| Reflexive Control Theory: a Soviet perspective on influence and why it matters in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine |
Maria de Goeij provides a brilliant introduction to reflexive control theory, a Soviet theory of influence. Listen to learn more and appreciate how it can help us better understand today's world, including strategic decision making in hybrid warfare. |
Maria de Goeij |
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| Nation-Building in the Borderlands of a Borderland: A Cartographical Examination of the Russia-Ukraine War |
Dr Marnie Howlett presents an engaging and thought-provoking look at the cartographical causes and consequences of the war. She looks at Ukraine's position between East and West and the implications of its long history of shifting borders with Russia. |
Marnie Howlett |
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| Responsible Stakeholder or Challenger? Assessing India’s Foreign Policy Orientation via Leadership Travel |
Dr Walter Ladwig III presents on his excellent research project which seeks to explain India's foreign policy orientation by analysing the foreign travel patterns of Indian government leaders. |
Walter Ladwig III |
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| International Law, Politics and Ethics of Humanitarian Military Intervention |
Dr Iacovos Kareklas, Visiting Fellow at the Changing Character of War Centre (CCW), presents a strongly argued thesis that there is a legal and moral right to unilateral humanitarian intervention which dates back to the Peloponnesian War. |
Iacovos Kareklas |
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| The Scottish Court of Session Project: Learning from Legal Archives with Jim Ambuske |
In this episode, Grace talks to Dr Jim Ambuske, digital historian in residence at the Washington Library in Mount Vernon, Virginia, about his extensive work in digital legal history. |
Grace Mallon, Jim Ambuske |
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| The Strategies of Small States: Safeguarding Autonomy and Influencing Great Powers |
Dr Hillary Briffa looks at what characterises small states, their challenges, and the strategies they utilise to overcome these. She argues that small states can very successfully protect their autonomy and security, and exert considerable influence. |
Hillary Briffa |
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| Authoritarian Constitutionalism with Paul Fisher |
Grace Mallon talks to Paul Fisher, a practising barrister and academic lawyer, about his research into constitutional law in post-Soviet non-democracies. |
Grace Mallon, Paul Fisher |
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| Russian Perceptions of Conflict with Discussion of War in Ukraine |
Mark Galeotti discusses Russian perceptions of war and conflict. The differences between what is considered "war" vs "conflict" and how this changes between the military and civilian security establishments. In addition, the war in Ukraine is discussed. |
Mark Galeotti |
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| Douglass Day and the Colored Conventions Project: Nineteenth-Century Black Activism with Denise Burgher and Jim Casey |
The Quill Project Conventions Podcast |
Grace Mallon, Denise Burgher, Jim Casey |
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| The UN and the changing character of peacemaking: new tools and new thinking |
A discussion on the need for the UN to refocus its mission and retool itself to address increased incidence of intra-State conflict. |
Raja Karthikeya |
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| Illusions of Autonomy: why Europe cannot provide for its security if the United States pulls back |
How would Europe fare if the United States completely withdrew its security assurances and assistance? Dr Hugo Meijer argues that Europe would struggle to mount a collective, autonomous defence capacity vis-a-vis a resurgent Russia. |
Hugo Meijer |
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| Russian Strategy in the Social Media Battlefield |
What strategies do states and nonstate actors use when engaging in disinformation and malign manipulation of the information environment? What do they do and why, and how successful is it? And what can be done to combat it? |
David Gioe |
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| Military Strategy in the 21st Century: The Challenge for NATO |
Hear from Professor Janne Matlary, co-editor of this recent publication, as well as two contributing authors: Steiner Torset and Anders Sookermany |
Janne Haaland Matlary, Rob Johnson |
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| CCW 2021 Annual Lecture: British Defence Policy: Reviews and Redirections |
In light of the Integrated Review this year, what other military reviews have there been and what was their impact? Peter Watkins (former Director General in the UK MoD) looks back at previous military reviews and discusses continuing themes. |
