Shahbaz Taseer

Please note that this episode contains material of a highly sensitive nature including kidnapping, violence and abuse that may be triggering for some individuals.In late August 2011, a few months after the assassination of his father Salmaan Taseer, Governor of Punjab, Mr Shahbaz Taseer was dragged from his car at gunpoint and kidnapped by a group of Taliban affiliated militants called the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan(IMU). For almost five years Mr Taseer was held captive, moved from Mir Ali to Zabul Afghanistan, frequently tortured and forced to endure extreme cruelty, his fate resting on his kidnappers’ impossible demands and the uneasy alliances between his captors, the Taliban and ISIS. Dr Rajan Basra, Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and post-doctoral researcher on the XCEPT programme, speaks to Mr Shahbaz Taseer about his experience and the release of his memoir "Lost To The World - A memoir of faith, family and five years in terrorist captivity". They discuss the details of his kidnapping and the impact it has had on his life since.Read Shahbaz Taseer's memoir: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/437701/lost-to-the-world-by-taseer-shahbaz/9780552175357

Please note that this episode contains material of a highly sensitive nature including kidnapping, violence and abuse that may be triggering for some individuals. In late August 2011, a few months after the assassination of his father Salmaan Taseer, Governor of Punjab, Mr Shahbaz Taseer was dragged from his car at gunpoint and kidnapped by a group of Taliban affiliated militants called the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan(IMU). For almost five years Mr Taseer was held captive, moved from Mir Ali to Zabul Afghanistan, frequently tortured and forced to endure extreme cruelty, his fate resting on his kidnappers’ impossible demands and the uneasy alliances between his captors, the Taliban and ISIS. Dr Rajan Basra, Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and post-doctoral researcher on the XCEPT programme, speaks to Mr Shahbaz Taseer about his experience and the release of his memoir "Lost To The World - A memoir of faith, family and five years in terrorist captivity". They discuss the details of his kidnapping and the impact it has had on his life since. Read Shahbaz Taseer's memoir: <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/437701/lost-to-the-world-by-taseer-shahbaz/9780552175357" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/437701/lost-to-the-world-by-taseer-shahbaz/9780552175357</a>

Five years in terrorist captivity with Shahbaz Taseer

‘I think people are willing to sacrifice, and go through all sorts of pain, but it can’t just be for oneself. There has to be some higher reasoning to it’. In this episode, we are joined once again by Dr Nafees Hamid, cognitive scientist, Senior Research Fellow at the ICSR, and Research and Policy Director on the XCEPT project at King’s College London. We’ll be discussing identity in the West, the crisis of individualism, and the space this creates for extremism to flourish. Taking a more in-depth view of Dr Hamid’s observations of psychology at a societal level, we discuss his upcoming book proposal, what inspired him to focus his research on this topic, and what it tells us about Western society. This research is being undertaken as part of a UK aid funded project called XCEPT, which aims to understand the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour in conflict-affected populations – and to find solutions that support peace. Find out more about XCEPT at xcept-research.org.

‘I think people are willing to sacrifice, and go through all sorts of pain, but it can’t just be for oneself. There has to be some higher reasoning to it’. In this episode, we are joined once again by Dr Nafees Hamid, cognitive scientist, Senior Research Fellow at the ICSR, and Research and Policy Director on the XCEPT project at King’s College London. We’ll be discussing identity in the West, the crisis of individualism, and the space this creates for extremism to flourish. Taking a more in-depth view of Dr Hamid’s observations of psychology at a societal level, we discuss his upcoming book proposal, what inspired him to focus his research on this topic, and what it tells us about Western society. This research is being undertaken as part of a UK aid funded project called XCEPT, which aims to understand the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour in conflict-affected populations – and to find solutions that support peace. Find out more about XCEPT at <a href="http://xcept-research.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">xcept-research.org</a>.

Society, Sacrifice, and Devotion

In the latest episode of the Breaking Cycles of Conflict mini-series, Dr Heidi Riley is joined by Dr Gina Vale to discuss how trauma can affect efforts to reintegrate ex-combatants. Dr Riley explores the different ways in which trauma can be experienced by combatants, and why this makes an individual’s reintegration into post-conflict society so complex.This research is being undertaken as part of a UK aid funded project called XCEPT, which aims to understand the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour in conflict-affected populations – and to find solutions that support peace. Find out more about XCEPT at xcept-research.orgN.B. Since this episode was recorded, Dr Gina Vale has left the XCEPT project and King’s College London. She continues to work on these issues in her current position as Lecturer of Criminology at the University of Southampton.

In the latest episode of the Breaking Cycles of Conflict mini-series, Dr Heidi Riley is joined by Dr Gina Vale to discuss how trauma can affect efforts to reintegrate ex-combatants. Dr Riley explores the different ways in which trauma can be experienced by combatants, and why this makes an individual’s reintegration into post-conflict society so complex. This research is being undertaken as part of a UK aid funded project called XCEPT, which aims to understand the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour in conflict-affected populations – and to find solutions that support peace. Find out more about XCEPT at <a href="http://xcept-research.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">xcept-research.org</a> N.B. Since this episode was recorded, Dr Gina Vale has left the XCEPT project and King’s College London. She continues to work on these issues in her current position as Lecturer of Criminology at the University of Southampton.

