Through its publications, INSS provides rigorous, forward‑looking research and analysis on critical national security issues that support the joint warfighter and inform Department of War decision‑makers.
Aug. 3, 2026
Don Quixote as Morality Play: Lessons for Warfighter Identity and Ethos
Professional Military Education (PME) has long been anchored in the canonical insights of Clausewitz and Sun Tzu, foundational thinkers whose frameworks continue to inform an understanding of strategy and operational engagement. In their latest Open Journal of Philosophy article, Dr. Elise Annett and Dr. James Giordano contend that Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote offers a profound and unconventional lens for PME pedagogy and leader development, particularly when regarded as a meditation on identity, virtue, and the tension between ideals and lived realities.