Peter Watkins |
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| Emerging Military Technologies: A New Military Revolution? |
How are new technologies impacting the conduct of war? And what will be the impact more broadly on our societies and, in particular, our understandings of time, space, and self. |
Olivier Schmitt |
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| The Central Role of Space Domain Awareness in Future Military Conflicts |
As space becomes increasingly central in military planning and strategy development, what is the current situation and what capabilities (and weaknesses) currently exist? |
Stuart Eves |
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| Integration – The Goldilocks Factor |
What is better integration? More integration may not be the simple answer for militaries like the US and UK. |
Alan Brown |
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| Reconstructing Reconstruction: Constitutionalism and the End of Slavery with Kiana McAllister and Erica Croft |
Grace Mallon talks to Kiana McAllister and Erica Croft about the work they're doing on the Reconstruction Amendments with Quill, and what this original research can tell us about these brief, but transformative items of American Constitutional law. |
Grace Mallon, Kiana McAllister, Erica Croft |
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| Hidden Laws: State Constitutions and National Change with Robinson Woodward-Burns |
Grace Mallon and Nicholas Cole talk to Robinson Woodward-Burns about his new book 'Hidden Laws: How State Constitutions Stabilise American Politics.' |
Grace Mallon, Robinson Woodward-Burns, Nicholas Cole |
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| Poor Lord Wensleydale: A Beginner's Guide to the British Constitution with Robert Saunders |
Grace Mallon and Nicholas Cole talk to Robert Saunders about what makes Britain's constitution unique and what challenges it faces in a turbulent period for UK politics and government. |
Grace Mallon, Nicholas Cole, Robert Saunders |
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| Accident and Force: Making American Constitutions with Nicholas Cole |
Grace Mallon and Nicholas Cole discuss how a historian learns to code, where the idea of a Constitutional Convention came from, and what's next for the Quill Project. |
Grace Mallon, Nicholas Cole |
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| Looking forward to the next 100 years of the Osma Studentship |
Dr Mariam Rosser-Owen, Osma Student ‘99–00, head curator of the Arab World collections at the V&A, traces with a specialist eye the collection at the Instituto and her research there, followed by an expert roundtable on the future of the Studentship. |
Mariam Rosser-Owen, Carole Souter, Miriam Ali de Unzaga, Xenia Elsaesser |
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| Osma Students from the past: The stories of British novelist Inez Pearn, first woman to hold the studentship ‘35–36, and Dr Alan Forey, Osma Student ‘56–57 and '57–58 |
Simon Deefholts and Louisa Long, grand-daughter of Inez Pearn, talk about her time in Madrid before the Civil War as a source of inspiration for her novels. Dr Alan Forey, reader emeritus at the University of Durham, recalls his studentship in the 1950s. |
Simon Deefholts, Alan Forey, Louisa Long |
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| Stories of past de Osma Students and a journey through the Bodleian Archives exploring the history of the studentship |
Osma Student ‘93–94 Dr Bruce Taylor speaks on his experiences in Madrid and predecessors who have passed, and centenary-organiser Dr Marina Pérez de Arcos shares her archival research on the history of the first modern Spanish endowment at Oxford. |
Bruce Taylor, Marina Perez de Arcos |
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| An archival apprenticeship experience and a biographical profile of Guillermo de Osma |
Introduced by Bodley’s Librarian Richard Ovenden, Prof Duncan Wheeler speaks on his experience as a studentship holder in 2009, and art historian Guillermo de Osma shares a biographical profile of his great-granduncle. |
Richard Ovenden, Duncan Wheeler, Guillermo de Osma |
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| Conflict and Wellbeing Deprivation in sub-Saharan Africa |
Ricardo Nogales gives a talk for the Changing Character of War seminar series. |
Ricardo Nogales |
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| Unpacking the Refugees-Terrorism Nexus |
Sara Polo, University of Essex, gives a talk for the Changing Character of War seminar series. |
Sara Polo |
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| The Russian Understanding of War |
Oscar Jonsson, Stockholm Free World Forum, gives a talk for the Changing Character of War Programme. |
Oscar Jonsson |
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| Terrorism and Recent Developments in Human Rights |
Lord John Alderdice gives a talk for the Changing Character of War seminar series. |