Trauma and the reintegration of ex-combatants

In the latest episode of the Breaking Cycles of Conflict mini-series, we are joined by Dr Nafees Hamid, Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) and Research and Policy Director for the Cross-Border Conflict Evidence, Policy and Trends (XCEPT) research programme. A cognitive scientist focusing on the social side of cognitive research, Dr Hamid talks us through his work looking at the neuroimaging of radicalised individuals. Questioning the dominant rational actor model, he instead proposes a different approach to understanding what makes radicalised individuals ‘tick’. This research is being undertaken as part of a UK aid funded project called XCEPT, which aims to understand the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour in conflict-affected populations – and to find solutions that support peace. Find out more about XCEPT at xcept-research.org.

In the latest episode of the Breaking Cycles of Conflict mini-series, we are joined by Dr Nafees Hamid, Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) and Research and Policy Director for the Cross-Border Conflict Evidence, Policy and Trends (XCEPT) research programme. A cognitive scientist focusing on the social side of cognitive research, Dr Hamid talks us through his work looking at the neuroimaging of radicalised individuals. Questioning the dominant rational actor model, he instead proposes a different approach to understanding what makes radicalised individuals ‘tick’. This research is being undertaken as part of a UK aid funded project called XCEPT, which aims to understand the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour in conflict-affected populations – and to find solutions that support peace. Find out more about XCEPT at <a href="http://xcept-research.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">xcept-research.org</a>.

Neuroimaging of Radicalisation

As the conflict in Syria passes its 12th anniversary, one civil society body is trying to pave the way to peace. The Council of the Syrian Charter calls for social cohesion built around a common social heritage that transcends political affiliation. In this podcast episode, Dr Craig Larkin and Dr Inna Rudolf are joined by Syrian lawyer and founder of the Council, Dr Naseef Naeem; journalist and Middle East expert, Daniel Gerlach; and Council member, Tambi Qassem, who share their thoughts on overcoming the obstacles of civil war, the Council’s work, and how Syrian civil society ‘bears the key to the exacerbation or relief of the conflict’. This research is being undertaken as part of a UK aid funded project called XCEPT, which aims to understand the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour in conflict-affected populations – and to find solutions that support peace. Find out more about XCEPT at xcept-research.org.

As the conflict in Syria passes its 12th anniversary, one civil society body is trying to pave the way to peace. The Council of the Syrian Charter calls for social cohesion built around a common social heritage that transcends political affiliation. In this podcast episode, Dr Craig Larkin and Dr Inna Rudolf are joined by Syrian lawyer and founder of the Council, Dr Naseef Naeem; journalist and Middle East expert, Daniel Gerlach; and Council member, Tambi Qassem, who share their thoughts on overcoming the obstacles of civil war, the Council’s work, and how Syrian civil society ‘bears the key to the exacerbation or relief of the conflict’. This research is being undertaken as part of a UK aid funded project called XCEPT, which aims to understand the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour in conflict-affected populations – and to find solutions that support peace. Find out more about XCEPT at <a href="http://xcept-research.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">xcept-research.org</a>.

Council of the Syrian Charter

In this episode of the Breaking Cycles of Conflict mini-series, Paul Gill, Professor of Security and Crime Science at University College London, discusses his research into lone actor terrorists and the complex link between mental health and terrorism with Professor Ted Barker. The pair talk about how coping mechanisms, stigma, and protective factors shape an individual’s motivations to join a terrorist group or to commit acts of violence.This research is being undertaken as part of a UK aid funded project called XCEPT, which aims to understand the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour in conflict-affected populations – and to find solutions that support peace. Find out more about XCEPT at xcept-research.org.

In this episode of the Breaking Cycles of Conflict mini-series, Paul Gill, Professor of Security and Crime Science at University College London, discusses his research into lone actor terrorists and the complex link between mental health and terrorism with Professor Ted Barker. The pair talk about how coping mechanisms, stigma, and protective factors shape an individual’s motivations to join a terrorist group or to commit acts of violence. This research is being undertaken as part of a UK aid funded project called XCEPT, which aims to understand the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour in conflict-affected populations – and to find solutions that support peace. Find out more about XCEPT at <a href="http://xcept-research.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">xcept-research.org</a>.

