Dr David B Roberts is a Reader in International Security and Middle East Studies at King's College London, where he serves as Head of Professional Education and Enterprise in the School of Security Studies and leads the King's Institute for Applied Security Studies (KIASS). He is the founder and commissioning editor of Cambridge University Press's Elements in Middle East Politics book series. Prior to joining King's, he directed the Gulf office of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies. His 2023 monograph Security Politics in the Gulf Monarchies was published by Columbia University Press.

Research Interests

• Middle East security
• Security studies
• International relations
• Foreign policy analysis

Dr Roberts’ primary research interest focuses on the politics, foreign affairs, and international security of so-called Middle Powers, and particularly those in the Gulf region and the wider Middle East. David’s book 'Security Politics in the Gulf Monarchies' was published by Columbia University Press in 2023. A secondary research focus uses Foucault’s dispositif concept, which prompts analysts to look for overt and covert factors underpinning and supporting ongoing endeavours in any given field, to enhance understanding of military capability development and innovation.

PhD Supervision 

Dr Roberts is currently supervising: 

• Sara Al Mahri
• Ali Al-Maadeed 
• Hessa Al Dosari 
• Juhaina Al-Ali    

Selected Publications

• Security Politics in the Gulf Monarchies: Continuity Amid Change. New York: Colombia University Press https://cup.columbia.edu/book/security-politics-in-the-gulf-monarchies/9780231205252#  
• "Lifting the 'Protection Curse': The Rise of New Military Powers in the Middle East." Survival 63, No.2 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1080/00396338.2021.1905997
• "Ontological Security and the Gulf Crisis." Journal of Arabian Studies 11, no.1. (2021). https://doi.org/10.1080/21534764.2020.1833413
• "Bucking the Trend: The UAE & the Development of Military Capabilities in the Arab World." Security Studies 29, no.2 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1080/09636412.2020.1722852 

For a complete list of publications, please click here.