War Studies
Department of War Studies
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.
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
Mentioned books
Dec 16, 2020 • 44min
Women, Peace and Security: The Global South
In the final episode of our special three-part series celebrating 20 years since resolution 1325 was passed by the UN Security Council on Women, Peace and Security, we take a look at how we can help shape reform in moving Global North policy, dominating WPS, to more grassroots and how we can push the agenda in communities of the Global South.
Although the WPS agenda has led to significant changes in the way women are considered in times of conflict and peace-brokering activities, there are still many challenges that remain.
In this episode, we explore whose voices actually count in pursuing the aims of the WPS agenda and how the agenda is viewed in countries of the Global South.
Experts in the field, Dr Soumita Basu (South Asian University) and Dr Swarna Rajagopalan (The Prajnya Trust & Women’s Regional Network) discuss the opportunities needed to allow women to take a seat at the table of conversations on war and peace, as well as illustrating the need for women to be included in every stage of conflict resolution, conflict prevention, conflict management and peacemaking processes.
Dec 4, 2020 • 43min
Religion, war and Israel’s secular millennials with Dr Stacey Gutkowski
How do secular Jewish Israeli millennials feel about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? How has coming of age during a series of wars, in which many of them fought, and the shadow of the failed Oslo Peace Process impacted this generation? Why have their attitudes changed so significantly since their parents’ youth, that they no longer believe in a two state solution and see Occupation as ‘reasonable if regrettable’?
In this episode we talk to Dr Stacey Gutkowski, Senior Lecturer in Conflict Studies and Co-Director for the Centre for the Study of Divided Societies in War Studies, about her new book – ‘Religion, War and Israel’s Secular Millennials: Being Reasonable?'.
Based on fieldwork, interviews and surveys conducted after the 2014 Gaza War, it offers a close reading of the lived experience and generational memory of participants and a new explanation for why attitudes to Occupation have grown increasingly conservative over the past two decades.
Nov 26, 2020 • 41min
Women, Peace and Security: The privatisation of war
In the second episode of our three-part series celebrating 20 years of Women, Peace and Security (WPS), we look at the escalating threat that private companies, hired to provide military and security services, pose to the rights of women and minorities in conflict settings.
This privatisation of war can have incredibly damaging consequences. Private companies often occupy a murky territory outside the legal frameworks of states and international organisations, meaning human rights abuses, including gender-based and sexual violence, are committed under their watch with little or no comeuppance for the perpetrators.
Dr Jamie Hagen, Lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast, and Professor Saskia Stachowitsch, from the University of Vienna, join Dr Amanda Chisholm from our own School, to discuss the challenge of this threat, in particular for women and the LGBTQ community. And how Women, Peace and Security might be leveraged to highlight these atrocities and bring justice to the communities affected.
Nov 12, 2020 • 36min
The War on Drugs and Anglo-American relations with Dr Philip Berry
In 2001 Tony Blair introduced what would become a controversial, expensive and ultimately disastrous policy programme to stamp out the drugs trade in Afghanistan in just ten years.
Dr Philip Berry, Lecturer in War Studies, joins us to discuss his new book, ’The War on Drugs and Anglo-American Relations: Lessons from Afghanistan’, which reveals the inside story on the Blair Government's mission to destroy opium production at source. We explore why counter-narcotics became such a key foreign policy objective for Blair, his overconfidence in setting such unrealistic timelines and why this whole episode caused considerable tension in UK-US relations, putting significant strain on the ‘Special Relationship’.
Oct 30, 2020 • 41min
Women, Peace and Security: Refugee women with Dr Aiko Holvikivi and Dr Audrey Reeves
31 October 2020 marks 20 years since resolution 1325 was passed by the UN Security Council on Women, Peace and Security (WPS). In a special three-part podcast series, we’re celebrating this landmark achievement by looking at how the WPS agenda can support women’s struggle for better inclusion and representation in matters relating to international conflict and peace, over the next 20 years.
In this episode, we explore how Women, Peace and Security (WPS) could be leveraged to address the plight of refugee women and girls at Europe’s borders.
Experts working in WPS, Dr Aiko Holvikivi (LSE) and Dr Audrey Reeves (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) argue that in the wake of Europe’s so-called refugee crisis, the whole notion of who is affected by conflict and insecurity, and where those people are, is increasingly under challenge. They state that overlooking women refugees reveals the ‘colonial underbelly’ of the WPS agenda; its tendency to think that conflict-affected people are ‘over there’, not ‘over here’. By identifying these women as worthy of international attention, protection and inclusion under the WPS agenda, we can unsettle the colonial thinking that still sticks to a range of WPS-inspired policies.
Oct 20, 2020 • 38min
Cold War spies with Professor Mike Goodman
Cold War Moscow was a place like no other. The eyes and ears of the Soviet secret police, the KGB, were everywhere; the only place that was really safe, one political prisoner would later write, was in your dreams...
Professor Mike Goodman, Head of the Department of War Studies, and expert in the history of intelligence joins us for the first episode in our new series. We discuss who were the individuals who turned traitor against their own country to spy for the other side during the Cold War, what impact they had on stopping the conflict from becoming 'hot' and the gizmos and gadgets they used that wouldn't look out of place in a James Bond film.
Apr 14, 2020 • 29min
Podcast: Perspectives on COVID-19 (part two)
This is the part 2 of a 2 part special podcast series produced by BA IR students Julia Thommessen and Adam Beswick. In these podcasts King's students discuss different perspectives on COVID-19 and share their experiences. And as an Easter bonus: Sally shares her blueberry muffin recipe. Hosted by Adam Beswick, Peter Busch and Sally Horspool.
Apr 11, 2020 • 45min
Podcast: Perspectives on COVID-19 (part one)
This is the part 1 of a 2 part special podcast series produced by BA IR students Julia Thommessen and Adam Beswick. In these podcasts King's students discuss different perspectives on COVID-19 and share their experiences. And as an Easter bonus: Sally shares her blueberry muffin recipe. Hosted by Adam Beswick, Peter Busch and Sally Horspool.
Apr 2, 2020 • 24min
Podcast: India and COVID-19 / student trip to WW2 battlefields
Dr Rudra Chaudhuri, Director of Carnegie India and Senior Lecturer in the department joins us from Delhi and gives his insights on the COVID-19 crisis in India. Find out more on https://carnegieindia.org
And third-year students Kleber and Cassy talk about a student trip to Second World War battlefields in Italy earlier this year. Presented by Adam Beswick, Peter Busch and Sally Horspool.
Mar 30, 2020 • 24min
Podcast: OSINT analysts and algorithms /DWS students at EU Brexit vote/ DWS on Instagram
In this episode of our War Studies 'at home' series we talk to IR student Aanvi who organised a visit to the EU and January (see also her blogpost: https://kingsthinktank.com/2020/02/07/eu-brussels-visit/#more-2951
Dr Matt Moran, co-director of the Department's Centre for Science and Security talks about his research on Open Source Intelligence and Big Data (his article: with C Hobbs and C Eldridge: ‘Fusing algorithms and analysts’: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02684527.2017.1406677
And Adam tells us more about his Instagram story (the department on Instagram: kcl_warstudies). Presented by Adam Beswick, Peter Busch, Sally Horspool
