Arctic geopolitics in focus at 2026 Martin Edmonds Memorial Lecture

Lancaster University’s Centre for War and Diplomacy (CWD) and the Lancaster Military Heritage Group (LMHG) will welcome Professor Caroline Kennedy-Pipe, Professor of War Studies at Loughborough University, to deliver the 2026 Martin Edmonds Memorial Lecture, ‘The New (Old) Geopolitics of the High North’.

The Martin Edmonds Memorial Lecture series is a joint venture between the CWD and the LMHG. Held annually in memory of the late Professor Martin Edmonds of Lancaster University, an internationally renowned pioneer of defence studies, it brings audiences together to explore questions of war, defence and international security.

This year’s lecture will take place on Wednesday 25 November 2026, from 5pm to 6.30pm, in the Frankland Lecture Theatre on the Bailrigg campus, followed by a wine reception.

Professor Kennedy-Pipe will examine how climate change is reshaping the Arctic’s strategic importance. As sea ice melts, new shipping routes open and oil, gas and rare earth minerals become more accessible, major powers are seeking geopolitical advantage. Against a backdrop of militarisation and nuclear confrontation, the lecture will consider whether peace can be preserved as the ice recedes.

Her current research focuses on Arctic geopolitics, particularly the UK’s defence strategy for the High North. She has held visiting positions at Oxford, the University of Southern Denmark and Cornell, and is a First Sea Lord Fellow.

The lecture is open to everyone. Registration is not required; attendees can simply turn up.

View the event details.