John Alderdice |
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| A Westphalia for the Middle East? |
This talk will discuss the parallels between the Thirty Years War and today’s Middle East and suggest ways in which lessons drawn from the congress and treaties of Westphalia. |
Patrick Milton |
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| The Consequences of Refugee Repatriation for Stayees: A Threat to Stability and Sustainable Development? |
Using longitudinal data from Burundi collected in 2011 and 2015, this paper explores the consequences of repatriation for stayee households i.e. those who never left the country during the conflict |
Carlos Vargas-Silva |
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| Why the Responses to Address Intrastate Armed Conflicts fail? |
Michael von der Schulenburg will discuss the shortcomings of the UN Charter to regulate foreign military interventions and paradoxes in UN peacekeeping |
Michael von der Schulenburg |
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| The Law and Practice of Cross-border Humanitarian Relief Operations: Syria as Case Study |
Dapo Akande and Emanuela-Chiara Gilliard from ELAC (Oxford) discuss humanitarian relief in Syria |
Dapo Akande, Emanuela-Chiara Gilliard |
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| Gender, State-collapse, Conflict and State-building: Recent Research from the Somali Context |
Gender, State-collapse, Conflict and State-building: Recent Research from the Somali Context |
Judith Gardner |
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| The Constitution of Illicit Orders: Contested Sovereignty in Territorial Domains |
Within the context of modernity and globalisation, this research project investigates the processes by which governance arises in territories subjected to illicit forms of social order that contest state sovereignty and authority. |
Christopher Lilyblad |
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| Responding to Sexual Violence in Conflict: Fighting Impunity in DRC |
Focusing on the 'male perpetrator,' this paper first examines how, why, and with what effect gendered and raced imaginaries became encoded in international peace and security policy. |
Chloe Lewis |
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| Introducing the Changing Character of Conflict Platform project: New approach to quantitative analysis of protracted conflicts |
Dr Katerina Tkacova, member of CCW, introduces the seminar series based on the CCW research project - Changing Character of Conflict Platform project: New approach to quantitative analysis of protracted conflicts. |
Katerina Tkacova |
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| Offensive Cyber, Ecology and the Competition for Security in Cyberspace: The UK’s Approach |
The Strategic Cyber Security model illustrates how offensive cyber capability has been operationalised as a critical component in the delivery of the UK's cyber security strategy |
Graham Fairclough |
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| Cyber Strategy: The Evolution of Cyber Power and Coercion |
Brandon Valeriano examines cyber strategies in their varying forms through quantitative analysis and questions their level of impact |
Brandon Valeriano |
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| Artificial intelligence, Robotics and Conflict |
Al Brown discusses new technologies, robotics and artificial intelligence entering armed conflict |
Al Brown |
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| Defence Cooperation in Europe: Driving Forces and New Formats |
Dr Matlary discusses the driving forces behind defence cooperation, the key players and cooperatives within Europe, as well as Russia’s effect on defence policy. |
Janne Haaland Matlary |
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| The Decision Point: Military Command in the 21st Century |
Professor Anthony King gives a talk for the Changing Character of War seminar series. |
Anthony King |
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| Adapting to Sanctions: How Russia Responded to Western Economic Statecraft |
Dr Richard Connolly gives a talk for the Changing Character of War seminar series. |
Richard Connolly |
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| How To Think About Limited War (Without Limiting Your Thinking) |
'Limited War' is one of the terms making a frequent appearance in the strategic studies, international relations, and military history realms over the last 70 years. |
Donald Stoker |
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| The Role of Deterrence in Managing Great Power Competition |
This seminar will not only offer a core foundation in the concept of deterrence, from a practitioner's perspective, but explore its utility and application to present day conflict scenarios in Europe, in particular the case of Russia and NATO. |
Michael Kofman |
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| The Culture of New Wars |
