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War Studies

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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-studies Sign up to our mailing list: https://kcl.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=cc0521a63c9b286223dea9d18&id=730233761d 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.

Episodes

Watching the Jackals: Cold War Terror, Espionage, and Prague’s Secret Role

How did communist Czechoslovakia become a hub for Cold War terrorists like Carlos the Jackal and Abu Daoud? And what can today’s intelligence professionals learn from its uneasy covert alliances? In this episode, Dr Daniela Richterova, Senior Lecturer in Intelligence Studies at the Department of War Studies, joins Dorothea Gioe, Visiting Research Fellow at the King’s Centre for the Study of Intelligence, to discuss her new book Watching the Jackals. Drawing on newly declassified archives, she re...

May 21, 202548 min

Spying in South Asia: Cold War Intelligence and the Making of Modern India

How did Cold War intelligence operations shape postcolonial India’s domestic politics and international alignments? Why did Western agencies prioritise relationships with Indian counterparts while publicly decrying non-alignment? And what can today’s policymakers learn from the legacies of covert cooperation in the Global South? In this episode, Dr Paul McGarr, Lecturer in Intelligence Studies in the Department of War Studies, discusses his latest book Spying in South Asia. He explores the compl...

May 16, 202555 min

From rebels to rulers: Who are Syria’s new leaders?

In December 2024, the Assad regime in Syria was overthrown. Today, Ahmed al-Sharaa is acting as the interim president of Syria, at the head of a new transitional government. What will the future look like for Syria under its new leader? Will the coalition of rebel factions be able to work together to build a stable future for Syrians? Dr Nafees Hamid, Dr Rahaf Aldoughli, Nils Mallock and Broderick McDonald discuss their research surveying and interviewing Syrian rebel fighters both before and af...

Apr 17, 202550 min

How behavioural science can pave the way to peace in Colombia

In 2016, the Colombian government signed a historic peace agreement with guerilla group the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, also known as FARC. The agreement brought an end to 52 years of war, but today, eight years after the agreement was ratified, Colombia is still not at peace. In this episode, Dr Nafees Hamid and Dr Andrés Casas discuss the motivations of guerilla group members in Colombia, public attitudes towards the 2016 peace agreement, and how behavioural science can facilitate ...

Apr 03, 202553 min

The national and transnational dynamics of Iraq's Islamic Resistance landscape

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) is considered a key player in Iran’s Axis of Resistance, and its connection to the state security forces in Iraq has raised concerns about its access to power and position. But the IRI isn’t a cohesive organisation; it’s made up of armed factions which have their own agendas and domestic interests to pursue, and not all of these align with Iran’s. In this episode, Dr Craig Larkin, Dr Inna Rudolf, and Dr Renad Mansour discuss the domestic and transnational int...

Mar 19, 202542 min

Eyes on the Indo-Pacific: Australia’s Defence Strategy

What does the future of Australia's defence strategy look like in the face of rising geopolitical tensions? How are shifting dynamics in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic influencing Australia’s approach to security? What role do partnerships like AUKUS play in shaping Australia’s military readiness for both the present and future? In this episode, Admiral David Johnston AC RAN, the Australian Chief of the Defence Force, joins Professor Alessio Patalano to discuss these pressing issues. They ex...

Jan 26, 202553 min

The fall of Assad and its impact on international dynamics

What does the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime mean for the future of Syria and the broader Middle East? How might the rise of Abu Mohammed al-Jolani reshape Syria’s governance and regional alliances? Can the rebel leader overcome immense challenges to stabilise the country, or will his leadership lead to further turmoil? In this episode, Dr Shiraz Maher, Senior Lecturer, Dr Craig Larkin, Reader in Middle East Politics and Peace and Conflict Studies, and Siba Madwar, a journalist from Aleppo and...

Dec 21, 202445 min

The legacy of the Yezidi genocide with Mirza Dinnayi

In 2014, the self-styled Islamic State committed genocide against the Yezidi population in Iraq. To mark the anniversary of the genocide, Dr Inna Rudolf speaks to renowned Yezidi human rights advocate Mirza Dinnayi about what life is like for the Yezidi community 10 years on from the genocide. Inna and Mirza discuss justice and accountability, the geopolitical situation in the Yezidis’ ancestral homeland, and what still needs to be done to support the community as they deal with a legacy of disc...

Dec 05, 202447 min

Trump and the future of the Russia-Ukraine war

What would Trump’s return to the White House mean for Ukraine’s future and Europe’s security? How might his strategy for the war in Ukraine differ from the current administration’s? Can he deliver on his pledge to end the conflict quickly, and what might his approach involve? In this episode, Dr Charlie Laderman, Dr Ruth Deyermond and Dr Barbara Zanchetta—Senior Lecturers in the Department of War Studies—delve into Trump’s stance on NATO, US-Russia relations, and his evolving approach to China, ...

