News

"An Anticolonial Development": Alumnus Elisa Prosperetti publishes new book

Elisa Prosperetti - graduate of the BSc in International Relations and History back in 2008 - has published a new book entitled 'An Anticolonial Development: Race, Schooling, and Emancipation in the Twentieth-Century West Africa' (Cambridge University Press).

In what measure could education be an agent of African freedom? Elisa Prosperetti examines this question in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, showing how a Black Atlantic perspective changes our understanding of decolonization and development in West Africa. Rejecting the racialized, colonial exploitation of the African body, proponents of anticolonial development instead claimed the mind as the site of economic productivity for African people.

An Anticolonial Development shows how, in the middle of the twentieth century, Africans proposed an original understanding of development that fused antiracism to economic theory, and human dignity to material productivity.

Welcome, Professor Merhzad Boroujerdi

We welcome Professor Boroujerdi who joins us a Visiting Senior Fellow. He comes to us from Missouri University of Science and Technology where he is Vice Provost and Dean of College of Arts, Sciences, and Education.

Professor Boroujerdi's research focuses on twentieth and twenty-first century Iranian intellectual history, with particular emphasis on historical identity, encounters with modernity, and political reform. He also specializes in Iranian domestic and international politics since 1900. It is no surprise then that he will enjoy a role as an Affiliate of the Iranian History Initiative during his stay with us.

He has been President of the Association for Iranian Studies, a fellow of the American Council on Education, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University and a Rockefeller Foundation Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin, a visiting scholar at UCLA, a non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute (Washington, D.C.), and a Co-PI of Iran Data Portal.

He is frequently consulted by both government entities and such national and international media outlets as Al Jazeera, Associated Press, Economist, Guardian, LA Times, NPR, New York Times, Reuters, Spiegel, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post.

Elodie Clements (BA History) has been nominated for the LSE Volunteer of the Year Award 2026

This nomination recognises the outstanding contributions that she has made beyond her studies through volunteering, leadership, and community impact. Students have been nominated by charities, fellow LSE students and LSE members of staff. The award winners will be announced at our in-person LSE Volunteer Awards ceremony on 7 May.

Masters student Emily Huber has won third place in the GSAS Master's SynThesis competition 

The annual GSAS Master’s SynThesis competition is an opportunity for MA students from across the Arts and Sciences to showcase their research and presentation skills in a relaxed and collegial environment.  

It is hosted by Columbia University's Graduate School of Arts & Sciences selects fourteen MA students from its 46 Master's programs to present their thesis in three minutes, with prizes for first, second, and third place. She flew in from London - supported by GSAS Conference Matching Travel Fund - and became the first student from our program to reach the top three.

Her presentation was titled, 'Visions of Care: Human Nature, Sympathy, and Revolutionary Institutions in Mary Wollstonecraft and Sophie de Grouchy’s Thought, 1789-1799.'

Winners of the Medlicott Prize and Iris Forrester Prize announced

These prizes go to our highest achieving Masters students following each academic year.

The Medlicott Prize rewards the student(s) who received the highest dissertation mark in their cohort, and the Iris Forrester Prize rewards the student(s) who achieved the highest overall grade aggregate and highest number of distinctions across all units in their degree.

The winners for the 2024/25 academic year are:

• Juliette Odolant (MSc International Affairs) - Medlicott Prize
• Carlo Canali (MSc History of International Relations) - Medlicott Prize
• Daniel Patten (MA Modern History) - Iris Forrester Prize

We wish you all a big congratulations!

A group of our undergraduate students from the LSE War Studies Society organised a trip to the 2026 Munich Security Conference back in February

The Munich Security Conference is renowned for convening political leaders, policymakers, academics and practitioners to debate some of the most pressing challenges facing global security today.

Over the course of three days, LSE students attended a wide range of conference panels and side events and took part in targeted networking opportunities with organisations working at the forefront of the security sector.ts from the LSE War Studies Society.

Students from the LSE War Studies Society went to high‑profile sessions featuring speakers such as Hillary Clinton, former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Yulia Navalnaya. Alongside the main conference programme, they also engaged with organisations and companies shaping the future of defence and security, gaining insight into emerging technologies, policy challenges and career pathways. 

The students from the LSE War Studies Society involved in organising the trip were: Emily Kochhauser (MSc Criminal Justice Policy), Ana Marquez-Sassano (MSc International Political Economy), Constantin Presing (BSc Politics and International Relations), Sofiia Shepetiuk (BSc Politics and International Relations), Eli Bednarek (BSc International Relations), Maxime Froment-Curtil (BSc Politics and International Relations), Matteo Vicari (BSc History and Politics), Greta Ricci (BSc International Relations and History), Matilde Roquette (BSc International Relations and History), Adelaide Steinitz (BSc International Relations).

