Why Ultima Ratio?
As researchers, we now launch this collective blog so as to share our research hypotheses and to disseminate our analytical contributions in our fields of interest. Generally speaking, we work on questions related to strategy, defence and security.
Scientific journals are not the only media for the dissemination of analytical content. Blogs can stimulate our thinking, initiate discussions and help us keeping abreast of activities within a given entity. They also help us to identify and share interesting publications among each other.
The French blogosphere on defence matters is relatively small. Those blogs which are run by journalists (such as Secret Défense, Défense Ouverte, Le Mamouth) are replete with useful information on the latest military developments – on the French armed forces in particular. Next to this, the Alliance Géostratégique portal merits our attention. It is a home to a dozen blogs run by individual researchers.
We read Anglo-Saxon blogs on a daily basis. Among our favorites are – just to name a few – AbuMuqawama, ArmsControlWonk, DangerRoom and SmallWarsJournal. All these blogs are devoted to issues of defence and many of them are operated collectively to facilitate the exchange of expert opinions on specific topics.
If we had to choose only one blog that served as a model, we would cite Kings of War. Linked to the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, this blog has found a good balance between information diffusion and the generation of original analysis. Its collegial style and its ability to deal with serious and complex subjects in a light and comprehensible manner are quite remarkable.
All the contributors to Ultima Ratio work for / or have worked for the Security Studies Centre at the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri). The opinions expressed by our contributors are solely their own. These views should not be taken to represent the official or unofficial position of their employers, nor of any government or other institution.
This blog will undergo an initial test phase of several months. Once we have reviewed the general interest generated by Ultima Ratio and the time we have invested on its maintenance, we will decide whether or not to continue with this project. We emphasise that we are not professional bloggers, and, as a result, we may grope in the early stages. The comments that we hope to receive will be moderated once submitted, but we may rethink this decision if the Rules of Engagement are not respected.
Finally, as concerns our choice of languages, we opted for a bilingual solution. Several colleagues are anglophone and we wanted to give them the opportunity to participate in this project. Ultima Ratio accepts, therefore, contributions and comments in French and English.
We hope that many of you will read and respond to our feeds!
Français
Friday, 26. March 2010 10:04
Bravo et bienvenue à Ultima Ratio sur la blogosphère. Le choix de se référer à KoW est très pertinent: il manque en effet un tel blog “académique” sur le net français, complémentaire à mon sens d’Alliance Géostratégique.
Longue vie à vous
Stéphane Taillat
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Corentin Brustlein répond/replies:
March 26th, 2010, 21:22
Nous risquons d’être moins “académiques” que KoW, mais nous ferons notre possible pour apporter notre pierre au débat stratégique francophone en ligne…
Merci pour cet accueil, Stéphane !
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Tuesday, 30. March 2010 10:32
Bienvenue à Ultima Ratio qui accélère sensiblement et positivement l’inflation de la blogosphère stratégique “.fr”. Très touché par votre clin d’oeil à Alliance Géostratégique. Nous nous revaudrons cela.
Prenez votre temps pour émerger, le blogging est d’abord une aventure intellectuelle désintéréssée et passablement solitaire… ou parfois “collectivement solitaire” dans votre cas comme ce fut pour AGS à ses débuts. Petit à petit, votre papillon émergera de sa chrysalide et brillera sur l’arbre stratégique.
Tous nos encouragements
Charles Bwele / Electrosphère, au nom d’Alliance Géostratégique
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Thomas Gomart répond/replies:
March 30th, 2010, 17:05
C’est parti : en place dans les favoris. Bravo pour ce lancement et la préparation éditoriale. En attendant les nouveaux posts. Bon courage à tous.
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Corentin Brustlein répond/replies:
March 30th, 2010, 19:47
Merci Thomas! Tes analyses concernant la perspective russe sur le nouveau START sont évidemment les bienvenues. Mais bon, je dis ça…
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Tuesday, 30. March 2010 19:48
Merci pour cet accueil, Charles, et au plaisir de vous lire!
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Wednesday, 31. March 2010 11:36
Ultima ratio a été signalé par un billet d’égéa dès vendredi dernier :http://www.egeablog.net/dotclear/index.php?post/2010/03/26/Nouveau-blog-Ultima-ratio
Avec tous mes encouragements : bienvenue au club … et encouragements à Corentin que l’on sent animateur de l’affaire.
Olivier
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Corentin Brustlein répond/replies:
March 31st, 2010, 16:10
Un animateur parmi d’autres! Merci Olivier!
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Wednesday, 31. March 2010 16:30
Bienvenue dans la blogosphère,
au plaisir de vous lire.
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Saturday, 3. April 2010 18:46
Encore une fois, bienvenue dans la blogosphère. Avec tous mes encouragements. SD.
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