How to Look Good in a War Justifying and Challenging State Violence

How to Look Good in A War examines the methods used to depict, defend, and justify the use of state violence. Many books have shown how "truth is the first casualty of war" but this is the first to analyze exactly how pro-war narratives are constructed and normalized. Brian Rappert details the "upside-down" world of war in which revelation conceals, knowledge fosters uncertainty, and transparency obscures. He looks at government spin during recent wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya where officials maneuver between circulating and withholding information. Examining how organized violence is justified, How to Look Good in A War draws on experiences from recent controversy to consider how ignorance about the operation of war is produced and how concerned individuals and groups can intervene to make a difference.