The difficulties of knowing the start of war in the information age: Russia, Georgia and the war over South Ossetia, August 2008

Fawn, R. and Nalbandov, R. (2012) The difficulties of knowing the start of war in the information age: Russia, Georgia and the war over South Ossetia, August 2008. European Security, 21(1), pp. 57-89. (doi: 10.1080/09662839.2012.656601)

Full text not currently available from Enlighten.

Abstract

The August War in 2008 generated incompatible accounts of the events causing its outbreak. Through an analysis of Russian language, Georgian language and major English print media, web and television sources, this article provides analysis of the empirical obstacles to objective knowledge; determines what we know, and what remains unknown, and demonstrating what is contested. It then shows the difficulties of being certain of the causes of war, the divergent terms and justifications used, and contends that the start of the war should not be treated as a single event. Rather, the start of the conflict must be understood in terms of an interlinking cycle of events.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Fawn, Dr Rick
Authors: Fawn, R., and Nalbandov, R.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Central and East European Studies
Journal Name:European Security
ISSN:0966-2839

University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record

Project CodeAward NoProject NamePrincipal InvestigatorFunder's NameFunder RefLead Dept
424961Centre for Russian, Central and East European StudiesRichard BerryEconomic & Social Research Council (ESRC)ES/D005019/1SPS - CENTRAL & EAST EUROPEAN STUDIES