Read more about this story HERE

Yasmin Getirana (PhD candidate) has received a glowing review in the latest issue of Mundos do Trabalho for her monograph

Yasmin's work, entitled 'Na casa e na causa: A associação sindical de trabalhadoras domésticas (Rio de Janeiro, 1961-1973)' (Editora Telha, 2023) was reviewed by Dr Cassie Osei (Bucknell University) in the latest issue of Mundos do Trabalho (volume 18, 2026), the main Brazilian journal of labour history. 

You can read the review (in English) HERE

Professor Steven Casey's new book 'The Sceptic Isle: How the British Government Sold the Second World War' chosen by the Daily Telegraph as one of it's 'Best Books' of 2026.

"Timely”, the newspaper commented, "is all too often applied to books by their publishers, but in an age where communication is all, this history more than merits it."

Set to be released in August this year, The Sceptic Isle presents a fast-paced narrative of the British government’s attempt to sell the Second World War at home. It weaves together government public relations, media reporting, political manoeuvring, and the public's response to reinterpret some of the most famous moments of British history, from Chamberlain and appeasement to Churchill's great speeches, from the Battle of Britain to the military campaigns in the Mediterranean and Western Europe, from food rationing to the Beveridge Report.

Based on a massive array of overlooked primary sources, The Sceptic Isle powerfully showcases how the British government’s attempt to mould and manipulate coverage of battles created a major credibility gap that cast a long shadow over the British government’s efforts to sell the different dimensions of the Second World War to the home front.

Celebrating 20 Years of Collaboration: LSE Delegation Visits PKU

A delegation from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) recently visited Peking University(PKU) for the annual Teaching Committee meeting, marking an important moment in the long-standing partnership between the two institutions.

The visit took place at PKU’s School of International Studies, Peking University, and coincided with two major milestones: the 20th anniversary of the LSE–PKU Double Degree in MSc International Affairs and the 30th anniversary of the School of International Studies.  

Jointly organised by LSE and PKU, the LSE–PKU Double Degree in MSc International Affairs offers students the opportunity to study international relations across China, the Asia Pacific, and global history—equipping them with a truly international academic perspective.  

During the visit, faculty and professional services staff in both institutions engaged in productive discussions on the programme’s continued development, while students benefited from academic talks and direct interaction with LSE representatives—gaining valuable insight into their upcoming studies in London.

The School of International Studies during the visit invited Professor Marc Baer to present to staff and students his Book "The Ottomans" which is shortly to be published in Mandarin. The panel discussion and questions that followed were rigorous and informed. Panel members included Dr He Jiani, Dr Zhuang Yu, Dr. Xu Liang, and Dr Ron Po, Programme Director, LSE.

Over the past twenty years, the partnership has grown into a strong and trusted relationship, built on mutual respect, close cooperation, and a shared commitment to excellence in teaching and research. Both institutions look forward to deepening this collaboration further, including expanded academic exchange and future joint initiatives.

Faculty from both institutions who participated included the following: from LSE: Professor Marc David Baer, Head of the Department of International History; Dr Ron Po, Programme Director. From Peking University: Professor Tang Shiqi, Dean of the School of International Studies (SIS); Professor Fan Shiming, Associate Dean of the Yenching Academy; Professor Dong Zhaohua, Vice Dean of SIS; Dr He Jiani, LSE-PKU Double Degree Programme Academic Advisor; Mr Zhang Chunping, Director of the International Programmes Office; and Ms Tong Tianyu, Degree Programme Officer.

Dr Jake Subryan Richards interviewed by leading Spanish newspaper El País 

Richards discussed how his research has revealed that empires enacted new injustices through anti-slave-trade laws and the inspiring stories of people who resisted them.

You can find the article (in Spanish) HERE and you can watch a recording of the interview (in English) HERE.

'Agrarian Reforms in Cold War Latin America: A comparative analysis', Dr Anna Cant gives talk at University of Barcelona

On Wednesday 15 April Dr Anna Cant gave a talk at the University of Barcelona (as part of its Economic History Seminars series) entitled 'Agrarian Reforms in Cold War Latin America: A comparative analysis'.

Dr Cant presented her research on how the global Cold War shaped the trajectory of twentieth-century agrarian reforms in Latin America, including the terms in which agrarian reform was framed, the climate in which it was implemented, and the alliances that supported opposing visions of rural modernisation.

