap in the historiography of war and society in modern times by€tackling the motivations, social backgrounds, military uses and experiences of war volunteers in the wars between the early nineteenth century and today. By using a comparative perspective, the book provides an important basis for the interpretation of volunteer movements and significantly furthers our understanding of the relationship between war and society in modern times.