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Announcement

9 March 2015, Strife event: ‘Frontline Ukraine: Crisis in the Borderlands', Presentation by Professor Richard Sakwa

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Professor Richard Sakwa, University of Kent: ‘Frontline Ukraine: Crisis in the Borderlands’. Event organised by Strife, with the participation of the BISA Russian and Eurasian Security Research Group.

WHEN: Monday, 9 March 6:00 – 7:30,

WHERE: Pyramid Room (K4U.04), King’s Building, Strand Campus, King’s College London, WC2R 2LS

DESCRIPTION: The ongoing crisis in Ukraine has brought the world to the brink of a new Cold War. Following the Russian expansion in Crimea and as the conflict in Eastern Ukraine rages on, relations between Vladimir Putin and the West have reached an all-time low. How did we get here?

In his latest book, Professor Richard Sakwa unpicks the context of conflicted Ukrainian identity and of Russo-Ukrainian relations and traces the path to the recent disturbances through the events which have forced Ukraine, a country internally divided between East and West, to choose between closer union with Europe or its historic ties with Russia.

In providing the first full account of the ongoing crisis, Sakwa analyses the origins and significance of the Euromaidan Protests, examines the controversial Russian military intervention and annexation of Crimea, reveals the extent of the catastrophe of the MH17 disaster and looks at possible ways forward following the October 2014 parliamentary elections. In doing so, he explains the origins, developments and global significance of the internal and external battle for Ukraine.

With all eyes focused on the region, Richard Sakwa unravels the myths and misunderstandings of the situation, providing an essential account of the struggle for Europe’s contested borderlands.

Richard Sakwa is Professor of Russian and European politics at the University of Kent, where he also served for a number of years as the head of the Department of Politics and International Relations. He is one of the leading UK experts in Soviet and post-Soviet affairs and has written and edited a number of books and articles on the subject. Among his many accolades, Professor Sakwa is Associate Fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, a member of the Advisory Boards of the Institute of Law and Public Policy in Moscow, a member of the Eurasian Political Studies Network and a member of Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences. His current research interests include democratic development in Russia, the nature of post-Communism, and the variety of global challenges facing the former communist countries.

Richard Sakwa, Frontline Ukraine: Crisis in the Borderlands, Published by I.B.Tauris, December 2014. New from £18.99 (Hardback). ISBN: 9781784530648.

Event: Wednesday, December 10: "Critical Masses: The People in Policing and Warfare." Strife and New Jersey’s Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness

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WHEN: Wednesday, December 10, 2014. 3:00 pm – 4:00pm

WHERE: King’s College London, War Studies Meeting Room, K6.07

DESCRIPTION:

The world of policing and military operations seems increasingly complex when compared to past generations. The speed and reach of modern communications, evolving expectations of government and other entities competing for legitimacy all make it more likely that events can rapidly gain strategic significance and global reach.

The implications of these complex environments can range from an increase of terrorism recruiting (the Abu Ghraib prison scandal), political instability (Arab Spring or the Occupy Movement) or damage to business and government institutions (the rise of political hactivism and the 2011 England riots).

In all these cases, individuals and their communities have assumed an increasingly important role in the use and effectiveness of force. From the British policing model founded upon “consent” of the population to the confusion over the importance of Hearts and Minds in contemporary conflicts, gaining or maintaining the popular allegiance has been a goal.

This talk will highlight the historical place of the people in both warfare and policing, arguing that the strategic implications of whom they support and why it is critical, if not always well understood or pursued.

A 10-15 minute Q&A with the speaker as well as practitioners in the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security will follow.

FEATURED SPEAKER:

Jill S. Russell | Military Historian, King’s College London

Jill S. Russell is a military historian completing her Doctoral dissertation on logistics and strategic culture in the War Studies Department at King’s College London. She holds an MPhil in Military History from George Washington University and an MA in International Relations from SAIS. She has been a defense consultant in Washington, DC, working with both the services and the Department of Defense on matters of military policy. She also has experience in military education, to include instruction in Strategy and Policy and research for coursework in Joint Military Operations. Her writing has appeared in professional military journals, the Telegraph, and she is a frequent contributor to the King’s College family of blogs. Her current research on the nexus of policing, warfare and the people is an outgrowth of an interest in counterinsurgency and forms one part of a larger perspective on future security issues.

MODERATOR:

Dean Baratta | Intelligence Analyst, OHSP

Dean Baratta has over 20 years of intelligence experience within the military, law enforcement and homeland security spheres on a wide range of threats.

ABOUT OHSP:

The Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness helps to direct prevention, detection, protection, response, and recovery planning, not only at the state level, but also at the regional and national levels with our varied partners. In addition to coordinating their efforts with other state agencies, they have a critical role in the national and regional arenas to help shape state and inter-state homeland security policy and practices. OHSP is led by Director Chris Rodriguez and comprised of two Divisions, the Division of Intelligence and Division of Preparedness, and seven bureaus.

ABOUT STRIFE:

Strife is a graduate student-led dual format publication, based out of the Department of War Studies, King’s College London. It comprises the present blog, as well as a peer-reviewed academic journal, published biannually. Our thematic focus is ‘conflict’ in all shapes, forms and senses of the word. We combine political, historical, literary, and philosophical approaches to conflict (among other things) for our readers. We aim to provide thought-provoking, unique perspectives in all our work.