Focusing on the cases of Cuba, Peru, Chile and Bolivia, the talk also analysed the economic impact of agrarian reform and its long-term legacies. It was followed by a lively Q & A and wide-ranging discussion with the audience. 

Dr Giuseppe Paparella publishes new article, 'Coercing Taiwan: China, Military Mobilization, and the Abuse of Sun Yat-sen’s Historical Memory'

Dr Paparella developed and completed the article while he was a Visiting Research Fellow in the Department.

In this new article published in the Journal of Applied History, Dr Paparella argues that the CCP, by instrumentalizing Sun Yat-sen’s memory and role in the development of China, employs the leader’s nationalist message to pursue coercive annexation of Taiwan.

The article explains how the use of strategic communication around the figure of Sun Yat-sen legitimizes the CCP strategic aim to annex the island, while at the same time allowing the CCP leadership to frame this objective as one that can and should be achieved without the use of force. This dynamic is observed across three distinct instances in 2021, 2022 and 2025. Throughout them, the CCP exploited and abused Sun’s memory and political message while pursuing large-scale military operations to strategically communicate their commitment and intent to annexation. This study was developed and completed during a research fellowship at LSE’s Department of International History in 2024/25.

Read the article in full HERE

Dr Alex Mayhew takes students on walking tour of London war memorials

Dr Alex Mayhew took a group of our students from the HY4C1 course on a walking tour of various war memorials in central London.

They began with the Imperial Camel Corps Memorial, Anglo-Belgian War Memorial, and the RAF Memorial (Victoria Embankment), moved to the Gurkha Memorial, the Cenotaph, and Earl Haig Memorial (Whitehall), then proceeded to the Guards Memorial (Horse Guards Road), and finished at the Edith Cavell Memorial (St Martin’s Place / Trafalgar Square).

Once the tour concluded, the group stopped in at a local pub for a quick pint and a debrief. 

'History As It Happens' - Khamenei's Revolution

Dr Roham Alvandi joined Martin Di Caro’s ‘History As It Happens’ podcast to discuss the life and times of Ali Khamenei and his horrific legacy for Iran.

Listen to the podcast HERE

Professor Marc Baer releases new book, 'Children of Abraham: The Story of Jewish-Muslim Relations'

Professor Baer's latest, and seventh book (being released on 2 April) is a thought-provoking new history of how Muslims and Jews have engaged with one another - sometimes for better, sometimes for worse - for over 1,400 years. Yet recent discourse tends to focus on only the most antagonistic aspects of the two communities' interactions.

Professor Baer paints a more nuanced picture of Muslim-Jewish relations, from Muhammad's first interactions with Jewish Arabs in the seventh century and their shared struggles after the Spanish Reconquista to the ongoing modern conflict in the Middle East.

Free from the myths and counter-myths of earlier accounts, this is a timely and indispensable new analysis of two communities, often existing side by side, whose relations will continue to shape global politics for decades to come.

Find a link to the book HERE

Dr Roham Alvandi interviewed on Deutsche Welle’s Inside Europe podcast

During the interview, Dr Alvandi discussed the long shadow of Iran's modern history and the consequences of the Anglo-American coup in Iran in 1953.

Listen to the interview in full HERE

Dr Roham Alvandi speaks with Radio New Zealand on the history of Anglo-American involvement in Iran

Dr Alvandi gave an extensive interview to Radio New Zealand on the history of Anglo-American involvement in Iran, from the 1953 coup to the 2015 nuclear deal, and why we should avoid projecting our own politics on to what is happening in Iran today. 

Listen to the interview in full HERE

Yasmin Getirana receives honourable mention in the Graduate Student category of the 2025 Best Paper Competition of the LASA Labour Section (Latin American Studies Association)

We congratulate Yasmin Getirana, a third-year PhD candidate in the Department of International History, who has received an honourable mention in the Graduate Student category of the 2025 Best Paper Competition of the LASA Labour Section (Latin American Studies Association).

The recognised piece, 'Organized domestic workers' struggles in Brazil (1960s and 1980s),' is a book chapter submitted for an edited volume on Brazilian labour history, forthcoming with De Gruyter, and draws on her monograph 'Na casa e na causa: A associação sindical de trabalhadoras domésticas (Rio de Janeiro, 1961–1973)', (Editora Telha, 2023).

Dr Roham Alvandi speaks to the Times of Israel about Kurdish separatism in Iran

While separatist groups do not represent the mainstream of Iranian Kurds, they may be tempted to try to fill the political vacuum if the central government is weakened. That would be a recipe for disaster for Iran and for Iranian Kurds.

