The Irregular Warfare Initiative (IWI) is a joint venture between the Modern War Institute at West Point and the Empirical Studies of Conflict Project, a collaborative academic project between Princeton, Stanford, the University of California at San Diego, and the University of Chicago. Published articles will be posted on the IWI and MWI webpages.
Please read the guidelines below before submitting.
Topics: Department of Defense (DOD) Joint Publication (JP) 1 Joint Warfighting defines irregular warfare (IW) as “a form of warfare where states and non-state actors campaign to assure or coerce states or other groups through indirect, non-attributable, or asymmetric activities, either as the primary approach or in concert with conventional warfare.”
If you’re unsure if your article falls within the definition of IW, check out this 2024 Congressional Research Service Primer on Irregular Warfare. We take a broad view of IW and would be happy to review your submission if you are still not certain.
Relevant subject areas include but are not limited to:
- Unconventional warfare
- Stabilization
- Foreign internal defense
- Counterterrorism
- Counterinsurgency
- Information support operations
- Cyberspace operations
- Countering threat networks
- Civil-military operations
- Security cooperation
Length: Submissions should be between 600 and 2,000 words. Exceptions to the maximum word length will be made only occasionally and when the subject matter requires it.
Types of Submissions: The mission of IWI is to bridge the gap between scholars and practitioners and to build a community of IW professionals. As such, submissions from both researchers and practitioners are encouraged. Researchers can present findings or arguments from larger academic projects or books, while practitioners may present arguments or observations from their practical experience or time in academia. Collaborative articles between researcher and practitioner teams are also welcome.
Commentary articles typically take a position and aim to persuade.
Analytical articles break down a problem, challenge, or issue in a comparatively more dispassionate tone.
Book reviews are also appropriate. When writing a book review for IWI, please do not simply summarize the contents of the book. Engage with the book’s subject matter. Tell readers what makes the book important or worthy of being read, but do not be afraid to identify missed opportunities in the book or disagree with either its assumptions or conclusions. Use the book as an entry point into a wider debate or as the basis of your own original argument.
Style: IWI uses the Chicago Manual of Style as its house style guide. Please ensure your submission conforms to the CMOS. Additionally, our readership is broad, so please avoid jargon and overuse of acronyms.
Citations: Hyperlinks are used in lieu of footnotes or endnotes. Link to source documents wherever appropriate. Avoid linking to gated academic articles. Look for a think-tank or government report, a media story, an interview, or another freely accessible item that makes your point.
Submission Format: Submit articles as Microsoft Word documents. Include a short author bio of 2–3 sentences in the document.
Legal: All articles that appear on IWI’s website will be published with the disclaimer below. Please feel free to include further disclaimer language as required or appropriate based on your position or professional affiliations.
The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the official position of the Irregular Warfare Initiative, Princeton University’s Empirical Studies of Conflict Project, the Modern War Institute at West Point, or the United States Government.