War Studies

Dr John Ferris gave this year's Saki and Michael Dockrill Memorial Lecture on the nature of "diplomatic intelligence" and the question of how diplomatic historians have used it. This event took place on 28 November 2019 https://www.kcl.ac.uk/events/saki-and-michael-dockrill-memorial-lecture-diplomatic-intelligence

For this episode of the War Studies podcast we spoke with Peter Neumann about his recent book 'Bluster: Donald Trump's War on Terror' About the book: Donald Trump promised to defeat terrorism, but there is no easy way to make sense of his war on terror. Is it a genuine strategic shift from previous administrations? Or is it all bluster, a way to score points with his base? Hamstrung by his administration’s weakness, Trump hasn’t actually changed much about counterterrorism. What is different is the ideological agenda—excessively militaristic and short-sighted. Foreign alliances have deteriorated, right-wing extremists feel emboldened, and the US no longer seems like a multi-cultural haven. So what is it all for? Peter R. Neumann argues that Trump’s war on terror looks strong and powerful in the short term, but will cause damage over time. Trump's self-serving approach has failed on its own terms, made the world less safe, and undermined the US’ greatest asset—the very idea of America. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1787381897/

Britain, the Iraq War and legal investigations of War Crimes: We talked about this with Dr Thomas Obel Hansen, Lecturer in Law at the University of Ulster after he gave a paper here in London in March 2019.

What is fake News? And how can it influence war and conflict? We talked about this with Dr Martin Moore, Senior Lecturer in Political Communication and Director of the Centre for the Study of Media, Communication and Power at King’s College London. The interview was recorded in March 2019.

In episode 4 of our ‘Experts’ series, we explore the use of new and social media in the so-called ‘Jasmine Revolution’ protests in China in 2011 and talk to Professor Kerry Brown, the Director of King’s College’s Lau China Institute. The interview was recorded in March 2019.

On 9 November 1989 the Berlin Wall was torn down by crowds from both East and West Germany, defining the end of an era not only for Germans but for the world. This week on the War Studies Podcast, we sit down with Dr Barbara Zanchetta, a Cold War historian in the War Studies Department, to discuss the significance of this anniversary. Event highlight: Africa Week at King's College London https://www.kcl.ac.uk/events/series/africa-week-2019

'Always at War: British Public Narratives about War' (2019 examines the stories told by a broad cross-section of British society about their country's past, present, and future role in war. Rather than perceiving distinct periods between war and peace, it reveals how British citizens see their nation as so frequently involved in conflict that they see the country as continuously at war. With tensions over Brexit increasing, it reveals the war stories that define British national identity, its relationship with Europe, and considers the place of war in Britain's future. Dr. Thomas Colley is a Teaching Fellow in the Department of War Studies. The event was organised by King's Centre for Strategic Communications.

In her lecture titled 'History and International Relations', Prof. MacMillan will discuss how history is used and misused in policymaking. She will go on to examine how historical insight can generate ideas and gauge the possible outcomes of decisions and policies. This event was hosted by the Centre for Grand Strategy.

In the second episode of our new podcast series called ‘experts’, we investigate how so-called ‘Islamic State’ uses music as propaganda. Our expert Charlie Winter is Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation. Like all podcasts in this series, this episode is produced by Department of War Studies students who took the module ‘New Wars, New Media, New Journalism’. This module is convened by Dr Peter Busch who is also presenting this episode. The interview with Charlie was recorded in March 2019.

In the second episode of our new podcast series called ‘experts’, we investigate new media technology affect open source intelligence gathering and we ask what the (ethical) limitations should be. Our expert on this is Dr Huw Dylan who is a senior lecturer in the Department of War Studies. Like all podcasts in this series, this episode is produced by Department of War Studies students who took the module ‘New Wars, New Media, New Journalism’. This module is convened by Dr Peter Busch who is also presenting this episode. The interview with Dr Dylan was recorded in March 2019.

In the first of our new podcast series called ‘experts’, we investigate how terrorist attacks by lone actors are framed in the media. Our expert on this is Dr Julia Pearce who is a lecturer in the Department of War Studies. Like all podcasts in this series, it is produced by Department of War Studies students who took the module ‘New Wars, New Media, New Journalism’. This module is convened by Dr Peter Busch who is also presented this episode. The interview with Dr Pearce was recorded in March 2019.

This episode brings into conversation Professor Cynthia Enloe, eminent feminist scholar and scholar on militarisation and global politics with Dr Amanda Chisholm, Senior Lecturer on Gender and Security at King's College London (KCL) and Dr Marsha Henry, Assistant Professor in the Gender Department at the London School of Economics (LSE).

Listen to an event which took place in the summer of 2019 at King's College London for the launch of the book "Borderland Battles: Violence, Crime, and Governance at the Edges of Colombia’s War" Annette Idler, University of Oxford discussed the findings of her new book, Borderland Battles: Violence, Crime, and Governance at the Edges of Colombia’s War, published by Oxford University Press. Borderland Battles is based on extensive fieldwork: more than 600 interviews in and on the Colombia-Venezuela and Colombia-Ecuador border regions. Applying a "borderland lens" to security dynamics, her focus has been on the convergence of armed conflict and organised crime in these regions: how groups compete for territorial control, how they cooperate, and how they fill governance gaps by playing roles that states normally do. Dr. Idler’s work offers a more holistic and nuanced understanding of “people-centered security” than has been available so far. It has also given her detailed knowledge of the Colombia-Venezuela border zone, which is suffering important consequences of Venezuela’s crisis. This event was co-hosted by the Latin America and Caribbean Centre (LSE) and the Conflict, Security and Development Research Group (KCL). Discussant: Professor Gareth Jones, Director of the Latin America and Caribbean Centre, LSE, was Chair: Dr Kieran Mitton, War Studies, KCL. Speaker: Dr Annette Idler is the Director of Studies of the Changing Character of War Centre, Senior Research Fellow at Pembroke College, and at the Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford. Dr Idler’s work focuses on the interface of conflict, security, and transnational organised crime. She has published numerous articles in the field of conflict and organised crime, advises governments and international organisations on these subjects, and is a regular expert for internationally renowned media outlets. Dr Idler holds a doctorate from the Department of International Development and St Antony's College, University of Oxford, an MA in International Relations from King’s College London’s Department of War Studies, and a double BA in German-Spanish Studies/International Politics from Complutense University Madrid, Spain, and Regensburg University, Germany.

Professor Cynthia Enloe, Research Professor in the Department of International Development, Community, and Environment, with affiliations with Women’s and Gender Studies and Political Science, all at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts talks about how #Metoo has impacted the ways in which global security is understood, experienced and practiced.

For decades women have been involved in terrorism, whether carrying out attacks or supporting organisations. They have been victims of terrorist acts, and many have also been involved in diverse aspects of security, including on the front lines with forces trying to reduce the threat from terrorism. The events of 9/11 triggered years of counter terrorist efforts by the USA and its global partners. However, Dr Joana Cook, Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, says women were not adequately considered in the counter terrorist strategies developed since the events of 9/11, and this has created a major gap in how we understand and respond to terrorism today.