Read the article in full HERE

Dr Ron Po and alumni Noah Petts launch the Blue Sustainability and Society Initiative’s (BSSI) website

BSSI researches topics related to oceanic sustainability and in March, it covered sharks. For this, Noah - BSSI’s research associate and former LSE History undergraduate - interviewed Andrea Richey, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Shark Foundation.

Dr Po also wrote a piece in response to Richey’s work and interview, where he explained the importance of education and history to rethinking the current crisis of shark populations.

In the coming months, BSSI will talk to historians, scientists, and policy makers on issues including sea turtles, sea ice, and plastics, so stay tuned!

The website can be accessed HERE

On it, you will find BSSI’s conceptual manifesto, its advisory board, and monthly issues.

Dr Alex Mayhew takes HY120 students on visit to the National Archives

On Wednesday 11 March, Dr Alex Mayhew took a group of HY120 students to the UK’s National Archives for the final HY120 archive trip of the year.

Led by several of the TNA’s records specialists, the students were able to engage with materials spanning colonial Ireland, the First World War, Africa and the Second World War, and communism in the British Empire. All of this was funded by a generous Eden Centre Catalyst Grant.

Dr Roham Alvandi spoke to the ABC about the Iran War

Dr Alvandi spoke with the Australia Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio about Iran's Pahlavi past, the failure of Prince Reza Pahlavi to face up to the less savoury aspects of his father's rule, and what that means for his prospects as a transitional figure after the Iran War.

Listen to the full interview HERE

'Global Perspectives on Wartime Internment' - Read this new review on Dr Dina Gusejnova's recent publication and the corresponding panel discussion

This report was written by Benjamin Beißwenger, who completed an internship with Dina Gusejnova at the LSE IDEAS Conflict and Civicness Research Group. With thanks to the Wiener Library, DHI, and the Gerda Henkel Foundation

On 6 October 2025, the journal Immigrants & Minorities hosted a presentation and panel discussion at the Wiener Library in London to mark the publication of a double special issueon wartime internment in camps as a global practice and experience.

Co-edited by Dina Gusejnova alongside Arndt Bauerkämper and Marina Perez de Arcos, the issue is the result of a long-standing international collaboration between historians from the UK, Germany, Japan, and China. The project was supported in part by the Gerda Henkel-funded professorship in German History, which brought Arndt Bauerkämper to LSE and the German Historical Institute in 2018.

The special issue reframes the study of wartime internment, shifting from nationally focused accounts towards a global and comparative perspective across both World Wars. By uniting scholars from multiple countries, the collection presents internment camps not as isolated national phenomena, but as a shared and interconnected historical experience.

The Wiener Library provided a particularly resonant setting for the event. Founded in Amsterdam in 1933 by Alfred Wiener as the Jewish Central Information Office, it relocated to London following the November Pogrom of 1938, becoming the world's first archive dedicated to documenting Nazi persecution. Its mission to preserve the history of refugee and migration experience made it a fitting venue for a discussion on displacement, confinement, and memory.

Read full details on the event HERE

Dr Ron Po delivers two talks in Hong Kong

Dr Po delivered two talks during the final week of February at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) and the Education University of Hong Kong (EUHK).

At HKBU, he spoke on his latest findings concerning Sun Yat-sen and food politics, in celebration of the 160th anniversary of Dr Sun’s birth.

At EUHK, in a conference organised by Dr Ye Jia titled Lingnan Culture and the World, his talk explored the idea of watermanship and public energies in nineteenth-century China.

Dr Roham Alvandi speaks on Deutche Welle

Dr Alvandi spoke with Deutche Welle about the similarities and differences between the Iraq War of 2003 and the Iran War of 2026. Is the U.S. war in Iran repeating the mistakes of Iraq 2003?

Watch the interview in full HERE

Prof Kristina Spohr has been busy lately on Trump, climate change, and the heated geopolitical situation in the Arctic

In Germany, she was invited as guest speaker to the 100th episode of the German podcast Die Message to talk about “Power Politics in lieu of Rules: Why the Arctic is a key battleground of our future”  with the host-duo Ulrich Voss and Oliver Howard.

Click here to hear their 44 min conversation

In Brazil, she was interviewed extensively in Folha de Sao Paolo, the country's largest newspaper, by the journalist, LSE Alumna Angela Boldrini in her article, 'Trump's interest in Greenland and Venezuela contradicts climate change denialism'.

