DSS Required Books List

Required Books List, Fall 2026 Semester

DSS 601 Seminar on Nuclear Strategy and Arms Control (Clark)

  1. Keith B. Payne, “Chasing a Grand Illusion: Replacing Deterrence with Disarmament.” 2023
  2. Keith B. Payne, “Shadows on the Wall: Deterrence and Disarmament.” ISBN-13: 978-0-9855553-2-0.
  3. Keith B. Payne, “The Great American Gamble: Deterrence Theory and Practice from the Cold War to the Twenty-First Century.” (Fairfax, Virginia: National Institute Press, 2008).
  4. Kenneth Waltz, “Man, the State and War: A Theoretical Analysis.” (1959 or later edition)
  5. John G. Stoessinger, “Why Nations Go to War.” (any edition)

DSS 601 Nuclear Strategy and Deterrence (Bradley)

  1. Keith B. Payne, “Shadows on the Wall: Deterrence and Disarmament.” ISBN-13: 978-0-9855553-2-0.
  2. Recommended but not required: subscription to Foreign Affairs

DSS 630 International Law and Global Security (Berman)

  1. Chimene I. Keitner, "International Law Frameworks", Fifth Edition (Foundation Press, 2021).

DSS 632 Survey and Writing in International Security Affairs (Fierro-Martinez)

  1. Robert G. Joseph, "Countering WMD: The Libyan Experience". National Institute Press, 2009.
  2. H.R. McMaster, "Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World." Harper, 2020.

DSS 700 Strategy and U.S. Defense Policy (Hewitt)

No textbooks required for this course.

DSS 705 NATO Security Issues (Dodge)

No textbooks required for this course.

DSS 706 Russian Military Strategy (Hoehne, Murphy)

  1. Marshall, Tim. "Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World". New York: Scribner, 2015.

  2. Fridman, Ofer. "STRATEGIYA: The Foundations Of The Russian Art Of Strategy". New York: Oxford University Press, 2021.

DSS 707 Congress, National Security, and Weapons of Mass Destruction (Taylor)

  1. Hamilton, Alexander; Madison, James; and Jay, John, “The Federalist Papers”. Signet Classics, April 1, 2003.
  2. Trachtenberg, David J., “The Lawgivers’ Struggle: How Congress Wields Power in National Security Decision Making.” Fairfax, VA, National Institute Press, 2020.

DSS 708 Security Issues in Russia (Beasley)

No books required for this course.

DSS 709 Space Policy and Security (Johnson)

No books required for this course.

DSS 710 International Terrorism and Security (Kiras)

  1. Hoffman, B. (2017) “Inside Terrorism.” (New York, NY, Columbia University Press) ISBN-13: 978-0231174770; ISBN-10: 0231174772.
  2. Hoffman, B. and Reinares, F. (2014). “The Evolution of the Global Terrorist Threat.” (New York, NY: Columbia University Press) ISBN-13: 978-0231168991.

DSS 710 International Terrorism and Security (Moy)

  1. The 9/11 Commission Report. (available online)
  2. Hoffman, Bruce. "Inside Terrorism." 3rd edition (2017).
  3. Kilcullen, David. "Counterinsurgency." (2010)
  4. Malkasian, Carter. "The American War in Afghanistan: A History." (2021)
  5. Whitlock, Craig. "The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War." (2021)

DSS 713 Intelligence, Counterintelligence and Covert Action (Peck)

  1. Robert Jervis, Why Intelligence Fails: Lessons from the Iranian Revolution and the Iraq War, Cornell University Press, 2010.
  2. Mark M. Lowenthal, Intelligence, from Secrets to Policy, 8th ed., CQ Press, 2014.
  3. Lock Johnson and James Wirtz, James (eds.), Intelligence: The Secret World of Spies: An Anthology, 4th or 5th ed., Oxford University Press, 2014.
  4. David Wise, Spy: The Inside Story of How the FBI’s Robert Hanssen Betrayed America, Random House, Inc., 2003
  5. Michael V. Hayden, Playing to the Edge: American Intelligence in the Age of Terror. Penguin Press, 2016.
  6. Richards J. Heuer, Psychology of Intelligence Analysis. Center for the Study of Intelligence, CIA, 1999.
  7. Henry Crumpton, The Art of Intelligence: Lessons from a Life in the CIA’s Clandestine Service, The Penguin Press, 2012
  8. Mark M. Lowenthal and Robert M. Clark, The 5 Disciplines of Intelligence Collection, CQ Press, 2016