What makes a violent lone actor? Exploring the role of mental health

Why is there support for Putin's invasion of Ukraine? How has the Kremlin framed the war? What will be the long-term impact of the war on Russia? In this episode, we spoke to Dr Jade McGlynn, a Senior Researcher in the Department of War Studies and the author of 'Russia's War', a book that explores the attitudes and opinions behind the support for the invasion of Ukraine and popularity of Vladimir Putin.Dr McGlynn argues that the conflict can't be solved in Ukraine because the problem lies in Russia's "social and political imagination of itself". We explore this idea, looking at what Russian citizens are being told by politicians and the media, and the historical underpinnings that are shaping the Kremlin's narrative and attitudes towards the invasion. Focusing on the impact of the war on Russia, we get her opinions on the outcome of the conflict, because if the war can't be won on the battlefield, are there any potential solutions to end Russia's War on Ukraine?Read 'Russia's War': https://www.amazon.co.uk/Russias-War-Jade-McGlynn-ebook/dp/B0BX4V4V5F

Why is there support for Putin's invasion of Ukraine? How has the Kremlin framed the war? What will be the long-term impact of the war on Russia? In this episode, we spoke to Dr Jade McGlynn, a Senior Researcher in the Department of War Studies and the author of 'Russia's War', a book that explores the attitudes and opinions behind the support for the invasion of Ukraine and popularity of Vladimir Putin. Dr McGlynn argues that the conflict can't be solved in Ukraine because the problem lies in Russia's "social and political imagination of itself". We explore this idea, looking at what Russian citizens are being told by politicians and the media, and the historical underpinnings that are shaping the Kremlin's narrative and attitudes towards the invasion. Focusing on the impact of the war on Russia, we get her opinions on the outcome of the conflict, because if the war can't be won on the battlefield, are there any potential solutions to end Russia's War on Ukraine? Read 'Russia's War': <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Russias-War-Jade-McGlynn-ebook/dp/B0BX4V4V5F" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Russias-War-Jade-McGlynn-ebook/dp/B0BX4V4V5F</a>

Russia's War: Unravelling the Kremlin's narrative

How can testimony and storytelling help us understand the suffering and trauma of victims of conflict? Why is the act of bearing witness to trauma politically important in terms of raising awareness, healing, and reconciliation?   In this episode, Dr Pablo De Orellana, Lecturer at War Studies, sits down with two authors, Professor Minoli Salgado and Gareth Owen, who retold stories of trauma in conflict. Together, they explore the emotional divide between those who suffer and those who impose suffering in conflict. They also discuss how trauma is politicised after it has happened, highlighting the emotional and psychological aspects of trauma and aid work.

How can testimony and storytelling help us understand the suffering and trauma of victims of conflict? Why is the act of bearing witness to trauma politically important in terms of raising awareness, healing, and reconciliation? In this episode, Dr Pablo De Orellana, Lecturer at War Studies, sits down with two authors, Professor Minoli Salgado and Gareth Owen, who retold stories of trauma in conflict. Together, they explore the emotional divide between those who suffer and those who impose suffering in conflict. They also discuss how trauma is politicised after it has happened, highlighting the emotional and psychological aspects of trauma and aid work.

Making Sense of Trauma

Why is it important to give women a voice in the study of war and security? Are women considered in military strategies and post-conflict reconstruction?   In this special edition for International Women's Day, we talk to Dr Amanda Chisholm about the role of women in conflict, discussing her latest book 'The Gendered and Colonial Lives of Gurkhas in Private Security: From Military to Market'. Dr Chisholm also talks about her experience as a researcher in Gender and Security Studies, exploring the main challenges women face in academia and how we could break inequalities.

Why is it important to give women a voice in the study of war and security? Are women considered in military strategies and post-conflict reconstruction?    In this special edition for International Women's Day, we talk to Dr Amanda Chisholm about the role of women in conflict, discussing her latest book 'The Gendered and Colonial Lives of Gurkhas in Private Security: From Military to Market'. Dr Chisholm also talks about her experience as a researcher in Gender and Security Studies, exploring the main challenges women face in academia and how we could break inequalities.

Where are the women? Exploring the experiences of women in conflict

King's College London postdoctoral researcher, Marina Miron, talks to the War Studies Podcast as we reflect on the first 365 days of Russia's 'Special Military Operation' in Ukraine.Using her knowledge of Russian military strategy, information warfare, and technology, we explore what has happened, why, and what it could mean for the future of global security.

King's College London postdoctoral researcher, Marina Miron, talks to the War Studies Podcast as we reflect on the first 365 days of Russia's 'Special Military Operation' in Ukraine. Using her knowledge of Russian military strategy, information warfare, and technology, we explore what has happened, why, and what it could mean for the future of global security.

365 days of war in Ukraine: What have we learned?

Welcome to the War Studies podcast. We bring you world-leading research from the School of Security Studies at King’s College London, the largest community of scholars in the world dedicated to the study of all aspects of security, defence and international relations. We aim to explore the complex realm of conflict and uncover the challenges at the heart of navigating world affairs and diplomatic relations, because we believe the study of war is fundamental to understanding the world we live in and the world we want to live in.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, please rate and review us on your preferred podcast provider – it really helps us reach more listeners. The School of Security Studies harnesses the depth and breadth of expertise across War Studies and Defence Studies to produce world-leading research and teaching on issues of global security that develops new empirical knowledge, employs innovative theory, and addresses vital policy issues. Visit our website: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/security-studiesSign up to our mailing list: https://kcl.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=cc0521a63c9b286223dea9d18&amp;id=730233761dDISCLAIMER: Any information, statements or opinions contained in these podcasts are those of the individual speakers. They do not represent the opinions of the Department of War Studies or King's College London.