Read the article HERE

"History holds the key to understanding the crises facing our oceans" - Dr Ron Po pens new LSE blog post 

Oceans are in crisis. Fish stocks are collapsing. Plastic pollution is overwhelming. Climate change is warming seas. In a new blog for LSE European Politics, Dr Ron Po makes the case that history can help us make sense of how we ended up in this position, and how we can work towards meeting these challenges with greater intentionality and realism. He also explores what separates surviving from sustaining, and why that matters for envisioning our future.

Read Dr Po's blog post HERE

The Department and Iranian History Initiative welcome Dr Farian Sabahi

Dr Farian Sabahi joins us for a period as a Visiting Research Fellow from the University of Insubria where she is an Associate Professor of Contemporary History. Dr Sabahi will be an affiliate of the Iranian History Initiative during her stay.

Read more about Dr Sabahi and her work HERE

Dr Alex Mayhew's recent book 'Making Sense of the Great War' has enjoyed rave reviews over the last few months!

Dr Mayhew's book, which received Honourable Mention for the 2025 Tomlinson Prize, has seen the following excellent reviews over the last few months...

‘This is a sophisticated and elaborate study of mental survival and fortitude among a discrete group of men in an immeasurably challenging time and place. As such, it adds greatly to the military history of morale during the First World War, offering new insights into Englishness, subjecthood and the belief systems men were fighting for during this fraught and terrifying time.’ (Nicoletta Gullace, English Historical Review)

‘[T]his book is a major contribution and deserves to stand in the canon … as a “standard work” on the morale of the British soldier in the Great War.’ (Tom Thorpe, Stand To! The Journal of the Western Front Association)

‘Making Sense of the Great War offers insights to scholars and could also be used well in the classroom. It is highly readable … this book is a fresh look at … familiar ground and a welcome addition to the conversation surrounding morale.’ (Elizabeth Stice, First World War Studies) 

’This fine monograph … both advances our understanding of morale and highlights the fundamental difficulties which remain at the heart of this endeavour.’ (Vanda Wilcox, War in History)

‘Mayhew’s analysis paints a rich picture of the various ways in which men made sense of the war … Making Sense of the Great War offers points of reflections not just for the historian, but also for scholars of psychology, sociology, and military processes.’ (James Sewry, LSE Review of Books).

See here for a link to Dr Mayhew's book

Dr Alex Mayhew hosts student trip to the National Army Museum

Last week, Dr Alex Mayhew took a group of our HY120 students on another of this term’s archive trips. This time they joined curator Justin Saddington in the archive of the National Army Museum where he introduced the group to different archival documents, stretching from the English Civil War to the First World War. A big thanks to Dr Mayhew for taking time out of his busy schedule to take the students on the visit.

'The Everyday Life of Colonial Collections in German Museums in the Modern Era'

On Tuesday, 17 February, Prof Anja Laukötter spoke at the British Museum for a small group of students and members of the public.

Her talk looked at how European collectors, ethnologists, and anthropologists travelled to colonial territories around the turn of the twentieth century to “rescue” cultural objects from perceived decline and preserve them in museums under supposedly scientific conditions, historical records reveal a troubling reality behind these institutions. The everyday existence of these collections was also marked by dust, pests, fire, theft, overcrowded storage, and sometimes wrong handling—all contributing to the deterioration of the very objects meant to be safeguarded. Despite the supposed security of museums, there were no guarantees for the preservation of the artefacts removed from their original contexts.

The cultural "extractivism" that began in the colonial era not only led to the destruction of many objects but continues to have lasting consequences till today. The lecture illustrated these developments by drawing on the histories of various German museums.

The Department is proud to announce the 20^th anniversary of the LSE-PKU Double Degree programme MSc in International Affairs!

We want to take this moment to reflect on what has been an extremely enriching programme for our department and thank all those colleagues whose hard work over the years has contributed to its growth and success.

Sharing this important programme with Peking University over the last two decades has been a source of great pride to the department as we have seen students enjoy the wide range of combined resources and learning opportunities offered across both institutions. Students on this programme enjoy the chance to live and study across two great world cities, London and Beijing.

The programme was first set up in 2006, building on a shared commitment between LSE and Peking University to foster rigorous, globally engaged scholarship in international affairs and to strengthen academic exchange between the UK and China at the postgraduate level. Conceived as one of the earliest structured double-degree collaborations between the two institutions, it was designed to combine LSE’s long-standing strengths in international history and international relations with PKU’s expertise in Chinese and Asia-Pacific studies. The programme offers an outstanding opportunity for graduate students and young professionals to study the international relations of China and the Asia Pacific region, as well as the theory and history of global international relations.