DSS 714 Strategic Thought (Clawson)

  1. Brands, Hal ed., "The New Makers of Modern Strategy from the Ancient World to the Digital Age". (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2023).
  2. Sun Tzu. "The Art of War". Samuel B. Griffith, trans. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980).
  3. Strassler, Robert B. ed. "The Landmark Thucydides". (New York: The Free Press, 1996).
  4. Machiavelli, Niccolò. "The Prince and the Discourses". (New York: Random House, 1950).
  5. Clausewitz, Carl Von. "On War". Edited and Translated by Michael Howard and Peter Paret. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1984).
  6. McCraine, Kevin D. Mahan, Corbett, "Foundations of Naval Strategic Thought". (Annapolis, MD.: Naval Institute Press. 2021).
  7. Walzer, Michael. "Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations". 5th edition. (New York: Basic Books, 2015).
  8. Weigley, Russell F., "The Age of Battles: The Quest for Decisive Warfare from Breitenfeld to Waterloo". (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1991).

  9. Galula, David. "Counterinsurgency Warfare: Theory and Practice". (Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Security International), 2006.

  10. Payne, Keith. B. "Shadows on the Wall: Deterrence and Disarmament". (Fairfax, VA: National Institute for Public Policy, 2020).
  11. Liddell Hart, B.H. "Strategy." 2nd ed. (New York: Meridian Publishing, 1991)

Recommended/Supplemental Readings:

  1. Handel, Michael I. "Masters of War: Classical Strategic Thought". (London: Cass, third edition, 2001).
  2. Kagan, Donald. "On the Origins of War and the Preservation of Peace". (New York: Anchor Books, 1995
  3. Others as listed in the syllabus

DSS 715 Grand Strategy (McGiffin)

  1. Terry L. Deibel. "Foreign Affairs Strategy: Logic for American Statecraft". (Cambridge University Press Illustrated edition July 16, 2007). ISBN-13: 978-0521692779.

    Note from course instructor: This book is essential to this course and quantities are sometimes limited.  It is highly recommended that students seek this book as soon as possible. 

DSS 716 Military Operations (Murphy, Hoehne)

  1. B.A. Friedman, “On Operations: Operational Art and Military Disciplines.” Naval Institute Press, 2021.
  2. Harold G. Moore & Joseph L. Galloway, “We Were Soldiers Once...and Young: Ia Drang - The Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam.” Presidio Press, 2004.
  3. Andrew Roberts, “Leadership in War: Essential Lessons from Those Who Made History.” Viking, 2019.
  4. Neil E. Webner, “He Was a Hero.” Kindle Edition, 2008.

The following books can either be purchased or are available free online:

  1. 36 Stratagems:
  2. Sun Tzu, “The Art of War.” (Samuel Griffith, trans.) (Oxford University Press, 1971).  An alternative translation of Sun Tzu (a.k.a. Sunzi) would also be acceptable: many are in print, often with extensive commentary.
  3. Carl von Clausewitz, “On War” (Princeton University Press, 1976, 1984, or another edition).
  4. Qiao Liang & Wang Xiangsui, “Unrestricted Warfare.” Echo Point Books & Media, 2015. https://www.c4i.org/unrestricted.pdf 

DSS 719 Strategic Culture (Kartchner)

  1. Kerry M. Kartchner, Briana D. Bowen, and Jeannie L. Johnson, eds., "Routledge Handbook of Strategic Culture" (London: Routledge, 2024). ISBN: 978-0367445485. Students should purchase this book as an eBook: ISBN 9781003010302.
  2. Adamsky, Dima, “The Culture of Military Innovation: The Impact of Cultural Factors on the Revolution in Military Affairs in Russia, The US, And Israel.” Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2010.
  3. Adamsky, Dmitry (Dima). "The Russian Way of Deterrence: Strategic Culture, Coercion, and War." Stanford University Press, 2023. ISBN: 978-1503637825 (paperback)

DSS 720 Internship/Professional Experience (Ford)

No textbooks are required for this course.

