Drayton Cullen is a PhD candidate in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London. 

His research explores the international thought of Kenneth Thompson (1921–2013), a scholar, Rockefeller Foundation leader, and key yet overlooked figure in the development of international relations theory. Using an intellectual history approach, he examines how Thompson’s writings and institutional leadership shaped debates in both the United States and Britain during the discipline’s formative years. His research highlights Thompson’s philosophy of history and reveals how his work influenced the intellectual foundations of modern international relations.

Drayton currently serves as the Chief of Staff for the University of Texas-Austin’s Executive Vice President and Provost. Drayton holds a B.A. in History and Classics from Samford University and a Master of Global Policy Studies from UT Austin’s LBJ School of Public Affairs.

Research Interests

• Cold War
• American Foreign Policy
• World Order
• Mid 20th Century International Relations Theory
• Philosophy of History
• History & Statecraft