Mary Kaldor discussing her pioneering work on the concept of new wars and global civil society. Her work on the practical implementation of human security has directly influenced European and national politics. |
Mary kaldor |
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| Regional Opportunities and Challenges Facing the West in the Middle East |
The focus of this presentation is on post-ISIS Syria and Iraq, Iranian ascendancy in the region, and the reaction of the US, UK and their allies in the region. It also considers prospects for Saudi Arabian reform and leadership of the Arab world. |
Jonathan Paris |
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| Lessons From a Study in Failure - The Force Intervention Brigade and the United Nations Mission in Congo, 2012-2017 |
This seminar is concerned with the broad issues raised by the UN’s long-running mission in the DRC and what it tells us about the deeper challenges facing the UN as it continues to grapple with civil war and protection crises in different parts of Africa. |
Mats Berdal |
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| Wall Street Goes to War |
In this provocative seminar, Dr Sean McFate, author, novelist and expert in foreign policy and national security strategy, looks at the neglected area of the economics of war. |
Sean McFate |
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| Soft War: The Ethics on Unarmed Conflict |
Soft war tactics, including cyber-warfare and economic sanctions, propaganda and non-violent resistance are of increasing importance but largely unexplored in just war theory. This talk illuminates this neglected aspect of international conflict. |
Michael L. Gross |
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| Giving Up The Gun: Disengaging from Politically Motivated Violence in Northern Ireland |
Is de-radicalisation of former terrorists helpful or even possible? This presentation explores the processes involved in leaving social movements or disengaging from terrorist activities. |
Neil Ferguson |
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| The End of Peace and Optimism: Assessing the Changing Character of War |
A 'deliberately provocative' assessment of contemporary conflict. |
Rob Johnson |
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| The Ontology of Autonomy for Autonomous Weapons Systems |
Dr Heather Roff discusses the role of autonomous weapons systems within the international community. She provides a theoretical framework for defining and classifying these systems, examining the diplomatic and moral concerns that they pose. |
Heather Roff |
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| Technology and the Rise of Boundless Warfare |
Professor David Galbreath gives a talk for the Changing Character of War seminar series. |
David Galbreath |
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| Social Pluralism Religious Cleansing and Hybrid Warfare in Syria |
Since the ‘Arab Spring’ uprising of 2011, the United States and a network of European and regional Sunni allies have applied instruments of coercion against Syria that collectively take on the character of ‘hybrid warfare’. |
John Eibner |
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| Militant Jihadi Culture: Poetry as a Weapon |
The power of poetry to move Arab listeners and readers emotionally, to infiltrate the psyche and to create an aura of authenticity around the ideologies it enshrines, make it a perfect weapon for militant jihadist causes. |
Elisabeth Kendall |
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| What we are missing about the Missing; searching for the disappeared victims of armed conflict |
One of the aspects of the changing character of war is an increased awareness of and attention to those who go missing due to armed conflict. |
Derek Congram |
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| Strategy Evolves from apes to Artificial Intelligence |
Kenneth Payne explores the evolutionary basis of strategic behaviour, and assesses the impact of non-biological intelligence on the future of warfare. From chimpanzees to computers, via a dose of Clausewitz: hopefully something for everyone. |
Kenneth Payne |
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| On Criminal Strategy |
Do criminal groups use 'strategy'? Are crime wars really wars? This talk will reveal criminal groups using force and other means to determine political outcomes to suit their own agendas and competing with states in a common 'market for government'. |
James Cockayne |
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| Environment, Energy and Economics and the Structure of our Geo-Political Future |
Steven Jermy gives a talk for the Changing Character of War Programme seminar series. |
Steven Jermy |
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| Clan and Conflict: The Intersection between State Violence and Societal Violence in Somalia |
