La réappropriation de l’espace urbain par les armées occidentales

Today, the city plays a central role in the major geostrategic dynamics worldwide. Since 2007, more than one in two inhabitants is urban and the urban rate would reach 54% of the world population in 2021. Demographic projections indicate still high rates for this century, with 60-70% of urban dwelle...

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Main Author: Philippe Boulanger
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Université de Reims Champagne-Ardennes 2023-12-01
Series:L'Espace Politique
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/espacepolitique/11486
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author Philippe Boulanger
author_facet Philippe Boulanger
author_sort Philippe Boulanger
collection DOAJ
description Today, the city plays a central role in the major geostrategic dynamics worldwide. Since 2007, more than one in two inhabitants is urban and the urban rate would reach 54% of the world population in 2021. Demographic projections indicate still high rates for this century, with 60-70% of urban dwellers by 2050. For the military, mastering the urban terrain is therefore necessary if not fundamental to intervene in the next crisis management operations (Africa, Middle East, Asia mainly) whose number continues to increase since the end of the Cold War. It is recognized in all Western doctrines as unavoidable and formidable, requiring specific preparation and mechanisms for engagement with rural areas. Urban space is, after all, the terrain of asymmetrical warfare, hybrid strategies in favour of the defender, the circumvention of technological power by more rudimentary capacities. However, the Ukraine War since 2022 reminds us that the conventional war between two states remains conceivable on the European continent. The urban space also appears as central and decisive in military operations.
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spelling doaj-art-7d4caba56a33423ebc153b6815b119522025-08-20T03:47:37ZengUniversité de Reims Champagne-ArdennesL'Espace Politique1958-55002023-12-014710.4000/espacepolitique.11486La réappropriation de l’espace urbain par les armées occidentalesPhilippe BoulangerToday, the city plays a central role in the major geostrategic dynamics worldwide. Since 2007, more than one in two inhabitants is urban and the urban rate would reach 54% of the world population in 2021. Demographic projections indicate still high rates for this century, with 60-70% of urban dwellers by 2050. For the military, mastering the urban terrain is therefore necessary if not fundamental to intervene in the next crisis management operations (Africa, Middle East, Asia mainly) whose number continues to increase since the end of the Cold War. It is recognized in all Western doctrines as unavoidable and formidable, requiring specific preparation and mechanisms for engagement with rural areas. Urban space is, after all, the terrain of asymmetrical warfare, hybrid strategies in favour of the defender, the circumvention of technological power by more rudimentary capacities. However, the Ukraine War since 2022 reminds us that the conventional war between two states remains conceivable on the European continent. The urban space also appears as central and decisive in military operations.https://journals.openedition.org/espacepolitique/11486citiesmilitary geographymilitary operationsurban combatasymmetric warconventional war
spellingShingle Philippe Boulanger
La réappropriation de l’espace urbain par les armées occidentales
L'Espace Politique
cities
military geography
military operations
urban combat
asymmetric war
conventional war
title La réappropriation de l’espace urbain par les armées occidentales
title_full La réappropriation de l’espace urbain par les armées occidentales
title_fullStr La réappropriation de l’espace urbain par les armées occidentales
title_full_unstemmed La réappropriation de l’espace urbain par les armées occidentales
title_short La réappropriation de l’espace urbain par les armées occidentales
title_sort la reappropriation de l espace urbain par les armees occidentales
topic cities
military geography
military operations
urban combat
asymmetric war
conventional war
url https://journals.openedition.org/espacepolitique/11486
work_keys_str_mv AT philippeboulanger lareappropriationdelespaceurbainparlesarmeesoccidentales