In this episode, Dr Nafees Hamid speaks with Dr Craig Larkin (Research Lead on Memory and Conflict for the XCEPT research programme), Dr Clara Voyvodic (Lecturer in Peace Studies at the University of Bradford), and Maria El Sammak (XCEPT Research Assistant and King's College London MA student in the War Studies department) about the powerful and often divisive role of nostalgia in global politics. As populist leaders from the United States to Turkey increasingly harness nostalgic sentiment to mobilise political support, this episode explores whether this longing for the past is a harmless comfort or a driver of division. Drawing on research on “The Golden Age" of Lebanon, rebel governance in Colombia, The Troubles in Northern Ireland and beyond, the conversation reveals how collective nostalgia can foster intolerance and nativism. Together, they examine why the future can feel so precarious and whether art can help us imagine a more inclusive path forward. This episode is produced as part of the XCEPT programme, which seeks to understand the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour in conflict-affected populations and to support practical solutions for peace. Learn more at www.xcept-research.org. Image credit: RORY NUGENT.com / Shutterstock.com. British Army patrol with neighbourhood kids in West Belfast, Northern Ireland (February 25th 1994)

In the second edition of the King’s College London War Studies War Stories podcast miniseries, hosted by King’s alumni Rupert Lane and Nick Denning (War Studies, 2002-2005), Ru and Nick speak to Jamie Irwin (War Studies, 2000-2003), who served with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in Afghanistan on HERRICK 14, with the British Army, having previously served in Iraq on TELIC 12. Ru and Nick take a deep dive into the high intensity counter-insurgency conflict in Helmand, Afghanistan, 2011, through the eyes of an armoured commander (Warthog Group). They delve into the challenges Jamie’s unit faced fighting the Taliban in the Afghan summer covering the experience ofarmoured warfare, through tactics, morale and combat, working in a hostile environment with a civilian population just trying to survive. Further Reading: 1. BBC Documentary: Fighting on the Frontline: War Wagons https://bit.ly/48uJdhG Key Locations Described: · Zumbalay, Adin Za’i, FOB Price (Gereshk), Lashkar Gah, Nad E’Ali

In May 2025 Ella Baron, a political cartoonist at The Guardian, travelled to Ukraine to record and reflect on the human impact of war. In collaboration with NGO Médecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), Ella met patients in a rehabilitation centre for war veterans in Cherkasy and a mental health clinic for internally displaced families in Vinnytsia. The Art & Conflict Hub is currently hosting an exhibition of the artwork Ella produced at the Arcade in Bush House until the end of April 2026, exploring the complex marks war leaves on the human body and mind. In this episode of the War Studies Podcast, Ella discusses her work as a political cartoonist and the exhibition "Battles of the Mind" with Dr Henry Redwood, co-convener for the MA in Political and Strategic Communications, and co-lead of the Art and Conflict Hub at the Department for War Studies. Experience "Battles of the Mind" at King’s: https://bit.ly/4m33AIe You can find below the full Guardian article, and links to Ella's socials: https://bit.ly/4m6GQHv X: @ebaroncartoons IG: @ella_baron

In the inaugural edition of the War Studies War Stories podcast series, hosted by King’s alumni Rupert Lane and Nick Denning (War Studies, 2002-2005), Ru and Nick briefly explain what they’re looking to achieve in this series, through the use of King’s own unique resource - its alumni and their experience of war (built on King’s War Studies ‘Experience of War’ module). Ru and Nick then take a deep dive into the life of a Platoon Commander in the high intensity counter-insurgency conflict in Helmand, Afghanistan, 2007, through the eyes of co-host Nick’s own experiences, serving with the Royal Anglian Regiment in Nowzad. Ru delves into the challenges Nick’s unit faced fighting the Taliban in the Afghan summer covering the experience of warfare, through tactics, morale and combat, working in a hostile environment with a civilian population just trying to survive. Further Reading • News clip: https://youtu.be/hTH0yMuc3pQ?si=c2jC_nz2vF6Ck4_v • Press: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/aug/05/military.afghanistan • Podcast 1: https://www.buzzsprout.com/961057/episodes/16085942-afghanistan-nick-denning-royal-anglian-regiment-you-want-to-feel-worn-in-and-seasoned-and-up-to-speed-as-quickly-as-you-can • Podcast 2: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nick-denning-captain-royal-anglian-regiment/id1799202777?i=1000710546820

In the second episode of The Helsinki Brief: Inside Finnish Intelligence and Security, the focus is on intelligence culture in Finland, explored within the wider context of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service (Supo) and how it operates. Dr Paul McGarr of King’s College London is joined by Hannamiina Tanninen, an analyst at the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service, to discuss the evolution of Finland’s intelligence culture, Supo’s role within the national security framework, and how intelligence practices have adapted to contemporary security challenges.

