Over the past two decades, the proponents of « New Security Studies » have developed a wide-ranging and influential critique of strategic studies and their contribution to the study of international security and, more generally, international relations as a whole. They commonly charge that the rationalist and materialist foundations at the epistemological core of strategic studies undermine the field’s ability to capture the most puzzling aspects of international security and international relations. However, this vigorous and influential challenge has not been seriously addressed so far. I argue that strategic studies remain largely immune to the broadeners’ claim and will respond to their epistemological objections.