War Studies

In just four short years the Trump administration overturned the foundational national narrative of American exceptionalism – the US’ reputation as global exemplar and promoter of democracy. Far from drawing distinctions between the US and authoritarian states like Russia, he tried to show equivalence, marking a start contrast with every one of his predaceous since the end of the Cold War. As Biden’s first week as 46th President of the United States draws to a close, Dr Ruth Deyermond, Senior Lecturer in the Department of War Studies and expert on the post-Soviet and post-Cold war US-Russia relationship, joins us to discuss whether Biden can re-build the US’ damaged reputation and fulfil the promises set out in his inauguration speech. We also explore Trump’s close relationship with Putin and why so few White House records were kept on this, what another four years of Trump would have meant for US security and what the future might hold next for the historically fraught US and Russia relationship.

Who were the shadowy figures and unsung heroes that lay behind the extraordinary story of the Norwegian resistance during World War II? What were the extreme conditions they worked under? And how did they contribute to major allied intelligence-gathering operations, including helping to stall German efforts in producing atomic bombs? In this episode we speak to Dr Tony Insall, Senior Visiting Research Fellow in the Department of War Studies and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, on his recent book ‘Secret Alliances: Special Operations and Intelligence in Norway 1940-1945’. Credited with shining a new light on the story of the Norwegian resistance movement, British intelligence and special operations in war-time Norway, it draws on hitherto unpublished materials buried deep in Norwegian and British intelligence archives. He discusses the uniquely close Anglo-Norwegian political relationship and cooperation that gave rise to the successful resistance movement, the desolate conditions agents based in Norway operated under, the role of code breakers and the story behind one of the world’s most famous Christmas trees – a festive gift from Oslo to London which is displayed in Trafalgar Square every year.

‘We are telling a story as great as that of the Bible’, wrote Tony Essex to Gordon Watkins in 1964. These television producers had been given the opportunity of a lifetime - to bring to life the first major multi-episode television documentary on the Great War for the 50th anniversary. In this episode, we talk to Dr Peter Busch, historian and expert in propaganda and strategic communication, about how the ‘Great War’ made TV history and transformed historical documentaries going forwards. He discusses how the BBC used innovative techniques, including eye-witness testimonies to represent the voices of ‘ordinary’ people, but also the extent to which televised or cinematic representations of war can blur fact and fiction, in ways that aren’t always clear to us.

In the final episode of our special three-part series celebrating 20 years since resolution 1325 was passed by the UN Security Council on Women, Peace and Security, we take a look at how we can help shape reform in moving Global North policy, dominating WPS, to more grassroots and how we can push the agenda in communities of the Global South. Although the WPS agenda has led to significant changes in the way women are considered in times of conflict and peace-brokering activities, there are still many challenges that remain. In this episode, we explore whose voices actually count in pursuing the aims of the WPS agenda and how the agenda is viewed in countries of the Global South. Experts in the field, Dr Soumita Basu (South Asian University) and Dr Swarna Rajagopalan (The Prajnya Trust & Women’s Regional Network) discuss the opportunities needed to allow women to take a seat at the table of conversations on war and peace, as well as illustrating the need for women to be included in every stage of conflict resolution, conflict prevention, conflict management and peacemaking processes.

How do secular Jewish Israeli millennials feel about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? How has coming of age during a series of wars, in which many of them fought, and the shadow of the failed Oslo Peace Process impacted this generation? Why have their attitudes changed so significantly since their parents’ youth, that they no longer believe in a two state solution and see Occupation as ‘reasonable if regrettable’? In this episode we talk to Dr Stacey Gutkowski, Senior Lecturer in Conflict Studies and Co-Director for the Centre for the Study of Divided Societies in War Studies, about her new book – ‘Religion, War and Israel’s Secular Millennials: Being Reasonable?'. Based on fieldwork, interviews and surveys conducted after the 2014 Gaza War, it offers a close reading of the lived experience and generational memory of participants and a new explanation for why attitudes to Occupation have grown increasingly conservative over the past two decades.

In the second episode of our three-part series celebrating 20 years of Women, Peace and Security (WPS), we look at the escalating threat that private companies, hired to provide military and security services, pose to the rights of women and minorities in conflict settings. This privatisation of war can have incredibly damaging consequences. Private companies often occupy a murky territory outside the legal frameworks of states and international organisations, meaning human rights abuses, including gender-based and sexual violence, are committed under their watch with little or no comeuppance for the perpetrators. Dr Jamie Hagen, Lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast, and Professor Saskia Stachowitsch, from the University of Vienna, join Dr Amanda Chisholm from our own School, to discuss the challenge of this threat, in particular for women and the LGBTQ community. And how Women, Peace and Security might be leveraged to highlight these atrocities and bring justice to the communities affected.