Mohamed Haji Ingiriis gives a talk for the Changing Character of War Programme seminar series. |
Mohamed Haji Ingiriis |
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| Children and War: Victims, Villains, and the United Nations |
Discussing the issues involved in using children in conflict, assesses the changing characteristics of security and war, and explains the complex international system and interwoven constraints and opportunities on government policy in this field. |
Robert Jackson |
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| Strategy and War in the Modern Age: CCW Annual Lecture 2016 |
Professor Jeremy Black from the University of Exeter delivers the CCW Annual Lecture on the theme of "Strategy and War in the Modern Age". |
Jeremy Black |
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| Mare Liberum and Mare Clausum: Maritime sovereignty, emerging countries and war |
Rodrigo Fracalossi de Moraes gives a talk for the Changing Character of War programme seminar series. |
Rodrigo Fracalossi de Moraes |
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| Responsibility to Protect on its Tenth Anniversary: Point of Collapse or Resurgence? |
Joanne Neenan gives a talk for the Changing Character of War Programme seminar series. |
Joanne Neenan |
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| Strategy and Democracy |
Sir Hew Strachan gives a valedictory lecture for the Changing Character of War upon stepping down as Chichele Professor of the History of War. |
Hew Strachan |
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| The Utility of Force in Cities: Calibrating Security and Development Tools for Urban Stability |
Rapid and unmanaged urbanisation is leading to protracted armed violence in key cities of the developing world. This seminar analyses the conduct of recent stabilisation operations within large and mega-cities. |
Antonio Sampaio |
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| Prisoners of the Past, Preparing for the Future: The Influence of Institutions, Experience, and Culture on Military Adaptability |
Jason Clark gives a talk for the Changing Character of War Programme seminar series. |
Jason Clark |
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| The Morality of Unconventional Force |
Tom Simpson gives a talk for the Changing Character of War programme seminar series. |
Tom Simpson |
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| Concentration and Asymmetry in Air Combat |
Historical Lessons for the Defensive Employment of Air Power |
Niall Mackay |
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| Diplomacy: The First Line of Defence |
James Kidner gives a talk for the Changing Character of War programme seminar series. |
James Kidner |
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| Towards Mobilization? The Evolution of Russian Grand Strategy |
This talk will explores the various aspects of Russian strategic thinking and planning, the conducting of the orchestra and what appears to be a move towards mobilisation measures. |
Andrew Monaghan |
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| Arrangements of Convenience Among Violent Non-state Actors |
This talk will discuss how rebels, paramilitaries and criminals cooperate in borderland areas, and what this means for security. |
Annette Idler |
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| The Evolution of Grand Strategy in Theory and Practice |
Lucas Milevski gives a talk for the Changing Character of War programme seminar series. |
Lucas Milevski |
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| War in the Time of Terror |
This talk attempts to set out what IS aims are, whether there are negotiating possibilities and what the West's response to this new phenomenon should be. |
Ivor Roberts |
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| Cybersecurity and the Age of Privateering: An Historical Analogy |
DPhil research using a historical analogy to mercantile companies, privateers, and pirates to shed light onto the blurred boundaries between state and private interests. |
Florian Egloffs |
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| 5 SOLDIERS – The Body is The Frontline: Choreographing 21st Century War |
Rosie Kay gives a talk for the Changing Character of War seminar series on dance and war |
Rosie Kay |
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| The Russian-Ukrainian War: Challenges for Military Policy in the Baltic State |
Dr Deividas Slekys (University of Vilnius), gives a talk for the Changing Character of War programme seminar series. |
Deividas Slekys |
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| Fighting to the End: The Strategic Culture of the Pakistan Army |
Dr C. Christine Fair (Georgetown) gives a talk for the Changing Character of War programme seminar series. |
C Christine Fair |
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| How to Educate a General |
Defining and delivering military education: Col (rtd) Dr Randall Wakelam draws on his historical research to look at what constitutes good military education and how it can be most effectively delivered. |