Fantastic podcast, but much of the learning comes from the Q&amp;As they no longer post.

Bring back the Q&As at the end of lectures

The content is valuable and interesting... when I can hear it.  I’ve tried this podcast a number of times but the audio quality seems to be getting worse.  I hope they turn it around.

Unusable audio quality

Welcome to the War Studies podcast. We bring you world-leading research from the School of Security Studies at King’s College London, the largest community of scholars in the world dedicated to the study of all aspects of security, defence and international relations. We aim to explore the complex realm of conflict and uncover the challenges at the heart of navigating world affairs and diplomatic relations, because we believe the study of war is fundamental to understanding the world we live in and the world we want to live in. If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, please rate and review us on your preferred podcast provider – it really helps us reach more listeners. The School of Security Studies harnesses the depth and breadth of expertise across War Studies and Defence Studies to produce world-leading research and teaching on issues of global security that develops new empirical knowledge, employs innovative theory, and addresses vital policy issues. Visit our website: <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/security-studies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.kcl.ac.uk/security-studies</a> Sign up to our mailing list: <a href="https://kcl.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=cc0521a63c9b286223dea9d18&amp;id=730233761d" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://kcl.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=cc0521a63c9b286223dea9d18&amp;id=730233761d</a> DISCLAIMER: Any information, statements or opinions contained in these podcasts are those of the individual speakers. They do not represent the opinions of the Department of War Studies or King's College London.

War Studies

Joseph Nye

Event recording from 6th of June 2017Inaugural Annual Lecture with Guest Speaker Professor Joseph Nye, with introduction by Dr Neville Bolt, Director of the King's Centre for Strategic Communications. Joseph S. Nye Jr., University Distinguished Service Professor, and former Dean of the Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

Event recording from 6th of June 2017 Inaugural Annual Lecture with Guest Speaker Professor Joseph Nye, with introduction by Dr Neville Bolt, Director of the King's Centre for Strategic Communications. Joseph S. Nye Jr., University Distinguished Service Professor, and former Dean of the Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

Professor Joseph Nye: “I’m much more worried about the rise of Trump than the rise of China”

Date of recording: 13/06/2018 Description: On the 13th of June, the School of Security Studies hosted its annual Understanding Complex Conflicts research conference, which showcased some of the research currently underway in the Departments of War Studies and Defence Studies. As the centenary of the First World War is nearing a close, the first panel of this research conference was dedicated to the exploration of the complexities of the Great War. This panel covered topics such as military innovation and politics in the British Army and the resolution and commemoration of the First World War.   Let's listen in on this fascinating panel, starting with an introduction of our panelists by panel chair and Director of the First World War Centenary Cultural Programme, Jenny Waldman.  Panel: The First World War  Chair:   Jenny Waldman, Director of the First World War Centenary Cultural Programme.  Panelists:   Aimee Fox: ‘Military Innovation and the Politics of Command in the British Army, 1914-1918’.  Bill Philpott: A Complex Security Challenge: Resolving the First World War  Helen McCartney: ‘Commemoration and the First World War in Britain’. Remember, for more news and information about our upcoming events, please visit our website at kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/warstudies.

Date of recording: 13/06/2018 Description: On the 13th of June, the School of Security Studies hosted its annual Understanding Complex Conflicts research conference, which showcased some of the research currently underway in the Departments of War Studies and Defence Studies. As the centenary of the First World War is nearing a close, the first panel of this research conference was dedicated to the exploration of the complexities of the Great War. This panel covered topics such as military innovation and politics in the British Army and the resolution and commemoration of the First World War. Let's listen in on this fascinating panel, starting with an introduction of our panelists by panel chair and Director of the First World War Centenary Cultural Programme, Jenny Waldman. Panel: The First World War Chair: Jenny Waldman, Director of the First World War Centenary Cultural Programme. Panelists: Aimee Fox: ‘Military Innovation and the Politics of Command in the British Army, 1914-1918’. Bill Philpott: A Complex Security Challenge: Resolving the First World War Helen McCartney: ‘Commemoration and the First World War in Britain’. Remember, for more news and information about our upcoming events, please visit our website at <a href="http://kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/warstudies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/warstudies</a>.

Event: Understanding Complex Conflicts: The First World War

Event recording from 4/12/2017; introductory remarks by Dr Natasha Kuhrt. Professor Sakwa explores how the tension between Russia and the Atlantic community mirrored a fundamental realignment of the international system from the late 1980s onwards. He provides a new analysis of the end of the Cold War and the subsequent failure to create a comprehensive and inclusive peace order in Europe. The end of the Cold War did not create a sustainable peace system. Instead, for a quarter of a century a 'cold peace' reflected the tension between cooperative and competitive behaviour. None of the fundamental problems of European security were resolved, and tensions accumulated.Speaker biography:Richard Sakwa is Professor of Russian and European Politics at the University of Kent.  Prof. Sakwa is an Associate Fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Russian, European and Eurasian Studies (CREES) at the University of Birmingham and since September 2002 a member of Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences. His latest book, 'Russia Against the Rest: The Post-Cold War Crisis of World Order' is published October 2017 with Cambridge University Press.This event was a Russian and Eurasian Security Seminar in association with the King's Russia Institute.