In 2001 Tony Blair introduced what would become a controversial, expensive and ultimately disastrous policy programme to stamp out the drugs trade in Afghanistan in just ten years. Dr Philip Berry, Lecturer in War Studies, joins us to discuss his new book, ’The War on Drugs and Anglo-American Relations: Lessons from Afghanistan’, which reveals the inside story on the Blair Government's mission to destroy opium production at source. We explore why counter-narcotics became such a key foreign policy objective for Blair, his overconfidence in setting such unrealistic timelines and why this whole episode caused considerable tension in UK-US relations, putting significant strain on the ‘Special Relationship’.

31 October 2020 marks 20 years since resolution 1325 was passed by the UN Security Council on Women, Peace and Security (WPS). In a special three-part podcast series, we’re celebrating this landmark achievement by looking at how the WPS agenda can support women’s struggle for better inclusion and representation in matters relating to international conflict and peace, over the next 20 years. In this episode, we explore how Women, Peace and Security (WPS) could be leveraged to address the plight of refugee women and girls at Europe’s borders. Experts working in WPS, Dr Aiko Holvikivi (LSE) and Dr Audrey Reeves (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) argue that in the wake of Europe’s so-called refugee crisis, the whole notion of who is affected by conflict and insecurity, and where those people are, is increasingly under challenge. They state that overlooking women refugees reveals the ‘colonial underbelly’ of the WPS agenda; its tendency to think that conflict-affected people are ‘over there’, not ‘over here’. By identifying these women as worthy of international attention, protection and inclusion under the WPS agenda, we can unsettle the colonial thinking that still sticks to a range of WPS-inspired policies.

Cold War Moscow was a place like no other. The eyes and ears of the Soviet secret police, the KGB, were everywhere; the only place that was really safe, one political prisoner would later write, was in your dreams... Professor Mike Goodman, Head of the Department of War Studies, and expert in the history of intelligence joins us for the first episode in our new series. We discuss who were the individuals who turned traitor against their own country to spy for the other side during the Cold War, what impact they had on stopping the conflict from becoming 'hot' and the gizmos and gadgets they used that wouldn't look out of place in a James Bond film.

This is the part 2 of a 2 part special podcast series produced by BA IR students Julia Thommessen and Adam Beswick. In these podcasts King's students discuss different perspectives on COVID-19 and share their experiences. And as an Easter bonus: Sally shares her blueberry muffin recipe. Hosted by Adam Beswick, Peter Busch and Sally Horspool.

This is the part 1 of a 2 part special podcast series produced by BA IR students Julia Thommessen and Adam Beswick. In these podcasts King's students discuss different perspectives on COVID-19 and share their experiences. And as an Easter bonus: Sally shares her blueberry muffin recipe. Hosted by Adam Beswick, Peter Busch and Sally Horspool.

Dr Rudra Chaudhuri, Director of Carnegie India and Senior Lecturer in the department joins us from Delhi and gives his insights on the COVID-19 crisis in India. Find out more on https://carnegieindia.org And third-year students Kleber and Cassy talk about a student trip to Second World War battlefields in Italy earlier this year. Presented by Adam Beswick, Peter Busch and Sally Horspool.

In this episode of our War Studies 'at home' series we talk to IR student Aanvi who organised a visit to the EU and January (see also her blogpost: https://kingsthinktank.com/2020/02/07/eu-brussels-visit/#more-2951 Dr Matt Moran, co-director of the Department's Centre for Science and Security talks about his research on Open Source Intelligence and Big Data (his article: with C Hobbs and C Eldridge: ‘Fusing algorithms and analysts’: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02684527.2017.1406677 And Adam tells us more about his Instagram story (the department on Instagram: kcl_warstudies). Presented by Adam Beswick, Peter Busch, Sally Horspool

We have a report on right-wing 'radicalisation' on platforms like 4chan with insights from our colleague Dr Thomas Colley. We also talk to Sanjana Balu, the department's student experience and outreach officer. Adam caught up with two students and asked them about adapting to study from home. Presented by Adam Beswick, Dr Peter Busch and Sally Horspool.

We are talking to staff and students on how they are coping with the coronavirus crisis. Dr Amanda Chisholm also explains how 'virtual writing sprints' work.