Randall Wakelam |
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| Current Progress in Afghanistan |
Brigadier Jones evaluates the current state of progress in Afghanistan, focussing in particular on summer 2013. He also discusses the extent to which achievements are reflected in the media narrative. |
Rupert Jones |
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| The Perception of Victory: Israel’s Recent Experiences of Winning and Losing the Narrative |
Tim Fawdry-Jeffries considers observer perceptions of the outcome of war, taking as examples the Second Lebanon and Gaza Wars. |
Tim Fawdry-Jeffries |
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| Enemy Within: Underlying Flaws in Policy-Making on Afghanistan |
Matt Waldman considers what went wrong in policy-making on Afghanistan |
Matt Waldman |
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| How the Syrian Regime Sells its War at Home |
Drawing his own experience of working as a journalist in Syria, Stephen Starr reports on the war in Syria and how the current regime presents the war to the people of Syria. |
Stephen Starr |
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| Child Soldiers: Protected Beyond Gender? An International Criminal Law Perspective |
Patricia Sellers draws on her professional experience to discuss how children can be legally protected in armed conflict |
Patricia Sellers |
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| The Prosecution of Rape in Wartime: Evidence from 1950s Kenya |
Julianne Weis draws on historical data to consider the prosecution of rape in wartime. |
Julianne Weis |
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| Remembering War |
Marking the anniversary of the first world war, Professor Cecile Fabre considers why we remember war, |
Cecile Fabre |
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| Generals, Politicians and Mandarins: the Malfunctioning Political-Military Relationship in Britain |
Drawing on his 2013 report, James de Waal discusses civil-military relations in Britain following the conflicts in recent years and considers what lessons could be learnt. |
James de Waal |
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| Post-COIN : The Future of Conventional Warfare |
Lt Col Alexandre Vautravers, Associate Professor at Webster University looks at the future of armed conflict and the role of conventional forces, post-COIN. |
Alexandre Vautravers |
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| Searching for Reflective Armed Forces: A Lithuanian Civil-Military Relations Perspective |
CCW Visiting Fellow, Deividas Slekys analyses civil-military relations, using Lithuania as a case study. |
Deividas Slekys |
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| An Uncommon Point of View: Military Diplomacy in an Active Theatre |
Brigadier Matthew Overton draws on his own professional experience to discuss the role of diplomacy in active conflict. |
Matthew Overton |
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| Religious and Nationalist Motivations in Insurgency: Evidence from the Caucasus |
Professor Monica Toft explores religious motivations in insurgency. |
Monica Toft |
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| Planning Future War |
The Director of CCW outlines the future of armed conflict and how we should be preparing for it. |
Rob Johnson |
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| Hassan Rohani's Strategy to Avoid War |
Thomas Flichy reflects on the current politics of Iran and its role in the wider region. |
Thomas Flichy de la Neuville |
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| The Morality of Private War |
The Challenge of Private Military and Security Companies. |
James Pattison |
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| Men at War: What Fiction Tells Us About War |
Professor Christopher Coker looks at the presentation of war in fiction, focussing in particular on the different character types commonly portrayed. |
Christopher Coker |
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| 'New Wars' and the Horn of Africa |
New wars and the Horn of Africa. |
Peter Woodward |
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| War Crimes, Character, and Responsibility |
A discussion of military ethics and war crimes. |
Jessica Wolfendale |
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| "Europe Nothing Left to Die for?" NATO's European Allies, Military Capabilities and Political Will |
Drawing on her recent book, Janne Matlary addresses the question of burden-sharing in NATO and the role of the US's European allies. |
Janne Matlary |
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| Insurgencies: The Challenges of Intervention |
Professor Beatrice Heuser looks at the systemic challenges of intervening in insurgency. |
Beatrice Heuser |
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