Kalashnikov culture : small arms proliferation and irregular warfare /

Light but lethal weapons proliferate globally from conflict hot spot to hot spot. Carr (US Air War College) argues that this proliferation has bred "Kalashnikov cultures" of uncontrolled local political violence, entailing social and economic patterns more extreme than the "gun cultures" of countries like the US or Switzerland. Kalashnikov cultures reflect the breakdown of civil order, harsh economic dislocations, and profound personal and group insecurity that are transformed into aggressive gang-like behavior and the acquisition and glorification of armaments (in recent conflicts portable rocket-propelled grenade launchers became nearly as ubiquitous as rifles), especially by young men. Norms and rules such as honor codes may persist, but there is little government influence, and limits on violent behavior are few. The author presents illustrative cases of such cultures, including the topical Pakistani tribal areas, West and East Africa, Yemen, and Brazilian and Jamaican slums. However, it is difficult to tell whether these "cultures" are the product or the source of the gun imports. The book is a good read for introductory students, but lacks the scientific and conceptual precision or level of documentation and references expected of advanced scholarship. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers and undergraduate students of all levels. F. S. Pearson Wayne State University