Nov 25, 202454 min

The power of open-source intelligence with Henrietta Wilson

How is open-source data being used to uncover threats to human security, and what ethical challenges do practitioners face when working with open-source intelligence? In this episode, we delve into these questions with Henrietta Wilson, Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Science & Security Studies, King’s College London. Henrietta, co-editor of the recently published book ‘Open-Source Investigations in the Age of Google’, unpacks how digital tools have transformed the way we uncover,...

Sep 18, 202439 min

The Strugle for Taiwan with Professor Sulmaan Khan

What makes Taiwan such a crucial flashpoint in global politics? How has its historical journey shaped its current role on the world stage? In this special 'War Studies Podcast Live' episode, Dr Charlie Laderman, Senior Lecturer in International History, talks with Professor Sulmaan Khan of Tufts University about his latest book, ‘The Struggle for Taiwan’. From Taiwan’s significance during World War II and the Cairo Declaration of 1943, to the intricate dance of the US diplomacy during the Korean...

Sep 05, 20241 hr 1 min

The Great Global Rebalancing with Dr Samir Puri

Are we witnessing the decline of Western power and influence? What could this mean for the future of the global order? In this episode, Dr. Samir Puri—former UK diplomat and Visiting Lecturer in the Department of War Studies—delves into these critical questions and more. We discuss his new book, Westlessness: The Great Global Rebalancing, and explore the shifting dynamics of a world where Western dominance on the global stage is diminishing.

Aug 19, 202448 min

What is the ‘logic’ of intergroup conflict?

Why do groups enter into conflict when a peaceful resolution could be reached? Dr Nafees Hamid interviews Dr Hannes Rusch about his work examining the ‘logic’ of intergroup conflict. Dr Rusch talks us through the basic models which explain why groups might choose conflict, and highlights key questions that remain unanswered by the research. This research is being undertaken as part of a project called XCEPT, which is funded by UK International Development from the UK government; however, the vie...

Jun 26, 20241 hr 2 min

Understanding conflict trauma and mental health in South Sudan

*This episode was recorded in early March 2024, before the recent escalation of violence in Sudan. South Sudan may be the youngest country in the world, but it’s already undergone a huge amount of violence – and the ongoing civil war in Sudan looks set to bring further instability. In this episode, Dr Costanza Torre and Dr Fiona McEwen discuss XCEPT’s research in South Sudan, which aims to understand how experiences of conflict may lead someone to engage in violent, instead of peaceful, behaviou...

Jun 20, 202433 min

Building resilience to violent extremism

What makes a person or a community resilient to violent extremism? Are these inherent characteristics or are they something that can be taught? ‘Resilience’ has become a buzzword in the field of countering violent extremism (CVE), but how useful is it? In this episode, Federica Calissano interviews Dr Nafees Hamid about the benefits and drawbacks of CVE initiatives which focus on building resilience to violent extremism. Read Federica’s blog post: What do we mean when we talk about ‘resilience’ ...

Jun 12, 202451 min

How greening initiatives can help promote peace

After two decades of violent conflict in the city of Mosul, Iraq, Dr Omar Mohammed, founder of the Mosul Eye organisation, started a tree-planting initiative to help bring communities together. In the United States, Dr Marc Zimmerman examined how greening and improvement initiatives reduced crime in cities that had suffered economic decline. In this episode, Dr Omar Mohammed and Dr Marc Zimmerman, interviewed by Dr Nafees Hamid, discuss the role of greening initiatives in these two different con...

Jun 06, 20241 hr 3 min

Nuclear security and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant with Dr Ross Peel

How has the Russian occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant impacted nuclear security and safety? In this podcast episode we explore nuclear security and safety and the Russian occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant with Dr Ross Peel, a Research Fellow in the Department of War Studies and the Centre for Science & Security Studies.

May 31, 202430 min

Wargaming: Playing out uncertainty with Dr David Banks

Wargaming has surged in popularity in recent years, drawing substantial financial backing from militaries, governments and the private sector alike. But what are wargames and how are they being used within the defence industry to navigate present and future conflicts? In this episode, Dr David Banks, Lecturer in Wargaming and co-director of King's Wargaming Network at King’s College London, guides us through the complex world of wargaming and its different applications. He talks us through some ...

May 02, 202446 min

The experiences of displaced Ukrainian women with Dr Daryna Dvornichenko

“So far, six million Ukrainians are estimated to have left the country to flee Russia's full-scale invasion. And because of military service requirements in Ukraine, most of these refugees are women. In some host countries, such as Italy, Poland and Estonia, the share of women among Ukrainian refugees exceeds 80%”, says Dr Daryna Dvornichenko a Visiting Research Fellow at The Dickson Poon School of Law at King’s College London and the University of Oxford. In conversation with Nandana Thipperudr...

Mar 15, 202432 min

What do current conflicts tell us about the world today and our prospects for peace?

**We're bringing you a special episode of the World: we got this podcast** As the war in Ukraine enters its third year, there is also ongoing fighting in Gaza, attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea and subsequent US and UK air strikes. This has prompted some to warn we are moving from a post-war to a pre-war world. In this latest episode, Dr Marina Miron, a post-doctoral researcher in the Department of War Studies, explores whether we are in a time of increased conflicts, what lies behind the cu...

