Routledge Handbook of Defense Economics

Routledge Handbook of Defense Economics brings together cutting-edge research on militarization from economics and allied social sciences to examine one of the most pressing challenges of the twenty-first century. With contributions from leading scholars of defense and peace economics, it examines the drivers and consequences of military expenditure across a wide range of socio-economic domains, including economic growth, inequality, profit rates, social spending, sustainable development, and gender.

Recognizing that military budgets are shaped by intertwined economic and strategic forces, the volume adopts an interdisciplinary perspective that connects defense economics with political, social, and institutional dynamics. At a time marked by economic instability, democratic backsliding, persistent poverty, and intensifying geopolitical tensions, the book places military spending within broader transformations of globalization and political economy. Drawing on new data and advanced analytical methods, this volume offers fresh insights into how militarization reshapes development paths and social outcomes worldwide.

This Handbook is an essential resource for scholars and students of the economics of defense, war, conflict, and peace from across the social sciences.