In this episode, Dr Nafees Hamid speaks with Michael Shipler, King’s College London War Studies alumnus and Vice President of Leadership Development & Partnerships at Search for Common Ground (SFCG), the world’s largest dedicated peacebuilding organisation. With global cooperation declining and populism and authoritarianism on the rise, Nafees and Michael explore how those on opposite sides can be brought together. Drawing on SFCG’s work in conflict‑affected regions around the world, their conversation covers topics from moral injury to the use of art in peacebuilding, and why conflict itself isn’t the problem - it’s how we choose to manage it. Learn more about SFCG and their work here: https://www.sfcg.org/ This episode is produced as part of the Cross-Border Conflict Evidence, Policy and Trends (XCEPT) programme, which seeks to understand the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour in conflict‑affected populations and to support practical solutions for peace. Learn more at www.xcept-research.org.

Dr Nils Mallock joins Dr Rajan Basra to discuss his research on the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and the effect their presence has on political protest behaviour. These settlements are widely considered to be illegal under international law, but successive Israeli governments have allowed them to grow, and expansion has accelerated following Hamas' attack on 7th October 2023. In this episode, Dr Mallock explores how the presence of settlements can fuel cycles of reciprocal violence, the way in which they complicate the geographical layout of a two-state solution, and what continued expansion means for the long-term future of Palestine and Israel. Read Nils’ journal article, ‘Proximity to settlements in the West Bank shifts protest behaviour toward higher-risk actions and increases perceived collective injustice’, here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pops.70068 This episode has been produced as part of the Cross-Border Conflict Evidence, Policy and Trends (XCEPT) programme. XCEPT aims to understand the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour in conflict-affected populations – and to find solutions that support peace. Find out more at www.xcept-research.org

In this episode, Dr Pablo de Orellana, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, is joined by journalist and Emmy-nominated producer Nora Neus to discuss her book "24 Hours at the Capitol: An Oral History of the January 6th Insurrection". Drawing on hundreds of interviews and primary sources, Neus reconstructs the “minute-by-minute” experience of 6 January 2021 – from elected officials to frontline staff – and argues the attack cannot be understood as a one-off event, but as the culmination of a longer movement that gathered momentum after Charlottesville and accelerated through the pandemic era. Their conversation explores how far-right coalitions form and fragment; the role of social media platforms and online ecosystems in mobilisation; and the political power of mythic nationalism – from “1776” iconography to competing claims about American exceptionalism. They also examine the wider relationship between ethnic nationalism and religion, as well as the implications for future episodes of political instability.

This episode introduces The Helsinki Brief, a podcast mini-series on Finnish intelligence and security. Hosted by Dr Paul McGarr of King’s College London, the discussion features Hannamiina Tanninen, an analyst at Finnish Security and Intelligence Service (SUPO), about the role and structure of civil intelligence in Finland. The discussion covers SUPO’s legal mandate, core functions such as counterterrorism, counterespionage, cyber intelligence and security vetting, and its cooperation with domestic and international partners. The episode also addresses key security threats, including terrorism, cyber activity and state-based intelligence operations, as well as public trust, recruitment and oversight within Finland’s intelligence system.

In this episode, Professor Roddy Brett, Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies and Director of the Global Insecurities Centre at the University of Bristol, joins Dr Nafees Hamid, Co-PI of the XCEPT research programme, to discuss his new book, ‘Victim-Centred Peacemaking: Colombia's Santos-FARC-EP Peace Process’. Professor Brett reveals how the victims’ delegations changed the dynamics of the Santos-FARC-EP peace process, transforming victim-perpetrator relations and ultimately shaping the final agreement, which was signed in 2016. At a time when the number of civilian casualties in armed conflict is rising around the world, the Santos-FARC example offers valuable insights into how to effectively involve victims in peacemaking. Professor Brett’s book is available from Bristol University Press: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/victim-centred-peacemaking This episode has been produced as part of the Cross-Border Conflict Evidence, Policy and Trends (XCEPT) programme, which is funded by UK International Development from the UK government; however, the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies. XCEPT aims to understand the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour in conflict-affected populations – and to find solutions that support peace. Find out more at www.xcept-research.org