DISCLAIMER: Any views or opinions presented in this webinar are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (OHSP).

Strife Announcement: Positions on Strife editorial board open for applications

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Thanks to the hard work of our contributors and the enthusiastic support of our readers and collaborators, strife is continuously growing. Accordingly, we are seeking a number of talented and enthusiastic individuals to join our editorial board for the 2014-2015 academic year.
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We are currently accepting applications for the following posts:
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· Webmaster
· MA Editor and Representative
· 3 guest editors, one per semester (Fall 2014, Winter 2015, Spring 2015)
· Managing Editor for Strife Blog
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If you are interested in any of the above positions, please send a CV and a covering letter to [email protected].
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Deadline for applications in October 3, 2014.
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Call for papers: A world in flux? Analysis and prospects for the U.S. in global security

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A world in flux?
Analysis and prospects for the U.S. in global security

Call for papers
US Foreign Policy Research Group and Strife first annual conference
March 4, 2015 at King’s College London

The world is in an increasing state of flux. Growing concerns over the rise of Islamic State and international tensions over Ukraine have compounded with ongoing dilemmas over North Korea’s nuclear program and international terrorism more broadly. Wikileaks has demonstrated gaps in state’s information security, while the growing problem of foreign fighters has showed how global events are linked increasingly with domestic concerns. The tools engaged to manage security are changing, as are partnerships and allies. The concept of security has also widened and deepened over recent decades, expanding from security between states, to areas such as individual and environmental security. At the forefront of these challenges, the United States has remained the hegemon, but how has this position changed and what role will it play in the future?

This one-day conference will bring together a diverse range of practitioners and academics who will critically analyze the shifting state of security and investigate the diverse ways in which the United States, as the continuing dominant force in global affairs has responded, and continues to respond to, these challenges.

The first annual joint United States Foreign Policy Research Group and Strife conference will survey the expansive terrain of global insecurity and the US response across its many diverse aspects. Held in the renowned Department of War Studies, at King’s College London, this conference is interested in theoretical explorations and empirical case studies, with particular emphasis on new approaches and cross-disciplinary dialogue. A selection of excellent papers will be included in a special spring edition of Strife Journal.

Under the conference theme, we welcome submissions of proposals for panels and papers, which address a number of the following cognate (though not exclusive) topics:

1. Military-to-military relations

  • Changing tactics of warfare (i.e. COIN and drones)
  • Counter-terrorism
  • Security sector and military reforms

2. Responses to recent and continuing conflicts

  • Middle East (Palestine-Israel, Iraq, Syria)
  • Europe (Ukraine)
  • Asia (South China Sea disputes, Afghanistan, Pakistan)

3. Emerging security concerns

  • Environment
  • Health care/epidemics
  • Cyber security

4. Homeland security

  • Detainees/Guantanamo/extraordinary rendition
  • Information security (i.e Wikileaks, the Bradley Manning case)
  • Impacts of the global on the domestic (i.e. civil liberties)

We welcome abstract submissions of 300 words and brief biographies from postgraduate research students. Consideration will also be made for exceptional graduate applications. Please submit to [email protected] by November 1, 2014 with the subject line “USFPRG-Strife Conference.”

The conference will take place on March 4, 2015 at King’s College London, Strand Campus. Attendance at the conference will be free and open to all.

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Downloadable version: Strife-USFP First Annual Conference - Call for Papers

September 19: "Reconsidering the American Way of War, US Military Practice from the Revolution to Afghanistan" with Antulio Echevarria

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Speaker: Antulio J. Echevarria II

Chair: Jill Russell, Department of War Studies, King’s College London

Location: September 19, 3:00, War Studies Meeting Room, K6.07, King’s Building, King’s College London, Strand Campus, London. WC2R 2LS.

Strife is pleased to host Antulio Echevarria at King’s College London, who will be discussing his new book “Reconsidering the American Way of War, US Military Practice from the Revolution to Afghanistan.” Challenging several longstanding notions about the American way of war, this book examines US strategic and operational practice from 1775 to 2014. It surveys all major US wars from the War of Independence to the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as most smaller US conflicts to determine what patterns, if any, existed in American uses of force. Contrary to many popular sentiments, Echevarria finds that the American way of war is not astrategic, apolitical, or defined by the use of overwhelming force. Instead, the American way of war was driven more by political considerations than military ones, and the amount of force employed was rarely overwhelming or decisive. Echevarria discovers that most conceptions of American strategic culture fail to hold up to scrutiny, and that US operational practice has been closer to military science than to military art. This book should be of interest to military practitioners and policymakers, students and scholars of military history and security studies, and general readers interested in military history and the future of military power.

Antulio J. Echevarria II is a retired US Army lieutenant colonel and is currently the editor of the US Army War College Quarterly, Parameters. Prior to that, he was the Director of Research for the US Army War College. He is the author of several books, including Clausewitz and Contemporary War and Imagining Future War. Dr. Echevarria is a graduate of the US Military Academy, the US Army Command and General Staff College, the US Army War College, and was a Visiting Research Fellow at Oxford University. He holds M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in history from Princeton University.