DSS 721 Missile Defense, Proliferation and Contemporary Warfare (Rose)

  1. Payne, Keith B. "The Fallacies of Cold War Deterrence and a New Direction". (Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky, 2001).
  2. Gray, Colin S. "The Sheriff: America's Defense of the New World Order". (Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky, 2004).
  3. Trachtenberg, David (Ed.), Expert Commentary on the 2022 Missile Defense Review (Fairfax, VA: National Institute Press, 2023).

DSS 722 Emerging Strategic Challenges (Ritcheson)

  1. Christopher Whyte & Brian M. Mazanec, "Understanding Cyber Warfare, Politics, Policy and Strategy". Second Edition, Routledge, London and New York, 2023.
  2. Andrew F. Krepinevich, Jr., "The Origins of Victory: How Disruptive Mililtary Innovation Determines the Fates of Great Powers". Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 2023.
  3. Daniel Yergin, "The New Map: Energy, Climate and the Class of Nations". Penguin Press, New York, 2020.

  4. Gaddis, John Lewis. "On Grand Strategy." New York: Penguin Press, 2018.

  5. Scharre, Paul. "Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence." New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2023.

DSS 722 Emerging Strategic Challenges (Marlo)

  1. Christopher Whyte and Brian Mazanec, "Understanding Cyber Warfare., Politics Policy and Strategy." Routledge, 2nd Edition. Routledge, London and New York, 2023.
  2. Daniel Yergin, “The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Class of Nations”. Penguin Press, New York, 2020.
  3. Andrew F. Krepinevich, Jr., “The Origins of Victory: How Disruptive Military Innovation Determines the Fates of Great Powers.” Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 2023.

DSS 723 Counterproliferation (Kartchner)

  1. Etel Solingen, “Nuclear Logics:  Contrasting Paths in East Asia and the Middle East”, Princeton University Press, 2007, ISBN-13: 978-0691134680, paperback and Kindle.
  2. Scott D. Sagan and Kenneth N Waltz, “The Spread of Nuclear Weapons: An Enduring Debate, Third Edition, London, W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. ISBN-13: 978-0393920109, paperback.
  3. Vipin Narang, “Nuclear Strategy in the Modern Era: Regional Powers and International Conflict, Princeton University Press, 2014, ISBN-13: ‚Äé978-0691159836, paperback and Kindle.
  4. Rupal N. Mehta, “Delaying Doomsday: The Politics of Nuclear Reversal”, New York, NY, Oxford University Press, 2019, ISBN-13: 978-0190077976, hardcover and Kindle.
  5. Vipin Narang, “Seeking the Bomb: Strategies of Nuclear Proliferation”, Princeton University Press, 2022, ISBN-13:978-0691172620, paperback and Kindle.

DSS 724 Leadership in National Security Policy (Geipel)

  1. Walter Isaacson, "Steve Jobs." Simon & Schuster, New York, New York, 2011.
  2. Donald Rumsfeld, Rumsfeld's Rules: Leadership Lessons in Business, Politics, War and Life." Broadside Books, Harper Collins Publishers; New York, 2013.
  3. Colin Powell, It Worked for Me: In LIfe and Leadership." Harper Collins Publishers, First Harper Perennial Edition Published, New York, 2014.
  4. Al Kaltman, "Cigars, Whiskey and Winning: Leadership Lessons from General Ulysses S. Grant." Prentice Hall Press, New York, April 2004.
  5. Admiral William H. McRaven, Conquering Crisis - Ten Lessons to Learn Before You Need Them." Grand Central Publishing, New York, New York 10104; 2025 edition.

DSS 725 Instruments of State Power (Ford)

Course readings will be provided by the instructor.

DSS 726 Chinese Military Power (Anderson)

  1. Taylor Fravel, “Active Defense, China's Military Strategy since 1949.” Princeton University Press, 2019.
  2. Elbridge A. Colby, “The Strategy of Denial: American Defense in an Age of Great Power Conflict.” Yale University Press, 2021.
  3. "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu (Author), Samuel B. Griffith (Translator), B. H. Liddell Hart (Foreword). 
    Instructor note: there are many translations of this book so please be sure to get the one that is referenced here.

DSS 727 Chemical and Biological Warfare (Moodie)

No textbooks are required for this course.

