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Students will critically examine the U.S. military-industrial complex-and the social relations that constitute it-in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries by drawing on works from sociology, history, political science, geography, and economics. Over the course of the semester, we will interrogate how (and by whom) war is made. In 2020, over a third of the record-breaking U.S. Department of Defense budget was earmarked for the procurement of weapons and supplies from for-profit armaments firms. Billions more flow to private companies that provide services-from security and combat to cleaning and food preparation-to the military. Over 2 million people are directly employed by the U.S. military, and countless more by its myriad private contractors. This sprawling network of private corporations, armed services, political actors, and workers constitute the military-industrial complex. By examining this network of actors that “make war,” students will explore the social, political, and economic dimensions of U.S. militarism and their changes over time.