Course summary

Students will learn how states and their governments communicate in international politics and how they shape long term strategies in a range of fields from military to diplomatic to aid and development. This includes preparing for conflict between states or with insurgent groups, communicating a path during hostilities, and transitioning through post-conflict situations. It further analyses how states use diplomacy, culture and economics to manage the peace and avoid conflict, and engage in treaty and trade negotiations. Students will also encounter crisis communications: how to shape strategic responses to natural disasters, terror attacks, and military invasions. To appreciate this complex field from multiple perspectives, students will further discover how insurgent and revolutionary movements think about and put into practice their communications strategies with populations and states. These themes will be taught through a set of challenges that represent some of the most significant that strategic communicators will face in the coming decade. We aim to prepare them with suitable skills. Along with subject matter expertise, students will develop transferable analytical, research, and practical skills in a dynamic and rigorous, intellectual environment. The course is associated with the King’s Centre for Strategic Communications (KCSC) - a global network of government agencies, media and marketing companies, and alumni. Key Benefits War Studies is a multidisciplinary department devoted to the study of all aspects of war and conflict and the broad remit of international relations. In the 21st century we need to understand how states and insurgent movements communicate their policies and ideas in these dynamic contexts. We enable you to:

• Develop skills for in-depth analytical and critical thinking about international politics. Work with the latest, cutting-edge research in your field.

• Contribute to a vibrant research community. Our world-renowned staff and international student body come from a wide variety of academic and professional backgrounds.

• Work with some of the world’s best academics in your field. Our Department staff publish world-leading research and offer outstanding research-led teaching and training.

• Work with some of the world’s leading practitioners from governments, internal organisations, and strategic communications agencies. We teach not only how to think about strategic communications but how to do it.

• Build networks. Connect with visiting academics, government ministers, diplomats, soldiers, aid and trade leaders, and journalists who regularly deliver our lectures and contribute to our seminars.

• Grow your networks with employers, think-tanks, organisations, policymaking bodies in the UK and globally.Enjoy living and studying right in the heart of London beside the River Thames.

• Enjoy living and studying right in the heart of London beside the River Thames.