Security Dynamics in the South China Sea

Security Dynamics in the South China Sea: Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities.
Ed. Howard M. Hensel.
Routledge. 2024.
ISBN: 9781032657479.

Security Dynamics in the South China Sea examines regional security dynamics, especially the challenges and opportunities facing littoral and non-littoral states. The book is organized into 16 chapters across five thematic sections, covering historical context, contemporary challenges, Chinese policy, and the policies of other regional and external powers. The book focuses on the South China Sea as a vital route for global shipping and naval traffic, and on how freedom of navigation and maritime security affect the wider global economy. It also frames the region through both traditional and non-traditional security issues, including competing interests among states active in the area.

Howard M. Hensel is a professor of international relations and strategic studies at the Air War College, where he has taught since 1986. He specializes in international relations, comparative government, Russian/Soviet area studies, military history and strategy, political philosophy, and international humanitarian law. He has held several leadership roles at the Air War College, including Director of Strategy and Director of International Security Studies, and he earned degrees from Texas A&M University and the University of Virginia. In 2022, he received the Order of Aeronautical Merit from the Brazilian Air Force.