World-leading interdisciplinary research from the heart of UK Defence, engaging policy makers from around the globe
The Defence Studies Department, together with the Department of War Studies, offer an unparalleled research power, size, scope and expertise. These Departments form the School of Security Studies - the largest community of scholars in the world, dedicated to the research and teaching of all aspects of security - contemporary and historical, theoretical and empirical.
Our research addresses issues of concern for the public, for policymakers and policy practitioners, and we work closely with other areas at King’s College London to seek solutions to some of the most pressing problems of our time. We are therefore able to benefit from and influence defence thinking and policymaking not just in the UK, but also across the world.
Our unique position, an academic department based at the Defence Academy, heavily influences our research. We are able to draw on the experiences and knowledge of not only UK officers, but officers from a wide range of allied nations. Subjects covered include: military, naval, diplomatic and imperial history, international relations, defence and regional security policy studies, strategic studies, and the ethics of conflict.