In this edition of the War Studies podcast, Heini i Skorini from the University of the Faroe Islands in Denmark discusses the theme of his latest book. He investigates how the struggle to define the limits of free speech with regards to religion unfolds within the United Nations system. The publication gives a broad overview of the political struggle to interpret and define the meaning of human rights and freedom of expression.

In this latest event recording, Professor Brendan Simms of the University of Cambridge discusses his new biography of Adolf Hitler, entitled Hitler: A Global Biography. He argues that contrary to past accounts, Hitler was driven by a desire to confront the United States and capitalism more broadly.

Two BA International Relations student from the Department of War Studies report on a talk given by Professor Stephen Walt. Professor Walt, one of the leading scholars of realism. For the full recording of Professor Walt's presentation visit: https://soundcloud.com/warstudies/event-why-is-it-useful-to-think-like-a-realist?in=warstudies/sets/events

In this edition of the King's College Podcast, Dr. Rachel Kerr meets the artists who contributed to the exhibition entitled Art, Conflict & Remembering: The Murals of the Bogside Artists, held from 28 January to 30 February 2020 at The Exchange, Bush House. This powerful exhibition tells the story of the Troubles through the twelve large-scale murals of The People’s Gallery in Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Created and curated by King's College Visiting Research Fellow Dr. Adrienne Dengerink Chaplin, in close co-operation with the Bogside Artists, the exhibition draws attention to the non-sectarian Civil Rights movement in the late 1960s and raises awareness of the lasting effects of The Troubles on the day-to-day lives of ordinary people.

What should be done after the end of a repressive regime or a civil war? How can bitter divisions be resolved in a way that combines reconciliation with accountability? These are typical questions within the field of transitional justice, but each of them is complex and contested and discussed in a wide range of disciplines. Michael Newman draws on his new book, Transitional Justice: Contending with the Past, to explore some of the major debates and themes. Michael Newman is Emeritus Professor at London Metropolitan University, He has been teaching ‘War, Peace and World Order’, at NYU London since 2011. This talk is part of the War Crimes Spring Term Seminar Series at King's College London.

First event of the War Crimes Spring Term Seminar Series (https://www.kcl.ac.uk/events/series/war-crimes-spring-term-seminar-series). Speaker: Professor Mark Drumbl - Class of 1975 Alumni Professor at Washington & Lee University, School of Law, where he also serves as Director of the Transnational Law Institute. He has held visiting appointments with a number of law faculties, including Oxford, Paris II (Pantheon-Assas), Trinity College, Dublin, Melbourne, Monash, and Ottawa. His scholarly interests include public international law, international criminal justice, and transnational legal process.

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

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).

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.

Dennis Rodgers is an ethnographer who joined a Nicaraguan gang in the 1990s as part of his PhD research. Now based at the Geneva Graduate Institute, he spoke to War Studies Podcast about his experiences, from being initiated into a gang to seeing how drug distribution proved a good training for a just-in-time warm tortilla service. The podcast also features a discussion with Kieran Mitton of King's College London about his own work on gangs, including the challenges of achieving meaningful policy change.

Religion is an important factor to consider when examining many conflicts around the world, but what about nonreligion? Dr. Stacey Gutkowski, senior lecturer in the DWS and Co-Director of Nonreligion and Secularity Research Network (NSRN) argues that in order to understand conflict, one needs to not only look at individual experiences but also at what religious and nonreligious resources individuals draw on to help inform their ethical understandings and perceptions of the world. Listen to the 2018 NSRN Annual Lecture, 'Secular Powers and Heretic Undercurrents', by Samuli Schielke which originally accompanied this interview here: https://soundcloud.com/warstudies/nonreligion-and-war-studies Dr Stacey Gutkowski is a Senior Lecturer in Conflict Studies and Deputy Co-Director of the Centre for the Study of Divided Societies at King’s College London. Prior to joining King’s she was an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of International Relations, University of Sussex; a Visiting Scholar at the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, Arizona State University; and a Research Associate with the Religion and Ethics in the Making of War and Peace Programme, University of Edinburgh.