Event recording from 4/12/2017; introductory remarks by Dr Natasha Kuhrt. Professor Sakwa explores how the tension between Russia and the Atlantic community mirrored a fundamental realignment of the international system from the late 1980s onwards. He provides a new analysis of the end of the Cold War and the subsequent failure to create a comprehensive and inclusive peace order in Europe. The end of the Cold War did not create a sustainable peace system. Instead, for a quarter of a century a 'cold peace' reflected the tension between cooperative and competitive behaviour. None of the fundamental problems of European security were resolved, and tensions accumulated. Speaker biography: Richard Sakwa is Professor of Russian and European Politics at the University of Kent. Prof. Sakwa is an Associate Fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Russian, European and Eurasian Studies (CREES) at the University of Birmingham and since September 2002 a member of Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences. His latest book, 'Russia Against the Rest: The Post-Cold War Crisis of World Order' is published October 2017 with Cambridge University Press. This event was a Russian and Eurasian Security Seminar in association with the King's Russia Institute.

Event: The Clash of The New World Orders

Donald Trump

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/

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. <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1787381897/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1787381897/</a>

Podcast: Is Donald Trump’s war on terror all bluster?

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: 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: <a href="https://soundcloud.com/warstudies/event-russias-military-revival" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://soundcloud.com/warstudies/event-russias-military-revival</a> For more news and information on upcoming events, please visit our website at <a href="http://kcl.ac.uk/warstudies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">kcl.ac.uk/warstudies</a>

Podcast: What is the Significance of Russia's 'Military Revival'?

What made the transition of hegemonic power from British to American dominance uniquely cooperative and nonviolent?In this podcast, Dr Kori Schake analyses the so-called “special relationship” between the United States and the United Kingdom. One of her main argument is that the transition of hegemonic power between the United Kingdom and the United States was peaceful primarily because both countries shared similar domestic ideologies. But how will this special relationship continue under the Trump administration? Dr Kori Schake is a distinguished research fellow at the Hoover Institute. She is the editor, with Jim Mattis, of the book Warriors and Citizens: American Views of Our Military. She teaches "Thinking About War" at Stanford University, is a contributing editor at the Atlantic, and also writes for War on the Rocks and Foreign Policy. The KCL Centre for Grand Strategy hosted a public lecture by Dr. Kori Schake on the subject of her most recent book, Safe Passage: The Transition from British to American Hegemony (Harvard University Press). Dr Schake's lecture was live-streamed and can be accessed here: http://bit.ly/2AwLg3v This podcast was produced by Ivan Seifert.UPCOMING EVENTS AT KING'S COLLEGE LONDONCOMPETING MEMORIES: TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION IN SIERRA LEONE AND PERU 12th December | 18:30-19:30 | Bush House 8th Floor North SideRSVP: http://bit.ly/2kET2EtDr Rebekka Friedman brings her unique perspective to the challenges of transitional justice in post-conflict societies. How do the peoples of nations begin healing after tremendous trauma and loss?FEMALE ENGAGEMENT IN HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS17th January | 18:00-19:30 | War Studies Meeting Room (K6.07)RSVP: http://bit.ly/2jwkYasOur panel will discuss the creation and evolution of FETs as well as examine how these programmes have shaped the role of women in the military. Our panellists will also explore models of female engagement in hostile environments and the future of military leadership. Register here.KING'S ENGAGED IN AFRICA: SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT RSVP: http://bit.ly/2yP2WYTOrganised by the Africa Research Group (War Studies, KCL) and the African Leadership Centre (KCL), King’s Engaged in Africa showcases the work of King’s College London researchers actively engaged in and with the African continent, and draws on perspectives from the wider African research community. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Security and Development’ broadly defined. For more information about upcoming events in the Department of War Studies at King's College London, visit: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/warstudies/events/index.aspx