Feb 24, 202444 min

Israel and conflict memory in Lebanon

Series: Breaking Cycles of Conflict As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah continues to escalate, Dr Craig Larkin and Bronte Philips reflect on what this means for the people of Lebanon. They explore how the escalation of violence is reigniting traumatic memories of conflict with Israel, how past experiences are shaping attitudes in the present, and why the current conflict risks cementing tensions amongst the country’s diverse populations. *This episode was recorded in January 2024. Infor...

Feb 19, 202427 min

Violent extremism and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

Tens of thousands of children currently live in dire conditions in Al Hol camp in Syria – and there are concerns this makes them vulnerable to radicalisation and recruitment. But what is the evidence behind this? Caterina Ceccarelli examines what we know about the link between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and violent extremism, and explores the pathways by which experiencing tough and potentially traumatic events in childhood might turn someone to extremism later in life. This research i...

Feb 01, 202427 min

Translating the stories of conflict-affected populations

A translator’s job is to take something in one language and convert it to another – but when you’re translating the stories of people affected by conflict, how do you ensure your own feelings don’t get in the way? In this episode, Mohamad El Kari, translator on the XCEPT project, speaks about the personal and professional challenges he faces in the course of his work. He explores the importance of understanding local culture, the need to remain sensitive to different interpretations of a word or...

Jan 25, 202427 min

Israel-Hamas war: The rules of armed conflict with Professor Emily Crawford

Israel’s military response to the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas has been subject to much discussion. In a two-part series, we consider specific questions related to the use of force, jus ad bellum, and the laws governing the conduct of hostilities, means, and methods of warfare, referred to as jus in bello. In this episode, Dr Maria Varaki, Lecturer in International Law at King’s College London talks to Dr Emily Crawford, Professor at the University of Sydney Law School, about the application o...

Jan 22, 202438 min

Addressing male conflict trauma

Content warning: This episode contains mentions of sexual violence, self-harm, and suicide. Series: Breaking Cycles of Conflict Dr Heidi Riley and Beth Heron discuss their research into conflict trauma in men and boys, exploring how stigmas and societal expectations can affect the way trauma is experienced, and the dangers to individuals, communities, and wider society if this trauma is left unaddressed. Offering insights from their in-depth study of two psychosocial support (PSS) programmes del...

Jan 18, 202455 min

Growing up in violent extremist families

Series: Breaking Cycles of Conflict "Imagine that dad is a neo-Nazi, mum has joined a jihadist group" As governments across Europe face the challenge of reintegrating returnees from Iraq and Syria, Dr Joana Cook examines institutional and societal responses to children growing up in violent extremist affiliated families. Dr Cook talks to Dr Fiona McEwen about the different ways a child’s life can be impacted when a family member is involved in violent extremism, why the narrative of ‘ticking tim...

Jan 11, 202437 min

Reconciliation and reconstruction in post-conflict Iraq

Series: Breaking Cycles of Conflict "Let’s imagine tomorrow Mosul is brick by brick exactly what it was like before ISIS took over – the city has still fundamentally changed." In this episode, Dr Craig Larkin, Dr Inna Rudolf, and Dr Rajan Basra explore issues surrounding post-conflict reconstruction, reconciliation, and recovery in Iraq. Sharing insights from their research trip to Iraq, the trio discuss the hurdles faced by local practitioners, disillusionment with the ‘industry of peacebuildin...

Jan 04, 202456 min

Israel-Hamas war: International Law and the Use of Force with Professor Marko Milanovic

Israel’s military response to the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas has been subject to much discussion. In a two-part series, we consider specific questions related to the use of force, jus ad bellum, and the laws governing the conduct of hostilities, means, and methods of warfare, referred to as jus in bello. In this episode, Dr Maria Varaki, Lecturer in International Law at King’s College London, speaks to Marko Milanovic, Professor of Public international Law at the University of Reading and pr...

Dec 19, 202338 min

COP28 and Climate Security with Dr Pauline Heinrichs

Can countries work together at COP28 to agree on effective global actions for addressing climate change? In this episode we speak to Dr Pauline Heinrichs, Lecturer on climate and energy in the Department of War Studies, about the potential impact of COP28, the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference. We explore the complexities surrounding international agreements to combat climate change and delve into the factors and agendas that impede governments from significantly reducing their relia...

Dec 09, 202337 min

Estimative Intelligence in European Foreign Policymaking

What are the dynamics of intelligence and foreign policy in Europe? The editors of the book “Estimative Intelligence in European Foreign Policymaking”, Professor Michael Goodman, Professor Christoph Meyer, Dr Nikki Ikani, Dr Eva Michaels and Dr Aviva Guttmann, evaluate the performance of the UK, the EU, and Germany during times of surprise, from the Arab uprisings to the rise of ISIS and the Russian annexation of Crimea.

Nov 13, 202346 min
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