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Outsourcing Duty: The Moral Exploitation of the American Soldier

by Michael Robillard (Author), Bradley Strawser (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 9 ratings
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Are contemporary soldiers exploited by the state and society that they defend? More specifically, have America's professional service members disproportionately carried the moral weight of America's war-fighting decisions since the inception of an all-volunteer force? In this volume, Michael J. Robillard and Bradley J. Strawser, who have both served in the military, examine the question of whether and how American soldiers have been exploited in this way.

Robillard and Strawser offer an original normative theory of 'moral exploitation'--the notion that persons or groups can be wrongfully exploited by being made to shoulder an excessive amount of moral weight. They make the case that this exploitation accurately describes the relationship between the United States and the members of its military, and offer a thorough and in-depth analysis of some of the exploitative and misleading elements of present-day military recruitment, the moral burdens soldiers often bear, and the stifling effect that a 'Thank You for Your Service' and 'I support the troops' culture has had on serious public engagement about America's ongoing wars. Robillard and Strawser offer a piercing critique of the pernicious divide between military members and the civilians who direct them. They conclude by arguing for several normative and prudential prescriptions to help close this ever-widening fissure between the U.S. and its military, and within the U.S. itself. In so doing, their work gives a much needed and urgent voice to America's soldiers, the other 1%.
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  1. ISBN-10
    0190671459
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0190671457
  3. Publisher
    Oxford University Press
  4. Publication date
    February 25, 2022
  5. Language
    English
  6. Dimensions
    7.9 x 1.1 x 5.4 inches
  7. Print length
    240 pages
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This fine book is no diatribe but a careful conceptual and moral analysis of the problem the civil-military divide and its moral cost." -- Choice

"Outsourcing Duty tackles the moral issues that arise in countries where it is possible for a large majority of citizens to avoid military service and to isolate themselves from the risks and the moral responsibilities that soldiers face." -- Alexander Riley, Chronicles

"In compelling detail, Outsourcing Duty describes the moral exploitation of American soldiers by citizens who profess to "support the troops" but are derelict in the performance of their own civic duties. It is a profound, persuasive, and deeply troubling book." -- Andrew Bacevich, author of After the Apocalypse: America's Role in a World Transformed

"Outsourcing Duty is the first serious and detailed analysis of the ways in which societies and governments expose their soldiers to moral as well as physical risks. The authors, both philosophers with backgrounds in the military, argue that when soldiers are compelled to fight in wars about which they are given little information, they must take responsibility for life and death decisions that involve a grave risk of wrongdoing. Because burdening them in this way is a form of exploitation in which the citizens in a democracy are implicated, this powerful book poses challenges to all of us that demand a response." -- Jeff McMahan, White's Professor of Moral Philosophy, University of Oxford

"This new volume takes up a critical issue in military ethics and national security: the nature of the moral sacrifices that we ask of our uniformed members and whether the burdens they willingly assume are reasonable. The authors address the nature of the problem and provide needed insights and solutions in an excellent, clearly argued, and accessible read. A must read for all those concerned with morality, justice, civilian/military relations and moral injury." -- Pauline Shanks Kaurin, James B Stockdale Chair in Professional Military Ethics and Professor, US Naval War College

About the Author

Michael J. Robillard is a research fellow at the Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Studies. Prior to his time at Notre Dame, he was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford's Uehiro Center for Practical Ethics, focusing on issues of counter-terrorism ethics. As a former U.S. Army officer and Iraq war veteran, his academic research has focused on a variety of contemporary issues within moral and political philosophy, just war theory, and philosophy of technology. He also has several popular editorial articles concerning artificial intelligence as well as free speech in academia in Aeon, Quillette, and the New York Times.

Bradley J. Strawser is an Associate Professor of Philosophy in the Defense Analysis Department at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. Dr. Strawser, himself a US Air Force veteran, received his PhD in Philosophy from the University of Connecticut and has lectured on the ethics of war and peace, military ethics, bioethics, and development ethics throughout the United States and Europe. He has published in such peer-reviewed journals as Analysis, Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, Philosophia, Journal of Military Ethics, Public Affairs Quarterly, Journal of Human Rights, and Epoché. Dr. Strawser has published books with Oxford University Press, Palgrave Macmillan, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, and Routledge.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press (February 25, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0190671459
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0190671457
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.9 x 1.1 x 5.4 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 9 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
9 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Lee Webster
5.0 out of 5 stars National Service is a must!
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2022
Verified Purchase
Though very esoteric read, argument for spreading the moral obligation to fellow citizens whose leadership choose war is imperative. I protested Bush War but when Congress gave up their responsibility, I admit I was profoundly disengaged from my country.
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Stephen Kershnar
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Book
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2023
I really enjoyed Michael Robillard and Bradley Strawser’s Outsourcing Duty: The Moral Exploitation of the American Soldier (New York: Oxford University Press, 2022).

The writing is colorful and interesting. The arguments are important, new, and powerful. The book is quite readable. It includes personal stories (including the authors’ stories), interesting-and-relevant empirical studies, and quotes from The Bourne Legacy, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Rudyard Kipling’s poem, Tommy. It also includes sharp comments on the Bush-administration's and Obama-administrations’ decisions regarding war.

In short, the book is a tour de force.
One person found this helpful
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Louise
5.0 out of 5 stars Sensible and Eye-opening
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2022
Easy to read and written not only for the military mind but for the average citizen. Highly Recommend.
One person found this helpful
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