A Lancaster University research hub’s ongoing programme examining the changing character of war, diplomacy, and international order, will feature a special talk on ‘The New Total War’ through the eyes of a former soldier, journalist, and MP.

The University’s Centre for War and Diplomacy (CWD) in the School of Global Affairs (SGA) will welcome Dr Robert (Bob) Seely MBE onto campus on Thursday, 22 January (5pm to 6pm), for a talk on his latest work.

The talk will complement a wider series of CWD and SGA events exploring contemporary security challenges, the erosion of established norms, and the diplomatic, political, and societal dimensions of conflict in Europe and beyond with a particular focus on how military force, statecraft, coercion, and influence are increasingly intertwined.

In his book, The New Total War, Dr Seely analyses how, he says, Russia has fused conventional military power with a wide range of non-military tools – from cyber operations and psychological warfare to political manipulation, economic pressure, and the instrumentalisation of civilians.

Drawing on more than a decade of research, frontline reporting, and personal experience, the book sheds light on how authoritarian states seek to undermine rivals not only on the battlefield, but across diplomatic, informational, and societal domains.

The discussion will be of particular interest to students and scholars of international relations, security studies, diplomacy, war studies, and global affairs, as well as policymakers and practitioners concerned with the implications of hybrid and ‘total’ forms of conflict for diplomacy, deterrence, and international stability.

Dr Seely, a foreign correspondent in the early 1990s, witnessed the collapse of the Soviet Union and later became one of the earliest voices warning of a ‘resurgent, revanchist’ Russia.

He has served as a British soldier in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and in the campaign against ISIS, experiences that deeply informed his understanding of the evolving nature of warfare.

Alongside his public and military service, Dr Seely devoted a decade to academic research, completing a PhD at King’s College London focused on the fusion of different forms of conflict.

The New Total War bookbrings together more than 30 years of engagement with Russia, Ukraine, and modern warfare, offering a timely and thought-provoking contribution to debates at the heart of CWD and the School of Global Affairs.

Co-Director of the Centre for War and Diplomacy at Lancaster University Professor Marco Wyss said: “This talk is part of the Centre for War and Diplomacy’s effort to shape debate on the changing character of war, European security, and the strategic adaptation of the United Kingdom and its armed forces."

• Dr Robert Seely MBE, the author of The New Total War (Biteback Publishing, 2025), will speak on Thursday, 22 January 2026, 5pm to 6.30pm in the Cavendish Colloquium, Faraday Building, Lancaster University. Open to all and no need to book.