In his first speech as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson once again invited comparisons with his political hero Winston Churchill, suggested that British 'pluck and nerve' were needed to deliver Brexit and mobilised Britain's ports, banks, factories and more on a quasi-war footing. In light of this, here is an interview recorded for the D-Day commemorations which provides a more rounded perspective of British history through a key episode of the Second World War. Dr Jonathan Fennell discusses the frailty and trauma of the British war experience, Churchill’s objections to the Normandy landings, and the importance not just of the great individuals, but of collective effort of millions of ordinary people in winning the war.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City’s gay district, Greenwich Village on June 28, 1969. This event was monumental in the progression of queer rights being a part of human rights. 50 years on, progress has been made with same sex acts becoming legal and being accepted within most parts of society. However, when it comes to safety and security, very little research and data is in place to accurately represent and more importantly protect the queer community. Dr Jamie J. Hagen, Visiting Fellow of Centre for Women, Peace and Security at the London School of Economics and Politics joined King’s College London’s Senior Lecturer in Security Studies Dr Amanda Chisholm to discuss transgender rights and why we need to queer security studies.

Date of Publication: 28/06/2019 Description: Today, the state of human rights in China appears to be at its worse since the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. According to Human Rights Watch, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to increase its hold over government bureaucracy and has subsumed state bodies in charge of religious, ethnic, and overseas Chinese affairs. Chinese authorities have also significantly increased repression and systematic abuse against religious groups, especially the Turkic Muslims in China’s Xinjiang region, and have continued the arbitrary detention, torture, and enforced disappearance of dissenters and human rights defenders. Human rights abuses on China’s mainland are very concerning, especially when considering this state’s place in global politics and economic relations. China’s growing power in the international system makes it an exporter of human rights abuse and has allowed China to extend its reach to silence many of its critics across the globe. However, dissenters and human rights defenders in China’s free, autonomous territories such as Hong Kong are obviously the communities that are most at risk of falling victim to human rights abuse by mainland China. Earlier this month, we saw mass protests take place in Hong Kong in opposition to a now-suspended bill that would have allowed mainland China to extradite individuals from Hong Kong to stand trial. This bill would have removed any protection that the people of Hong Kong had from mainland China’s arbitrary and inhumane criminal justice system. On 16 June, nearly 2 million protesters took to the streets in Hong Kong to express their concerns and resistance to being subject to mainland China’s criminal justice system and successfully pressured leadership to suspend the bill. In this edition of the War Studies Podcast, we asked Benedict Rogers, founder and chair of the human rights organization Hong Kong Watch, to tell us about the state of human rights in China and the recent protests in Hong Kong around the now suspended extradition bill. Interviewee bio: Benedict Rogers specialises in human rights in Asia. He is also co-founder and Chair of Hong Kong Watch. He is the author of six books, and a regular contributor to international media including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Guardian, the Diplomat, The Catholic Herald, and The Huffington Post. and has appeared regularly on the BBC, CNN, Sky News and Al-Jazeera. He is the author of The Darkest Moment: The Crackdown on Human Rights in China 2013-2016. Benedict is a frequent speaker in universities, schools and conferences around the world. He has testified at hearings in the British Parliament, the US Congress, the European Parliament and the Japanese Parliament. He has a BA in History and Politics from Royal Holloway, University of London, and an MA in China Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). Hong Kong Watch website: https://www.hongkongwatch.org/ War Studies Live Stream - China 30 Years After the Tiananmen Massacre (Ben Rogers): https://www.facebook.com/WarStudies/videos/783991868662508/

The TV series Chernobyl has brought nuclear power back to the public's attention, at precisely the same time as concern about climate change is at record levels. Many see nuclear power as key to curbing carbon emissions and preventing climate change. but do we really have to accept its risks in order to get to a carbon free future? And do the nuclear capacity figures stack up? This week King’s College London brought academics and industry figures to discuss nuclear energy and climate security. On the podcast hear Dr Simon Chin-Yee, a researcher at King's, discuss his work on the global impacts of climate change and the choices we must make to mitigate further human costs. After that, Philippe Costs, Senior Advisor at the World Nuclear Association, makes the case for nuclear energy in a speech recorded on 13 June at King's College London.

Date of Publication: 01/06/2019 Description: In this week’s podcast, we are going to learn about a fascinating new book on Military Virtues and how military ethics training can improve decision making in the field. Then, we will change tracks to the domain of art and conflict to explore how art can add to analytical research methodologies used in international relations (IR) with the members of the Truth Tellers Pilot study, which seeks to examine the unspeakable aspects of the response to the 2017 Manchester Arena Attack through newly develop art-IR methodologies. Interviewees: Military Virtues https://www.howgatepublishing.com/product-page/militaryvirtues Professor David Whetham, Professor of Ethics and the Military Profession at the Defence Studies Department and Co-editor of Military Virtues. Learn more about Prof Whetham's work here: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/whetham-dr-david Truth Tellers Project https://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/warstudies/research/groups/arts/truthtellers/index Tom de Freston, artist and writer based in Oxford and member of the Truth Tellers Project. Mariah Whelan is a poet and academic based in The Centre for New Writing at The University of Manchester. Dr Pablo de Orellana, Lecturer in International Relations at the Department of War Studies. Dr Christiana Spens, Lecturer and Writer in the School of International Relations at the University of St. Andrews.

