The New Conscientious Objection: From Sacred to Secular ResistanceCharles C. Moskos, John Whiteclay Chambers II Although conscientious objection is a long-standing phenomenon, it has only recently become a major factor affecting armed forces and society. The only comprehensive, comparative scholarly study of conscientious objection to military service, this book examines the history of the practice in the Western world and state policies that have grown up in response to it. It shows how the contemporary refusal to bear arms is likely to be secular and widespread rather than religious and marginal, now including service people (as seen in the 1991 War in the Persian Gulf) as well as conscription resisters. No account of civil-military relations or peace movements in advanced industrial countries is complete without reference to conscientious objection, and this book will be the standard text on the subject. |
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absolutists accepted Afro-American alternative civilian service American Amnesty Amnesty International applications armed forces army authorities bear arms beliefs century Christian civil civilian alternative service consci conscientious objection conscientious objector status conscription countries Court defense democratic draft duty entious objection Europe European France German Democratic Republic Germany grounds groups historic peace Human Rights increased individual institutions International Israel Israeli issue Jehovah's Witnesses liberal major Mennonites militia minister moral motives national service noncombatant Norway objection to military objectors officers opposed opposition organizations pacifism pacifist Parliament peace churches peace movement percent period persons political prison provision Quakers refusal to serve rejected religious objectors resistance right of conscientious sects selective conscientious objection Selective Service System social socialist society soldiers South Africa Swiss Switzerland traditional United University Press Vietnam Vietnam War War Resisters League Western World World War II York young Zivildienst