Journal of Advanced Military Studies Call for Submissions: The Critical Role of Allies and Partners in Military Strategy
“MCUP publishes JAMS on topics of concern to the Marine Corps and the Department of Defense through the lens of various disciplines, including international relations, political science, security studies, and political economics.
Our Spring 2027 issue will have a broadly construed theme: The Critical Role of Allies and Partners in Military Strategy
Current U.S. military strategy emphasizes credible deterrence grounded in military strength, prioritization of vital national interests, and increased burden-sharing by allies and partners. Deterrence is conceived not as an abstract whole-of-government construct, but as a function of tangible capabilities, clear commitments, and the demonstrated willingness to defend U.S. interests. Alliances and partnerships are understood as force multipliers when they enhance warfighting effectiveness, regional stability, and deterrence credibility, and as liabilities when they dilute focus or encourage dependency.
Within this framework, the United States seeks practical integration across select domains, Services, and coalition partners where such integration directly supports deterrence, denial, and defense objectives.
This issue examines how allies and partners contribute to deterrence, operational effectiveness, and strategic stability across key theaters—including the Indo-Pacific, Europe, the Western Hemisphere, and the Middle East—and how alliance structures adapt under conditions of constraint, prioritization, and renewed emphasis on the defense of the U.S. homeland.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Alliance burden-sharing, defense investment, and readiness requirements
- Regional deterrence architectures and division of labor among allies
- Command relationships, interoperability, and limits of multinational integration
- Extended deterrence, reassurance, and escalation management
- Partner capacity, security assistance, and risks of over-reliance
- Lessons from coalition operations and theater security cooperation
- Tradeoffs between alliance commitments, unilateral action, and strategic restraint
By assessing both the advantages and limits of allied and partner integration, this issue aims to advance rigorous debate on how alliances can most effectively support U.S. deterrence objectives, prevent major conflict, and preserve freedom of action in an increasingly contested and resource-constrained strategic environment.
Submission Guidelines:
• Articles should be at least 4,000 words, including footnotes.
• Submissions must be original and not under review elsewhere.
• Please adhere to the journal’s formatting and citation style based on the current edition of Chicago Manual of Style.
Deadline for Submissions: 31 December 2026
MCUP is also looking for book reviewers and historiographers from international studies, political science, and contemporary history fields. To receive a copy of the journal, to discuss an article idea, to propose a book review, or submit an article for consideration, please contact [email protected].”