In 2017 Qatar was subjected to a blockade by its neighbours, led by Saudi Arabia, which severely restricted its trading and transport links. Two years on the diplomatic crisis has not been resolved. In this podcast, Dr Andreas Krieg of the Defence Studies Department at King's College London discusses the blockade, in particular the ways that narratives were weaponised by Qatar's rivals to justify and build support for their actions both domestically and overseas. Qatar's reaction to this crisis is also discussed.

Date of Recording: 25/04/2019 Description: Speaker: Michael Talbot, University of Greenwich When we think of the Ottoman Empire, we tend to think of them as a terrestrial empire. Yet as well as being ‘sultan of the two lands’, the Ottoman sovereign was also ‘ruler of the two seas’. In part, the relative lack of attention paid to Ottoman imperial discourses over water stems from a notion that, following key naval defeats in the 16th century, the Ottomans simply withdrew from the Mediterranean, leaving it to the mercy of foreign forces, old and new. This paper will argue that in the eighteenth century, the Ottoman state rejuvenated its approach to empire at sea, and instituted a number of new mechanisms to protect its subjects in the Eastern Mediterranean, often at the request of the inhabitants of its islands and coasts. Using sources from Ottoman, British, and French archives, this paper aims to demonstrate that the Ottoman state utilised a number of rhetorical, legal, and military measures to exert its authority in what it claimed as its territorial waters in the Mediterranean Sea. Michael Talbot is Senior Lecturer in the History of the Ottoman Empire and Modern Middle East. His first book, British-Ottoman Relations, 1661-1807, examined the development of diplomatic practices between London and Istanbul in the 18th century, and he has researched (among other topics) the history of Ottoman maritoriality in the same period. Hosted by the Laughton Naval History Unit of the Sir Michael Howard Centre for the History of War on behalf of the British Commission for Maritime History and the Society for Nautical Research

Date of Publication: 26/04/2019 Description: Across the School of Security Studies at KCL, students are given unique opportunities to apply the knowledge and skills that they learn throughout their courses by participating in research projects, conflict simulations, and even journalism. Students of Dr Peter Busch’s BA module ‘New Wars, New Media, New Journalism’ were tasked with producing 5min podcasts, covering events and guest lectures held within the School of Security Studies. In this podcast, we are going to listen to three outstanding student projects from Dr Busch’s BA module. You will hear from Eleanor Fishleigh on last year’s event ‘Art and Reconciliation: a conversation’, Cory Turner on the topic of wargaming in discussion with Prof Philip Sabin, and Robert Adderley on T.V. Paul’s book talk ‘Restraining Great Powers’. ____________________________________________ If you would like to learn more about the topics discussed here and about student opportunities within the School of Security Studies, please visit our website at kcl.ac.uk/security-studies

Date of Publication: 13/04/2019 Description: This podcast is part of the War Studies New Voices series which showcases emerging research from our PhD community. Emily Brown researches the ways in which torture and prisoner abuse narratives in American popular culture have helped to conceptualise the practice of judicial torture. Since the attacks on US soil on September 11th, 2001, it has become increasingly obvious that torture is considered acceptable in fictional representations of American counter-terror practices, even if only in extraordinary circumstances. What has been largely ignored, however, is the part popular culture has played in normalising the extraordinary into ordinary, everyday practice. The way in which we understand torture relies on how we consume popular culture, which presents torture as an unpleasant but unremarkable past occurrence that has been integrated into the ordinary. Helene Olsen studies the relationship between mercenaries and legitimacy. She looks at how mercenaries have been objected against and de-legitimised using specific speech-acts – moral objections – and how these seem to transcend historical settings. She explores the tension between the extensive use of mercenaries in warfare and the apparent moral opposition to their presences and actions and suggests that mercenaries are objected against and de-legitimised when they behave as disruptors of the ideal polity. In this edition, Emily Brown and Helene Olsen discuss areas where their research may overlap and diverge.

