Dr David Banks

David Banks is an international relation scholar who focuses on diplomatic history and practice, and wargaming and conflict simulation.

In Autumn 2020 he joined King’s College War Studies Department as Wargaming Lecturer. His wargaming research has researched the potential use of cyber weapons in future conflicts, and on counter-insurgency techniques against Boko Haram. He has also designed a number of conflict simulations for use the in the classroom. His current wargaming research is focused on determining epistemological standards for evaluating wargames and simulations as a research method. In addition to his wargaming research, Dr Banks also studies diplomatic practice in international society, with a special emphasis on symbolic and rhetorical diplomacy.

His current book manuscript researches the motivation for and political consequences of state violations of diplomatic practice. He has been published in International Studies Quarterly, and media outlets including The Washington Post, Time, The Independent, Chicago Tribune, Navy Times, US World News & Report, and has appeared on BBC News. He received his PhD from George Washington University in Washington DC in 2015.

 

Research Interests

• Analytic wargaming
• Symbolic and Rhetorical diplomacy
• International crises
• Empire diplomacy
• Great power conferences

David’s research falls under three areas: wargaming as a research method, diplomatic practice, the history of international society.

With Ivanka Barzashka, David directs the King’s Wargaming Network, which seeks to advance the theory and application of wargaming as a method of inquiry and as a method of learning and teaching.

 

Publications

• “The Diplomatic Presentation of the State in International Crises: Diplomatic Collaboration during the US-Iran Hostage Crisis.” 2019. International Studies Quarterly, Vol, No. 63, No. 4. (Winner of ISA Diplomatic Studies Section’s Best Article Award, 2020)
• “Fields of Practice: Symbolic Binding and the Qing Defense of Sinocentric Diplomacy.” 2019. International Studies Quarterly, Vol. 63, No. 3. 
• “Rejecting Westphalia: Maintaining the Sinocentric System, to the End.” In Daniel Green (ed). The Two Worlds of Nineteenth Century International Relations, Routledge, 2018.
• “The Rise of Dark Power: An Unforeseen Threat to International Order.” 2018. National Intelligence Research Short, May 2018.
• Cyber Operations in Conflict: Lessons from Analytic Wargaming. 2018. With Benjamin Jensen. The University California Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity.

 

Teaching

David currently convenes or co-convenes:

• War in International Order
• Diplomacy and Foreign Policy