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 ...
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The Great Global Rebalancing with Dr Samir Puri
48:11
48:11
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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 explo…
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What is the ‘logic’ of intergroup conflict?
1:02:09
1:02:09
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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 re…
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Understanding conflict trauma and mental health in South Sudan
32:33
32:33
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*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’…
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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 o…
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How greening initiatives can help promote peace
1:03:13
1:03:13
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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 thi…
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Nuclear security and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant with Dr Ross Peel
29:53
29:53
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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 Stud…
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Wargaming: Playing out uncertainty with Dr David Banks
46:18
46:18
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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 …
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The experiences of displaced Ukrainian women with Dr Daryna Dvornichenko
32:14
32:14
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“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 Vis…
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What do current conflicts tell us about the world today and our prospects for peace?
44:09
44:09
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**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 M…
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Series: Breaking Cycles of ConflictAs 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 presen…
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Violent extremism and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
26:37
26:37
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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…
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Translating the stories of conflict-affected populations
27:01
27:01
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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…
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Israel-Hamas war: The rules of armed conflict with Professor Emily Crawford
37:47
37:47
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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, Lectur…
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Content warning: This episode contains mentions of sexual violence, self-harm, and suicide. Series: Breaking Cycles of ConflictDr 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, communitie…
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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 Mc…
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Reconciliation and reconstruction in post-conflict Iraq
56:08
56:08
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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 in…
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Israel-Hamas war: International Law and the Use of Force with Professor Marko Milanovic
37:46
37:46
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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, Lectur…
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COP28 and Climate Security with Dr Pauline Heinrichs
36:43
36:43
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36:43
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 in…
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Estimative Intelligence in European Foreign Policymaking
45:45
45:45
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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…
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24 hours in Charlottesville with Nora Neus
38:10
38:10
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“White supremacy, hate groups and the alt-right movement thrive in secrecy and in dark places. Being able to bring this topic out into the light and have deeper conversations about what these people really stand for, and what they're willing to do in terms of violence, is important to understand the full brunt of the threat”. In this podcast episod…
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Making the military moral with Professor David Whetham
46:37
46:37
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How can we help the armed forces make the best decision when faced with impossible choices? What can we do to minimise the damage to soldiers’ mental health after conflict? And how can we save the highest number of lives?In this episode, we speak to Professor David Whetham of the Defence Studies Department about military ethics education. We explor…
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50 years after Chile's coup d'etat with Francisco Lobo
47:47
47:47
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"Reconciliation happens when my enemy tells me my story and I am able to say: ‘That is my story" - Stanley Hauerwas. 11 September 1973. Military forces attack La Moneda Palace, the Hawker Hunter plane launches rockets that hit the main wings of the building, fire echoes through the streets of Santiago, the body of President Salvador Allende is foun…
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Afghanistan after the Fall of Kabul with Dr Christine Cheng
46:49
46:49
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“They couldn’t scrape together enough food to feed a family… It was very, very, very desperate.”On August 15 2021, international troops withdrew from Afghanistan. Two years on, what has been the impact of the Taliban’s rule? How has the country experienced both conflict and peace? And with a significant humanitarian crisis affecting the country, wh…
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Five years in terrorist captivity with Shahbaz Taseer
55:22
55:22
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55:22
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 …
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‘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 Lon…
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