Date of Publication: 16 March 2019 Description: What is the future of security and development in an uncertain world? On the 7th and 8th of March, students from KCL’s Conflict Security and Development (CSD) MA course in the Dept. of War Studies and students from the International Development Department in the School of Global Affairs held the 2019 student-led CSD titled ‘Building Stability: Security and Development futures in an uncertain world’ to address this very question. For this conference, students brought together rich and diverse panels of practitioners and experts from government, academia, and the private sector to address many topics and key debates around the future of security and development in fragile states, ranging from private investment and resilience building to the functionality of multilateral organisations and the role of state actors. In this edition of the War Studies podcasts we are going to hear from CSD MA candidate and conference co-chair Andrea Naranjo and the CSD programme director Prof Mats Berdal about this year’s student-led conference. ______________________________ For more information and news on upcoming events, please visit our website at kcl.ac.uk/warstudies.

Date of Publication: 2/03/2019 Description: What are Extralegal groups in the context of post-conflict societies? How can trade play a role in state building? And how do we define a ‘good’ state? These are just a few questions we discussed with Dr Christine Cheng, Lecturer in the DWS and author of the recent book, Extralegal groups in post-conflict Liberia: How trade makes the state’. In her latest book, Dr Cheng writes, ‘Where the state is weak and political authority is contested, where rule of law is corrupted and government distrust runs deep, extralegal groups can provide order and dispute resolution, forming the basic kernel of the state.’ Drawing on fieldwork and socio-historical analysis, Dr. Cheng explains how extralegal groups were incentivized to provide basic forms of governance as they attempted to form a stable commercial environment during Liberia’s transition from war to peace. Her recent book has highlighted many important questions around state formation and how the West should approach post-conflict societies. Bio: Christine Cheng is Lecturer in War Studies at King’s College London. Her research on post-conflict transitions sits at the intersection of international relations and comparative politics (with a focus on the politics of West Africa). Dr Cheng is the co-editor of Corruption and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding: Selling the Peace? (with Dominik Zaum). Her forthcoming book on Extralegal Groups (Oxford University Press) explores how ex-combatants affected statebuilding processes after the end of civil war in Liberia. It will be published by Oxford University Press. Christine is the Course Director for the MA in Conflict, Security, and Development (CSD), and she is affiliated with King's Centre for Politics, Philosophy, and Law, and King's Gender Studies. Christine holds a DPhil from Oxford (Nuffield College) and an MPA from Princeton University (Woodrow Wilson School). Previously, she was the Bennett Boskey Fellow in Politics at Exeter College, University of Oxford. In 2009, she was the Cadieux-Léger Fellow at Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Christine has an undergraduate degree in systems design engineering (BASc) from the University of Waterloo. She has worked for the UN Commission on Human Security, the World Bank's Gender Group, Environment Canada, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. She is a commentator on international affairs for a variety of media outlets including the BBC, the Wall Street Journal, al Jazeera, Radio France International, and Real Clear World. Christine serves as the faculty advisor for the CSD Annual Conference, as well as the student-run Strife blog and journal. She blogs at christinescottcheng.wordpress.com and tweets @cheng_christine. Extralegal groups: https://christinescottcheng.wordpress.com/extralegal-groups/ ________________________ For more news and information on upcoming events, please visit our website at kcl.ac.uk/warstudies _________________________ This podcast was produced by Kirk Allen (Twitter: @_KirkAllen)