Graduates from this double degree have gone on to careers in international organisations, government service, diplomacy, global finance, think tanks, non-governmental organisations, and academia, with many alumni continuing to build bridges between China, the UK, and wider international communities. The network of alumni across both institutions remains one of the programme’s most significant and lasting achievements.

Anniversary-related activities are already being incorporated into our departmental visit to Beijing in April. In addition, we plan to hold a related event in the Department in the coming academic year, ideally involving our colleagues from Beijing. Further details will follow!

HY120 students visit LSE Archives

Alongside Dr Leo Shipp, our first-year undergraduates visited the LSE Archives as part of their module HY120: Historical Approaches to the Modern World. Dr. Gillian Murphy introduced them to some of the jewels from the LSE collections, and they even got to look around the archive itself.

This week, Dr Alex Mayhew is taking a group to the National Army Museum Archives, and in March thirty students will attend a workshop at the National Archives!

Dr Qingfei Yin speaks about her exciting recent research projects in new interview

Dr Qingfei Yin was interviewed recently by the International Strategy and Academic Partnerships (ISAP) team in Philanthropy and Global Engagement Division (PAGE) here at LSE where she spoke about her recent research projects. Qingfei spoke about how she benefited from the Global Research Fund to spend time on her latest project ‘Building Mao’s “Railway on the Sea”: A Global History of China’s Ocean Shipping during the Cold War’ and shares her experience of spending time in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. 

The International Strategy and Academic Partnerships (ISAP) team leads LSE’s global engagement. They develop and manage strategic partnerships with world‑leading universities, create innovative student mobility opportunities, and support collaborative, high‑impact research that addresses global challenges.

Read Qingfei's interview in full HERE

Professor Kristina Spohr appears on podcast 'The Rest is History'

In 'Contested Arctic: Where missile trajectories are short' -  the latest episode of Deutschlandfunk’s Podcast series 'The Rest is History’ -  Prof Spohr discusses in German the issues and dynamics surrounding the scramble for the Arctic from the Viking Age to Trump’s attempted Greenland grab.

Listen to her speak HERE

Jack Roush has penned a new article for Diplomatic History entitled ‘Mehdi Samii and the 1964–1968 Iran-US Arms Negotiations’

Jack Roush's (one of our PhD students) new article reassesses a pivotal moment in relations between Iran and the United States by examining the role of Mehdi Samii, governor of the Central Bank of Iran and a key arms negotiator.

It shows how Samii’s technocratic credibility and economic diplomacy with the Soviet Union were instrumental in pushing the Johnson administration to accommodate Iran’s strategic ambitions.

Read the article HERE

Dr Artemis Photiadou publishes new article, 'The ABCs of Nazism: The Political Screening and Classification of German Prisoners of War in Britain in the Aftermath of the Second World War'

In her recent article, published in The English Historical Review (Oxford Academic), she discusses how nearly half a million German prisoners of war were in Britain when the Second World War ended, all of whom were sorted into one of three categories: anti-Nazi, unpolitical, or Nazi, correspondingly known as A, B, C.

This article focuses on the screening process that determined in which category an individual belonged. Drawing on approximately 400,000 screening outcomes between 1945 and 1947, it shows that the process was developed in a wartime intellectual environment that attributed National Socialism to a militant German ‘national character’.

Under those initial assumptions, many of those interrogated were classified as Nazi. However, the system quickly moved towards a more situational interpretation of ideology, turning screening into a convenient tool that facilitated practical policy objectives, rather than a mechanism of ideological classification.

Read the article in full HERE

Professor Kristina Spohr speaks across two days at the LSE German Symposium 2026

Prof Spohr kicked off the 25th LSE German Symposium as she chaired and moderated a conversation between Susanne Baumann (Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United Kingdom) and Andrew Mitchell (HM Ambassador to Germany) on British-German affairs. 

On the second day of the Symposium, she discussed with ex-Chancellor Olaf Scholz Germany’s “Zeitenwende,”  the current challenges for European security, and the ongoing transformation of world order. 

Professor Piers Ludlow contributes new chapter 'Roy Jenkins: the frustrations of pro-European constancy'

Prof Ludlow's chapter appears in a recently released book, 'The Labour Party and European Integration: A Biographical Approach' (pp. 174 - 191).

Roy Jenkins stands out from many other Labour politicians because of the consistency of his European beliefs. From the late-1950s onwards, Jenkins championed the cause of Britain in Europe through his public speaking, his political actions, and his extensive writing. 

The overview the chapter will provide of Jenkins’ lengthy career will underline both the importance and the consistency of his European creed – and the fashion in which this differentiated him from most other Labour politicians of his era.

Welcome Dr Caitlín Doherty, the inaugural David McClure Visiting Fellow!

