The paper reviews specifics of contemporary wars (CW). Importance of this problematic for academic studies, main characteristics of CW, taxonomic, activist and ‘constructionist’ structure of its participants and its dynamics and, finally, the question what sociology is necessary for studying specifics of CW, – these are main topics of the paper. Author concludes that analysis of contemporary wars as a basic feature of the society of general risks allows to widen sociological knowledge about condition of society and world.