Date of publication: 12/02/2019 Description: Researchers and students of war and global security often look to the past to better understand developments in the present. So, how might the history of Nuclear weapons help us understand today’s security challenges? The advent of nuclear weapons caused a significant shift in the perceived cost of war between great powers due to the sheer power of nuclear arsenals. In turn, the unacceptable risk and danger of nuclear war necessitated the establishment of many international treaties that seek to prevent the use, proliferation and spread of nuclear weapons, along with providing a route to eventual disarmament. Many of the multilateral and bilateral treaties developed during the Cold War era, such as the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which currently has 190 state parties with North Korea’s withdrawal, and the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty between Russia and the US, which has recently been suspended by both parties, are still at the centre of many salient debates and international security challenges today. The relevance of these treaties in contemporary debate is one reason why the history of nuclear weapons and related treaties is important for understanding and contextualising contemporary issues. Recognising the relevance of nuclear history, the Centre for Science and Security Studies (CSSS) brought together a panel of its experts in the DWS to discuss what we can draw from the history of weapons to help us understand contemporary security challenges. After this panel on the 25 Jan, we had the opportunity to speak to three of the panellists, Drs Nicola Leveringhaus, Hassan El Bahtimy, and Daniel Salisbury, about their research and the panel’s overarching theme. But first I caught the panel’s chair and Head of the School of Security Studies, Prof Wyn Bowen, for a brief interview. We asked Prof Bowen to explain what CSSS’s aim was in bringing this panel on Nuclear History together. Bio: - Prof Wyn Bown is Head of School for the School of Security Studies at King's College London, comprising the Defence Studies Department (DSD) and the Department of War Studies. He is also Co-Director of the Centre for Science & Security Studies (CSSS) at King’s. A list of Prof Wyn Bowen's academic publications can be found here:https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/person.aspx?id=2948654e-fe79-4fce-a1c7-64682a0579c0 - Dr Nicola Leveringhaus joined the Department as a Lecturer in War Studies in September 2016. She specialises in the International Relations of Asia, with a focus on China and the security of that region as it relates to nuclear weapons. Dr Leveringhaus is affiliated to the Asian Security & Warfare Research Group and the Centre for Science and Security Studies and the Centre for Grand Strategy in the Department of War Studies. A list of Dr. Leveringhaus's academic publications can be found here: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/person.aspx?id=f180d264-8c59-46f8-b57f-5159888bfb63 - Dr Hassan Elbahtimy is a Lecturer in Science and Security at the War Studies Department. I hold a PhD and MA in Science and Security from the War Studies Department, a Diplôme d'Université - (D.U.) in International Nuclear Law from the University of Montpellier, and M.B.B.Ch (Medicine) Cairo University. A list of Dr. Elbahtimy's academic publications can be found here: https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/hassan.elbahtimy.html - Daniel Salisbury is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Science and Security Studies (CSSS) within the Department of War Studies. Daniel joined CSSS in July 2018 from the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs where he was a Stanton Nuclear Security Postdoctoral Fellow. A list of Dr Salisbury's academic publications can be found here: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/person.aspx?id=18bb282b-e599-4b95-8389-1d23d6f6a2be _________________ This podcast was produced by Kirk Allen (Twitter: @_KirkAllen)

Date of Publication: 02/02/2019 Description: In November 2018 The Marjan-Marsh Prize awarded by the Department of War Studies in partnership with the Marsh Christian Trust was presented to Milan Ruzic, President of the Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia (BPSSS). This award is given annually to someone who has made an invaluable contribution to an area where conflict and conservation overlap. The Marsh Christian Trust was started in 1981 by businessman Brian Marsh to honour ‘unsung heroes’; since then the portfolio of awards has grown to over 70 across a wide spectrum that includes conservation, arts, heritage and social welfare. After the 1990’s Balkan wars, many of the paramilitary groupings morphed into criminal syndicates running everything from guns, humans, drugs, illegal cigarettes and more. A lesser known stream of illegal activity is the trade in wild birds, which are plentiful in the Balkans due to its location as a major fly-way between Africa and Europe. The trade is fuelled mainly in two ways: dead birds for human consumption, delivered throughout Europe, and a thriving shooting/hunting trade focused on quail and doves when hundreds can be shot in a day. All of this occurs despite a raft of international laws either forbidding this trade or restricting the shooting to certain periods. Milan Ruzic from the Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia received this award in recognition of his work to stop this illegal trade. He is the first European recipient of the Marjan Marsh award for conservation. During his visit to King’s to receive the award Milan was asked about the aims of BPSSS and about the risks that he and his colleagues face. Previous recipients include; (2012): John Kahekwa: from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Founder of the Pole Pole Foundation (POPOF) in Bukavu, in eastern DRC, the foundation works in the Kahusi-Biega National Park, home of the Graurer’s or Eastern Lowland gorilla, by providing sustainable development in an area that has known terrible bloodshed. (2013): Dr Sonali Ghosh: from India. Awarded for her work on the Manas Project which works to protect the biodiversity in the much contested Manas eco-region in the Himalayas, focusing on the conservation of the Bengal tiger. (2017): ‘Community Wildlife Ambassadors’: from South Sudan, Western Equatoria region. While the world’s youngest country grapples with legacies of conflict, famine and atrocity wildlife plays a crucial role as the National Parks and Game Reserves provide ‘islands’ of stability and security. ____________________________ For more news and information on upcoming events, please visit our website at kcl.ac.uk/warstudies

