War Studies

From historic conflicts to modern-day national security, the War Studies research cluster examines issues relating to global war and peace across history.

painting of No 11 Fighter Group's Operations Room, Uxbridge

War Studies

Our Research

The War and Peace research group investigate the causes, course and consequences of large-scale human conflict across a large period of History from the middle ages to modern day. We have academics with a wide range of research specialisms including military, international, medieval, political, cultural and social historians.

We start at the Clausewitzian debate as to whether war is merely the continuation of policy by other means, or has either its own grammar or logic. We also tackle contemporary issues including European security; military intelligence; population transfer; soldiers and soldiering in the Napoleonic Wars; commonalities and differences in surrender; transnational military mobilization; and atrocities in Europe.

The image used on this page is taken from the Imperial War Museum collections, © IWM Art.IWM ART LD 4140 and is used under the Museum’s Non-Commercial license. It shows the No 11 Fighter Group’s Operations Room, Uxbridge, painted by Charles Ernest Cundall in 1943.

Discover our subject specialists who lead our research - from postgraduate research students to internationally-renowned academic staff.

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Explore our research projects directory to discover past and present research activity.

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News and events

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A workshop run by Drs Kevin Linch and Simon Quinn held on 17 July 2023 gave…

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Etched caricatures of soldier figures in uniforms - they are the Hopetoun Fencibles regiment.

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A brochure; purple design showing a ballock dagger in purple green and blue design and a magnifying glass. Text reads Forgotten Battles Object Trail Guide Royal Armouries.

Dr Kit Heyam presents a seminar entitled: 'Gendering the Royal Armouries: Collaboration and Queer Community Engagement'.

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A damaged tank in Bucha, Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine - June 2022.
Picture free to use via Unsplash/
Mikhail Volkov

Dr Taras Fedirko presents a seminar entitled 'Non-state support for Ukraine's war effort (2014-2023) and its consequences for Ukrainian politics'.

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Military Welfare History Network

The theme of the third annual international conference of the Military Welfare History Network (MWHN) will be 'Economies of Military Welfare: Conversations between Past and Present'.

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A nineteenth-century portrait showing a man in a white wig wearing a red military jacket

Join us at The National Archives for a study day diving into the careers of British Army officers from 1790 to 1820 on the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo.

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