DSS 730 Cyber Conflict and International Security (Mazanec)

  1. Christopher Whyte and Brian Mazanec, "Understanding Cyber Warfare." Routledge, 2nd Edition. ISBN-13: 978-1032159317, ISBN-10: 1032159316
  2. Andrew Blum, “Tubes: A Journey To The Center Of The Internet”, Ecco; Reprint edition, May 28, 2013, ISBN-13: 978-0061994951.

DSS 734 National Security and the 4th Industrial Revolution (Whyte)

To be determined. 

DSS 745 Intelligence and War (Gentry)

To be determined.

DSS 747 Educational Wargamming (Taylor)

No books required for this course.

DSS 750 Security Challenges in the Americas (Downie)

No textbooks are required for this course.

DSS 794 Active in Research 

No textbooks are required for this course.

DSS 796 Directed Reading Course

If books are required, they will be assigned by your course mentor or instructor.

DSS 799 Thesis

If books are required, they will be assigned by your thesis mentor.

DSS 801 ADVANCED Nuclear Strategy and Arms Control (Payne, Clark, Trachtenberg, Griffin)

  1. Keith Payne, "Shadows On The Wall: Deterrence and Disarmament". Fairfax, VA: National Institute Press, 2020), pp. 1-62, 147-159.  Note: this book is available to all 801 students at no cost to the student for pickup from the DSS Arlington, Virginia campus.
  2. Keith Payne, "Chasing the Grand Illusion: Replacing Deterrence With Disarmament". Fairfax, VA: National Institute Press, February 2022. Note: this book is available to all 801 students at no cost to the student for pickup from the DSS Arlington, Virginia campus.
  3. Keith Payne, "The Great American Gamble". National Institute Press, 2008). Note: this book is available to all 801 students at no cost to the student for pickup from the DSS Arlington, Virginia campus.

801 ADVANCED Nuclear Strategy and Arms Control (McGiffin)

  1. Keith B. Payne, "Shadows On The Wall: Deterrence and Disarmament". Fairfax, VA: National Institute Press, 2020. ISBN-13: 978-0-9855553-2-0
  2. Keith B. Payne, "Chasing A Grand Illusion: Replacing Deterrence with Disarmament." Fairfax, Virginia: National Institute Press, 2023. ISBN: 979-8-218-14756-3
  3. Keith B. Payne, "The Great American Gamble: Deterrence Theory and Practice from the Cold War to the Twenty-First Century." Fairfax, Virginia: National Institute Press, 2008) ISBN-13: 978-0833059307 
  4. Therese Delpech, "Nuclear Deterrence in the 21st Century: Lessons from the Cold War for a New Era of Strategic Piracy." Arlington, Virginia: RAND Corporation, 2012. ISBN-13: 978-0833059307

DSS 832 ADVANCED Survey and Writing in International Security Affairs (Geipel)

  1. Chicago Manual of Style Guidelines (Quick Study, 2012). https://tinyurl.com/v4sd8p4b
  2. Hal Brands (editor), "The New Makers of Modern Strategiy: From the Ancient World to the Digital Age". (Princeton University Press, 2023).
  3. Hal Brands, "The Twilight Struggle: What the Cold War Teaches Us about Great-Power Rivalry Today." (Yale University Press, 2022)
  4. Roy Peter Clark, "Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer."  (Paperback), Little, Brown (2016).
  5. Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, "Storytelling with Data." (Wiley, 2015).
  6. Yuval Noah Harari, "Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI". (Random House, 2024).

DSS 836 National Security Publication (Geipel)

To be determined. 

DSS 840 ADVANCED National Security Strategies (Koch)

  1. Hal Brands, ed., "The New Makers of Modern Strategy: From the Ancient World to the Digital Age." (Princeton University Press, 2023)
  2. Robert Kagan, "Dangerous Nation: American Foreign Policy from Its Earliest Days to the Dawn of the Twentieth Century." (Alfred Knopf, 2006)
  3. George C. Herring, "The American Century and Beyond: U.S. Foreign Relations 1893-2015." 2nd ed. (Oxford University Press, 2017)
  4. Melvyn P. Leffler and Jeffrey W. Legro, "In Uncertain Times: American Foreign Policy after the Berlin Wall and 9/11." (Cornell University Press, 2011)

DSS 896 Doctoral Capstone Project

If books are required, they will be assigned by your project mentor.