Date of Publication: 19/01/2019 Description: We are going to kick off 2019 by exploring the development of international criminal law and justice, starting from the year 1919. Following the end of the First World War, the Allied nations of Britain, France and Italy agreed to try the former German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II before an international criminal tribunal, while the US stood largely opposed to such an unprecedented trial. During the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, International lawyers converged to debate on the development and application of international criminal justice for the first time and recommended that the Kaiser should be tried for war crimes. In order to break an impasse in negotiations between the US and the other Allied nations on the trial of the Kaiser, US President Woodrow Wilson would relent, agreeing to try the Kaiser for what he termed as a 'supreme offence against international morality'. This would become a part of the official wording Article 227 of the Treaty of Versailles, which called for the Kaiser’s trial. However, with the Kaiser successfully obtaining asylum in the Netherlands and the subsequent refusal of the Dutch to hand him over, the trial would never take place. Despite the Allied powers’ failed attempt to prosecute the Kaiser, this moment in history bears a special significance for the development of international criminal law and justice and marks the beginning of many salient legal debates present today, particularly those around the prosecution of a head of state. To help us further explore the importance of this moment to the development of international criminal law and Justice, Kirk Allen had the opportunity to speak with renowned international legal expert Prof William Schabas about his recent book, ‘The Trial of the Kaiser’. Also, following our interview with Prof Schabas, we will hear from one of the DWS’ own international legal experts, Dr Rachel Kerr, who focuses on international law, war crimes, and transitional justice. In our interview, we will discuss the development of international criminal law and justice since the Treaty of Versailles and discuss some of the successes and shortcomings of today's international legal institutions such the International Criminal Court (ICC). Bios: - Prof William A. Schabas, has been called 'the world expert on the law of genocide and international law.' He is Professor of international law at Middlesex University in London, Professor of International Law and Human Rights at Leiden University, distinguished visiting faculty at Sciences Po in Paris, and honorary chairman of the Irish Centre for Human Rights. He is the author of more than twenty books in the fields of human rights and international criminal law. He drafted the 2010 and 2015 United Nations quinquennial reports on the death penalty and was a member of the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Professor Schabas is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Royal Irish Academy since 2007. Publications: https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=kiCThLQAAAAJ&hl=en 'The Trial of the Kaiser' - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-trial-of-the-kaiser-9780198833857?cc=gb&lang=en& - Dr Rachel Kerr is a Reader in International Relations and Contemporary War in the Department of War Studies, King’s College London. She joined the Department as a Lecturer in 2003, teaching on War Studies Online programmes, having previously worked in academic publishing for Polity Press. Dr. Kerr holds a BA in International History and Politics from the University of Leeds and an MA and PhD in War Studies from King’s College London. Dr. Kerr co-directs the War Crimes Research Group. She also co-chair the BISA International Law and Politics Working Group and the London Transitional Justice Network. Publications: https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=8CXWqx0AAAAJ&hl=en

Date of Publication: 07/12/2018 Description: The capabilities and the efficiency displayed by Russia’s military during its annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its subsequent air campaign over Syria not only surprised the world but also signalled that Russia was once again a significant military actor. This evidence of an apparent Russian military revival, among other recent events, has increased tensions between Russia and its neighbors as well as NATO and has led many to highlight Russia’s latest military advancements and operations as a major turning point in the post-Cold War era. However, Dr Bettina Renz, associate professor at the University of Nottingham and author of the recent book, ‘Russia’s Military Revival’, argues that although Russia’s recent actions have created serious concerns, this so-called ‘military revival’ may not appear to be as significant of a turning point when put into historical context. So, what is the significance of Russia’s ‘military revival’? On the 16th of November, the DWS and Dr. Natasha Kuhrt, lecturer in the Dept. and co-convener of the Departmental Research Group on Russian and Eurasian Security, hosted Dr. Bettina Renz for a talk on her recent book. But, before this talk, Natasha and Kirk Allen had the opportunity to discuss the significance of Russia’s military revival and its potential threat with our guest lecturer. You can access the recording of Bettina Renz's talk by following this link: https://soundcloud.com/warstudies/event-russias-military-revival _______________________________ For more news and information on upcoming events, please visit our website at kcl.ac.uk/warstudies

Date of Publication: 09/11/2018 Description: The impact of the First World War can be observed throughout history and is even felt today as we commemorate the sacrifices made during this devastating war. In light of the end of the First World War Centenary, Kirk Allen met up with Drs. Aimee Fox and Nick Lloyd from the School of Security Studies' Defence Studies Department to discuss the importance of commemoration and the FWW's influence on the future of warfare. Additionally, this podcasts includes a short interview with William Philpot, Professor of the History of Warfare in the Department of War Studies, on the significance of the ending of the FWW and the lessons we can reasonably draw. __________________ After listening to this podcast, check out one of our past event recordings on the complexities of the First World War: http://bit.ly/2un6EFG __________________ For more news and information on upcoming events, please visit our website at KCL.AC.UK/WarStudies.