Dr Jack McDonald is a Senior Lecturer in War Studies at the Department of War Studies, King’s College London. His is currently co-leads the Reconceptualising research strand in the Leverhulme Centre for Research on Slavery in War. Formerly he was the Director of the Centre for Science and Security Studies, a global leader in nuclear security, non-proliferation, and security challenges related to emerging technology. He is the author of three books examining the relationship between the law and ethics of war, and emerging technology. His first book, Ethics, Law and Justifying Targeted Killings (Routledge), examined American justifications for drone strikes and targeted killings during the Obama administration. His second book, Enemies Known and Unknown: Targeted Killings in America’s Transnational War(OUP/Hurst), analysed the relationship between law, technology, and strategy in America’s “transnational armed conflict” with al-Qaeda and demonstrated the key role law plays in the constitution of war. His most recent book, What is War For? for Bristol University Press extends this line of inquiry, arguing that we need to consider the changing context of war - in material and social terms - in order to fully explain its changing character.

Dr McDonald’s research examines the relationship between ethics, law, technology, and war. He takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of war and warfare, and is primarily interested in the philosophical questions underlying the regulation of warfare both in the present and the past. In particular, his research examines identification problems in war and national security. His current research examines the role of ICTs in the generation of ethical debates, working towards a book project on data ethics in armed conflict. This is part of a wider research focus upon the role of infrastructure and ethics in war and national security. With the Leverhulme Centre, he is working on the relationship between slavery, war, and political order in world history.

 Jack has worked with a wide range of organisations, delivering teaching on public policy and national security to police, civil servants, and armed forces worldwide. He has produced policy-relevant research for a range of organisations, including the United Nations Mine Action Service, Airwars, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Drones and Chatham House’s International Security Department.

Teaching

• 7SSWN086 Dirty Wars

• 7SSWN039 War, Technology, and Innovation

 Dr McDonald is not taking on more PhD students at this time.

Selected Publications

Books

• McDonald, Jack. What is War For? Bristol University Press, 2023. link

• McDonald, Jack. Enemies Known and Unknown: Targeted Killings in America’s Transnational War. Oxford University Press/Hurst & Co., 2017. link

• McDonald, Jack. Ethics, Law and Justifying Targeted Killings: The Obama Administration at War. Routledge, 2016. link

Journal Articles

• McDonald, Jack. “Remote Warfare and the Legitimacy of Military Capabilities.” Defence Studies 21, no. 4 (2021): 528-544. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14702436.2021.1902315

• McDonald, Jack. “Information, Privacy, and Just War Theory.” Ethics & International Affairs 34, no. 3 (2020): 379-400. DOI: https://doi:10.1017/S0892679420000477

Book Chapters

• McDonald, Jack. “Who are participants in non-military warfare?” In Jonsson, Oscar and Käihkö, Ilmari Eds. Non-Military Warfare: A War of Our Time, Routledge, 2025. link

• McDonald, Jack. “Digital Connectivity and Digital Informants in War” In Feldstein, Steven and Ford, Matthew Eds. The Digital in War: From Innovation to Participation, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2025. link

• McDonald, Jack. “Decapitation, Repression, or Cauterisation? The problem of categorising targeted strikes.” In Jones, David Martin, Schulte, Paul, Ungerer, Carl, Smith, M.L.R., Eds. Handbook of Terrorism and Counter Terrorism Post 9/11, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019. link

• McDonald, Jack. “Autonomous Agents and Command Responsibility” In Gow, James, Dijxhoorn, Ernst, Kerr, Rachel, and Verdirame, Guglielmo. Eds. Routledge Handbook of War, Law and Technology, Routledge, 2019. link

• McDonald, Jack. “Blind Justice? The Problem of Distinction in Electronic Attacks” In Taddeo, Mariarosaria, Glorioso, Ludovica Eds. Ethics and Policies for Cyber Warfare (Philosophical Studies series), pp. 17-32. Springer, 2017. link