International and Military History : MA

From the rise and fall of great powers to the treatment of non-combatants, from diplomacy and peace-making to strategy and doctrine, and from wars of propaganda to weaponry and intelligence, explore the major themes of international and military history across the world from ancient times to today.

Recent development in geo-politics – from the increasing militarisation of the Asia-Pacific to the military resurgence of Russia – have led to a renaissance in the study of warfare and relations between states, as academics, students, governments, and the general public seek to understand the making and conduct of war and peace on the global stage. At the same time, the field of international history has been transformed, moving away from a western-centric perspective and a focus on high politics to integrate the perspective of the Global South, while also focusing on ‘lesser’ political actors and people. Military History, meanwhile, has grown from its original focus on strategy, battles, and military leaders to incorporate the study of the political, economic, societal, and cultural dimensions of war. These disciplinary developments are embedded in Lancaster's Masters in International and Military History, which draws from the History Department's particular expertise in war and inter-state relations from the ancient world to the present day, in order to explore these themes across time.