We extend a warm welcome to Dr Caitlín Doherty who will be joining us for the 2026-27 academic year as the inaugural David McClure Visiting Fellow. The fellowship, generously supported by the David McClure Trust Fund, assists writers and scholars who are committed to producing a significant, original non-fiction book or work for a mass readership. The fellowship will enable the creation of work intended for a general audience, that is rigorously researched, non-partisan, and of contemporary relevance. 

Caitlín is a reporter and critic. She studied English Literature and the History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge and has a PhD in the history of aviation. After graduating, she worked as an editor at Verso Books, then New Left Review. She writes regularly for NLR and the New Statesman, and has been published by Harper’s, The Baffler, Film Comment, New Internationalist, and Jacobin. 

Caitlín's work combines local narrative with global history, and focuses on European politics, economics, technology and culture. During the fellowship she will complete a study of the Swiss town of Davos, to be published by Faber & Faber and One Signal. She is thrilled to join the academic community of LSE and to have the opportunity to work with the renowned International History department.

Dr Roham Alvandi writes new essay for Engelsberg Ideas entitled 'The stakes of a Pahlavi restoration'

Dr Alvandi argues that Iran’s last Shah presided over rapid economic growth, social transformation, and expanding opportunity, particularly for women. Yet the unresolved political legacy of Pahlavi rule continues to haunt Iran’s opposition.

Read his essay HERE

Dr Dina Gusejnova organises roundtable discussion: 'Education in the Age of Global Insecurity: Dilemmas of foreign policy in the face of war and authoritarianism'

Dr Gusejnova hosted a critical discussion at LSE as part of the Grimshaw Society Annual Symposium for the visit of Eleni Vossou from the European External Action Service.

This expert panel spoke on how conflict, authoritarian repression, and digital technologies threaten education and knowledge communities worldwide. They examined the intersections of international relations and education, focusing on policy implications from the Russian war against Ukraine, authoritarianism in Russia, Syria, and beyond.

Our distinguished speakers — including experts from LSE, Cambridge, the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, and the European External Action Service — explored how grassroots initiatives protect democratic values, debate sanctions on educational institutions, and consider obligations of international bodies toward epistemic communities at risk.

Dr Roham Alvandi makes appearance on CNN

Dr Alvandi spoke to CNN’s Eleni Giokos today about uprising in Iran against the Islamic Republic. He provided some historical perspective on the Iranian Revolution and President Jimmy Carter’s approach to Iran in 1979, in contrast with President Trump’s policy of sable rattling today.

Watch the interview HERE

Professor Kristina Spohr quoted in recent Sydney Morning Herald article on the Europe, Trump, and the Greenland brawl

She stated: "Europeans have to hold on to the principles of sovereignty, territory, integrity and self- determination – for the Greenlanders, the Danes and themselves altogether. Because only that ensures an international order where small and middle-sized powers are respected. And, for Arctic security at large, from Alaska and Greenland to northern Norway and Finland, it is imperative that allies cooperate and collectively build up their deterrence and defence capabilities vis-à-vis their imperialist and belligerent Russian neighbour and an increasingly assertive China." Spohr concluded that the erratic US president Trump "only understands clear red lines and therefore Europeans, as part of the EU and NATO, cannot allow themselves to be bullied."

Dr David Motadel and Dr Roham Alvandi are co-editors of new book 'The Making of Iranian Modernity'

The new volume celebrates Professor Houchang E. Chehabi, one of the leading scholars in the field of Iranian Studies. Since the 1980s, Chehabi’s interdisciplinary body of work has made major contributions both to the study of modern Iran’s social and cultural history, as well as to the understanding of Iran’s broader political evolution and place in the world. 

View full details on the book HERE

Dr Jeff Hawn pens new article 'The Decline of Russia's Railroads' in online magazine Riddle

Dr Hawn's analysis of the declining condition of the state owned Russian railroads, points to broader systemic issues within the economy. In this analysis Jeff identifies that the Russian railroads which are a vital part of the broader Russian economy are in severe finicial trouble and beginning to see very tangible impacts on operations. With as much as 20% of rolling stock idle even as profits collapse by up to 90%. The railroads are still moving thanks to forced loans from Russian banks, but as Russia's currency reserves run dry and no clear solution appears. It seems likely Russia's railroads and its broader economy are facing a renewed crisis. 

Read the article HERE

Professor Kristina Spohr spoke live on Firstpost to discuss Trump's Davos speech

She condemned his aggressive rhetoric, his bully-boy tactics, and totally destructive political actions that are rupturing the international legal world order and threatening to tear the transatlantic alliance apart.