What made the transition of hegemonic power from British to American dominance uniquely cooperative and nonviolent? In this podcast, Dr Kori Schake analyses the so-called “special relationship” between the United States and the United Kingdom. One of her main argument is that the transition of hegemonic power between the United Kingdom and the United States was peaceful primarily because both countries shared similar domestic ideologies. But how will this special relationship continue under the Trump administration? Dr Kori Schake is a distinguished research fellow at the Hoover Institute. She is the editor, with Jim Mattis, of the book Warriors and Citizens: American Views of Our Military. She teaches "Thinking About War" at Stanford University, is a contributing editor at the Atlantic, and also writes for War on the Rocks and Foreign Policy. The KCL Centre for Grand Strategy hosted a public lecture by Dr. Kori Schake on the subject of her most recent book, Safe Passage: The Transition from British to American Hegemony (Harvard University Press). Dr Schake's lecture was live-streamed and can be accessed here: <a href="http://bit.ly/2AwLg3v" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2AwLg3v</a> This podcast was produced by Ivan Seifert. UPCOMING EVENTS AT KING'S COLLEGE LONDON COMPETING MEMORIES: TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION IN SIERRA LEONE AND PERU 12th December | 18:30-19:30 | Bush House 8th Floor North Side RSVP: <a href="http://bit.ly/2kET2Et" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2kET2Et</a> Dr Rebekka Friedman brings her unique perspective to the challenges of transitional justice in post-conflict societies. How do the peoples of nations begin healing after tremendous trauma and loss? FEMALE ENGAGEMENT IN HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS 17th January | 18:00-19:30 | War Studies Meeting Room (K6.07) RSVP: <a href="http://bit.ly/2jwkYas" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2jwkYas</a> Our panel will discuss the creation and evolution of FETs as well as examine how these programmes have shaped the role of women in the military. Our panellists will also explore models of female engagement in hostile environments and the future of military leadership. Register here. KING'S ENGAGED IN AFRICA: SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT RSVP: <a href="http://bit.ly/2yP2WYT" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2yP2WYT</a> Organised by the Africa Research Group (War Studies, KCL) and the African Leadership Centre (KCL), King’s Engaged in Africa showcases the work of King’s College London researchers actively engaged in and with the African continent, and draws on perspectives from the wider African research community. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Security and Development’ broadly defined. For more information about upcoming events in the Department of War Studies at King's College London, visit: <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/warstudies/events/index.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/warstudies/events/index.aspx</a>

Podcast: The US-UK Special Relationship

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 &amp; 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 &amp; 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: 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: <ul> <li>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 &amp; Security Studies (CSSS) at King’s. </li> </ul> A list of Prof Wyn Bowen's academic publications can be found here:<a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/person.aspx?id=2948654e-fe79-4fce-a1c7-64682a0579c0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/person.aspx?id=2948654e-fe79-4fce-a1c7-64682a0579c0</a> <ul> <li>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 &amp; Warfare Research Group and the Centre for Science and Security Studies and the Centre for Grand Strategy in the Department of War Studies. </li> </ul> A list of Dr. Leveringhaus's academic publications can be found here: <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/person.aspx?id=f180d264-8c59-46f8-b57f-5159888bfb63" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/person.aspx?id=f180d264-8c59-46f8-b57f-5159888bfb63</a> <ul> <li>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 <a href="http://M.B.B.Ch" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">M.B.B.Ch</a> (Medicine) Cairo University.</li> </ul> A list of Dr. Elbahtimy's academic publications can be found here: <a href="https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/hassan.elbahtimy.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/hassan.elbahtimy.html</a> <ul> <li>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.</li> </ul> A list of Dr Salisbury's academic publications can be found here: <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/person.aspx?id=18bb282b-e599-4b95-8389-1d23d6f6a2be" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/person.aspx?id=18bb282b-e599-4b95-8389-1d23d6f6a2be</a> This podcast was produced by Kirk Allen (Twitter: @_KirkAllen)

Podcast: Drawing from Nuclear History to Understand Today's Challenges

Brendan Simms

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.

Event: Brendan Simms - Hitler: A  Global Biography

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.

Podcast: Legal Investigations of War Crime - 6th episode of 'Experts' podcast series

Date of Recording: 25/04/2019Description:Speaker: Michael Talbot, University of GreenwichWhen 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 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

Event: Protecting the Mediterranean

Patricia Lewis

Event recording from 19th of May 2017Dr Patricia M Lewis is the Research Director, International Security at Chatham House. Her former posts include Deputy Director and Scientist-in-Residence at the Center for Non-proliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies; Director of UNIDIR; and Director of VERTIC in London. Dr Lewis served on the 2004-6 WMD Commission chaired by Dr Hans Blix; the 2010-2011 Advisory Panel on Future Priorities of the OPCW chaired by Ambassador Rolf Ekeus; and was an adviser to the 2008-10 International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND) chaired by Gareth Evans and Yoriko Kawaguchi. She holds a BSc (Hons) in physics from Manchester University and a PhD in nuclear physics from the Birmingham University. She is a dual national of the UK and Ireland. Dr Lewis is the recipient of the American Physical Society’s 2009 Joseph A Burton Forum Award recognizing 'outstanding contributions to the public understanding or resolution of issues involving the interface of physics and society'.

Event recording from 19th of May 2017 Dr Patricia M Lewis is the Research Director, International Security at Chatham House. Her former posts include Deputy Director and Scientist-in-Residence at the Center for Non-proliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies; Director of UNIDIR; and Director of VERTIC in London. Dr Lewis served on the 2004-6 WMD Commission chaired by Dr Hans Blix; the 2010-2011 Advisory Panel on Future Priorities of the OPCW chaired by Ambassador Rolf Ekeus; and was an adviser to the 2008-10 International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND) chaired by Gareth Evans and Yoriko Kawaguchi. She holds a BSc (Hons) in physics from Manchester University and a PhD in nuclear physics from the Birmingham University. She is a dual national of the UK and Ireland. Dr Lewis is the recipient of the American Physical Society’s 2009 Joseph A Burton Forum Award recognizing 'outstanding contributions to the public understanding or resolution of issues involving the interface of physics and society'.

