Recent geopolitical developments – from the increasing militarisation of the Asia-Pacific to the military assertiveness of Russia and the resurgence of the nation-state – have meant that the study of warfare and relations between states has risen to renewed prominence. The Centre for War and Diplomacy (CWD) provides the historical context and strategic analysis that will inform understanding of these current global challenges, as well as those of the future. Embracing a global perspective, it pursues research into the mutually informative fields of war and diplomatic relations between states in the longue durée, in order to combine cross-chronological insights.

Based in the Department of History at Lancaster University, the CWD brings together colleagues from across the Arts and Social Sciences, including History, Law, Politics, Philosophy and Religion, and the Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts, and welcomes non-resident and visiting fellows from across the world. A full list of CWD members and fellows can be viewed on our People page.

The CWD also supports the MA International and Military History and the MA War and Diplomacy at Lancaster, as well as a flourishing community of doctoral students, who benefit from its programme of conferences and seminars.

The CWD's War & Diplomacy Podcast features interviews with leading researchers and practitioners, with topics ranging from the evidence for women’s roles in diplomacy – from the thirteenth-century to the twentieth – to the Cold War in Africa and European Security in the twenty-first century. The Podcast is available on all major platforms, including Anchor.

Please visit our News section for more information on new research and recent events.