She highlighted the importance of summitry and face-to-face encounters such as at Davos, especially to achieve some cooling of the inter-allied tensions over his complete obsession, his necessity to “get Greenland”  at all cost for the US security.

She ended by adding that, if anything, Trump - the  “great disruptor “ - is playing into Russian and Chinese hands – as the Putin’s war continues in Ukraine and China is vying for Taiwan.

Watch her speak HERE

Professor Kristina Spohr discusses how Trump's ego is pushing NATO to the brink in her latest El Pais column

In "Power, Profit, & Personal Psychology” she examines how Trump’s ego and his obsession to demonstrate power & to “own” is pushing NATO (and the EU) to the brink.

She asserts that If Europeans believe in an international legal and institutional order they will have to put their Euros (or pounds) where their mouth is and hit back at Trump economically. They will have to call his bluff, otherwise NATO/EU will look hollow and Greenlanders will be  the victims of a miserable sell-out, as their Arctic homeland, Kalaallit Nunaat, is turned into a US mineral extraction pit.

Preserving this unique Arctic nation and country, preserving our hard-won laws, norms, and principles in Europe, at all cost – that must be the political duty of Europe’s leaders. They must remind Americans that the USA's  postwar strength and vast appeal lay in being an empire by invitation not an empire by imposition.

Read her column HERE

Professor Kristina Spohr appears in TV interview to discuss the current political situation in the Arctic

Professor Spohr gave an extensive TV interview on India's Firstpost global news outlet ahead of last week's meeting between Greenland’s and Denmark’s Foreign Ministers with US Vice President and Secretary of State in Washington.

She stressed the utmost importance of face-to-face talks at the highest levels at a time when temperatures and tensions rise as viewpoints are expressed 24/7 by megaphone diplomacy via social media. Equally she underlined the significance for NATO allies to reassess jointly the present security situation in the Arctic.

Watch her interview HERE

Professor Kristina Spohr weighs in on the Trump Greenland annexation discussion with two new articles

Professor Spohr has been busy commenting extensively on the world’s latest geopolitical hotspot Greenland in German media interviews.

She states: "With Trump’s bold Greenland-annexation talk, we are witnessing a brutal show of force and an act of intimidation against the Inuit and Europeans. This is plainly about his ego, resources, and profits; and a demonstration of American superpower. To channel the turmoil and avoid escalation, it is imperative", Spohr argues, "for Europeans to use NATO for intensive and proactive diplomacy – for the Greenlanders’ (and Arctic) security and defense firmly belongs within the Alliance."

Read her articles here:

• Free article available HERE
• Paid article available HERE

Dr Leo Shipp’s recent book received an excellent review in the journal Cultural and Social History

Dr Shipp's book 'The Poets Laureate of the Long Eighteenth Century, 1668–1813' received a glowing review in Cultural and Social History. 

His book discusses how the office of the poet laureate of Britain was a prominent, relevant and respectable institution throughout the eighteenth century. First instituted for John Dryden in 1668, the laureateship developed from an honorific into a functionary office with a settled position in court (c.1689–1715), and was bestowed upon Robert Southey in 1813, whose tenure eventually transformed the office. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, this book examines the office’s institutional changes and public reception, the mechanics of each laureate’s appointment, and the works produced by the laureates before and after their appointments. It argues that the laureateship played a key part in some of the most vital trends in eighteenth-century culture.

Read the review HERE

Dr Charlotte Eaton has published a new article in the Journal of Latin American Studies

Dr Eaton (one of our Fellows) has published a new article entitled, ‘El peligro rojo’: Republican refugees and the construction of the ‘undesirable immigrant’ in Colombia, 1936–42.

The article examines the national and international context within which Colombian immigration policy developed in the mid-twentieth century, as well as the multiple actors who contributed towards its formulation. Focussing on Republican refugees from the Spanish Civil War, it traces how and why policymakers and public opinion in Colombia began to see these groups as potentially harmful to society. It also explores the various actions that these émigrés took to circumvent the various restrictions placed against them.

Read the article HERE

Dr Ron Po publishes new article

Dr Ron Po kicks off the new year with a new article in the International Journal of Maritime History: “Saving souls from the depths: The Society for Rescuing the Drowning (Zhengnitang) in Late Imperial China.”

It is open access and available HERE

The piece examines how organised life-saving along rivers in the nineteenth-century Qing Empire grew out of moral practice, local philanthropy, and everyday encounters with maritime danger, and considers how such Chinese initiatives can be situated within broader global approaches to maritime rescue at the time.