Dr Patricia Lewis: How to Think About the Future of Peace

Date of publication: 21/09/2018 Description: On 4-6 Sept, the Connections UK wargaming conference, hosted by King’s College London, once again succeeded in bringing together wargaming users, practitioners and academics "to advance and sustain the art, science and application of wargaming." In light of this event, we are once again going to talk wargaming. Despite how it sounds, Wargaming is not necessarily a leisure activity. Although war games are interesting and thrilling to play, many of these games are played in order to simulate and model armed conflict without the actual use of force. Through these wargames practitioners in the armed forces and academics alike often seek to better understand the dynamics of past and even future conflicts. In this edition of the War Studies Podcast, we are going hear from three of this year’s Connections UK organisers and participants broadly about wargaming in the academic and professional contexts as well as wargame design.  Interviewees:   Prof Philip Sabin, Prof of Strategic Studies   Jim Wallman, Director of Stone, Paper, Scissors   Anna Nettleship, Former Arabic Linguist in the US Military and War Studies MA Student   Featured recording;  Prof Wyn Bowen, Head of the School of Security Studies  This podcast was produced by Kirk Allen.

Date of publication: 21/09/2018 Description: On 4-6 Sept, the Connections UK wargaming conference, hosted by King’s College London, once again succeeded in bringing together wargaming users, practitioners and academics "to advance and sustain the art, science and application of wargaming." In light of this event, we are once again going to talk wargaming. Despite how it sounds, Wargaming is not necessarily a leisure activity. Although war games are interesting and thrilling to play, many of these games are played in order to simulate and model armed conflict without the actual use of force. Through these wargames practitioners in the armed forces and academics alike often seek to better understand the dynamics of past and even future conflicts. In this edition of the War Studies Podcast, we are going hear from three of this year’s Connections UK organisers and participants broadly about wargaming in the academic and professional contexts as well as wargame design. Interviewees: <ul> <li> Prof Philip Sabin, Prof of Strategic Studies </li> <li> Jim Wallman, Director of Stone, Paper, Scissors </li> <li> Anna Nettleship, Former Arabic Linguist in the US Military and War Studies MA Student </li> </ul> Featured recording; <ul> <li>Prof Wyn Bowen, Head of the School of Security Studies</li> </ul> This podcast was produced by Kirk Allen.

Podcast: Wargaming Today

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: 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 <a href="http://kcl.ac.uk/warstudies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">kcl.ac.uk/warstudies</a>.

Podcast: Building Stability (CSD Conference)

Date of Publication: 19/01/2019Description: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&amp;hl=en'The Trial of the Kaiser' - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-trial-of-the-kaiser-9780198833857?cc=gb&amp;lang=en&amp;- 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&amp;hl=en

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: <a href="https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=kiCThLQAAAAJ&amp;hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=kiCThLQAAAAJ&amp;hl=en</a> 'The Trial of the Kaiser' - <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-trial-of-the-kaiser-9780198833857?cc=gb&amp;lang=en&amp;" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-trial-of-the-kaiser-9780198833857?cc=gb&amp;lang=en&amp;</a> - 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: <a href="https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=8CXWqx0AAAAJ&amp;hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=8CXWqx0AAAAJ&amp;hl=en</a>

Podcast: From the Trial of the Kaiser to the ICC

Christine Cheng

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: 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 <a href="http://christinescottcheng.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">christinescottcheng.wordpress.com</a> and tweets @cheng_christine. Extralegal groups: <a href="https://christinescottcheng.wordpress.com/extralegal-groups/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://christinescottcheng.wordpress.com/extralegal-groups/</a> For more news and information on upcoming events, please visit our website at <a href="http://kcl.ac.uk/warstudies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">kcl.ac.uk/warstudies</a> This podcast was produced by Kirk Allen (Twitter: @_KirkAllen)

Podcast: Extralegal Groups with Dr Christine Cheng

Date of Recording: 15/10/2018 Description: Three recently retired top military leaders debate key security issues from North Korean brinkmanship to Cross Strait relations and China's rise as a maritime power. Speakers:   Admiral Chen Yeong-Kang, former Chief of Staff of the Republic of China's Navy and former President of the National Defence University   Admiral Tomohasi Takei, International Fellow with the US Naval War College and former Chief of Staff of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force   Admiral Scott Swift, MIT Center for International Studies Robert E. Wilhelm Fellow and former Commander of the US Pacific Fleet   Chair:  Alessio Patalano, Reader in East Asian Warfare &amp; Security at the Department of War Studies  For more news and information on upcoming events, please visit our website at KCL.AC.UK/WarStudies or follow us on Twitter.

Date of Recording: 15/10/2018 Description: Three recently retired top military leaders debate key security issues from North Korean brinkmanship to Cross Strait relations and China's rise as a maritime power. Speakers: <ul> <li> Admiral Chen Yeong-Kang, former Chief of Staff of the Republic of China's Navy and former President of the National Defence University </li> <li> Admiral Tomohasi Takei, International Fellow with the US Naval War College and former Chief of Staff of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force </li> <li> Admiral Scott Swift, MIT Center for International Studies Robert E. Wilhelm Fellow and former Commander of the US Pacific Fleet </li> </ul> Chair: <ul> <li>Alessio Patalano, Reader in East Asian Warfare &amp; Security at the Department of War Studies</li> </ul> For more news and information on upcoming events, please visit our website at <a href="http://KCL.AC.UK/WarStudies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">KCL.AC.UK/WarStudies</a> or follow us on Twitter.

Event: Three Admirals on The Indo-Pacific in the Age of Competition

Michael Dockrill

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

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 <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/events/saki-and-michael-dockrill-memorial-lecture-diplomatic-intelligence" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.kcl.ac.uk/events/saki-and-michael-dockrill-memorial-lecture-diplomatic-intelligence</a>

Event: Saki and Michael Dockrill Memorial Lecture - Diplomatic Intelligence

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: 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 <a href="http://kcl.ac.uk/warstudies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">kcl.ac.uk/warstudies</a>

Podcast: Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia (2018 Marjan-Marsh Award)

Michael Newman

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.

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.

Event: Michael Newman - Transitional Justice: Contending with the Past

Date of recording: 24/09/2018 Description: On the 24th of September, the Department of War Studies and the Conflict, Security and Development Research Group welcomed Jeff Colgan, Associate Professor at Brown University, for his talk titled, 'Should the US withdraw from the Middle East.'  According to Prof. Colgan, ‘over the past 25 years, US foreign policy outcomes in the Middle East have gone from more or less acceptable to downright awful.’ Arguably, the most notable US foreign policy failure in the region was the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, but to this day, US success in the Middle East is further challenged by complex conflicts, including those in Afghanistan and Syria, and is also impacted by the presence of terrorist organizations within Middle Eastern states faced with instability. Due to undesirable and costly outcomes in the past, many in Washington DC have contemplated whether the US should withdraw from the Middle East. However, if the US were to withdraw, this decision could not only impact US national interests but also have security consequences for the Middle East. Bio:  Jeff Colgan is the Richard Holbrooke Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Watson Institute for Public and International Affairs at Brown University. His research focuses on international order, especially as related to energy and the environment. His book, Petro-Aggression: When Oil Causes War, was published in 2013 by Cambridge University Press. He has published work in International Organization, Foreign Affairs, World Politics, International Security and elsewhere. He also occasionally blogs at the Monkey Cage and Foreign Affairs. On Twitter, he is @JeffDColgan. Prof. Colgan previously taught at the School of International Service of American University 2010-2014, and was a Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington DC in 2012-13. He completed his Ph.D. at Princeton University, and was a Canada-US Fulbright Scholar at UC Berkeley, where he earned a Master’s in Public Policy. Prof. Colgan has worked with the World Bank, McKinsey &amp; Company, and The Brattle Group. For more news and information on upcoming events, please visit our website at kcl.ac.uk/warstudies.

Date of recording: 24/09/2018 Description: On the 24th of September, the Department of War Studies and the Conflict, Security and Development Research Group welcomed Jeff Colgan, Associate Professor at Brown University, for his talk titled, 'Should the US withdraw from the Middle East.' According to Prof. Colgan, ‘over the past 25 years, US foreign policy outcomes in the Middle East have gone from more or less acceptable to downright awful.’ Arguably, the most notable US foreign policy failure in the region was the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, but to this day, US success in the Middle East is further challenged by complex conflicts, including those in Afghanistan and Syria, and is also impacted by the presence of terrorist organizations within Middle Eastern states faced with instability. Due to undesirable and costly outcomes in the past, many in Washington DC have contemplated whether the US should withdraw from the Middle East. However, if the US were to withdraw, this decision could not only impact US national interests but also have security consequences for the Middle East. Bio: Jeff Colgan is the Richard Holbrooke Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Watson Institute for Public and International Affairs at Brown University. His research focuses on international order, especially as related to energy and the environment. His book, Petro-Aggression: When Oil Causes War, was published in 2013 by Cambridge University Press. He has published work in International Organization, Foreign Affairs, World Politics, International Security and elsewhere. He also occasionally blogs at the Monkey Cage and Foreign Affairs. On Twitter, he is @JeffDColgan. Prof. Colgan previously taught at the School of International Service of American University 2010-2014, and was a Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington DC in 2012-13. He completed his Ph.D. at Princeton University, and was a Canada-US Fulbright Scholar at UC Berkeley, where he earned a Master’s in Public Policy. Prof. Colgan has worked with the World Bank, McKinsey &amp; Company, and The Brattle Group. For more news and information on upcoming events, please visit our website at <a href="http://kcl.ac.uk/warstudies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">kcl.ac.uk/warstudies</a>.

Event: Should the US withdraw from the Middle East?

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