Dr Philip A. Berry is a Lecturer in War Studies in the Department of War Studies, King’s College London. He rejoined the department in 2026 after previously holding academic and visiting appointments there.

Previously, Philip worked as a counter-narcotics official at the UK Home Office. He was a manager in the Afghanistan Serious and Organised Crime team and was later seconded to the Synthetic Opioids Taskforce Secretariat. Before this, he served as a policy official at the Ministry of Defence. Most recently, Philip worked as a consultant for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, focusing on the international narcotics trade.

As a contemporary historian, Philip’s primary research interests lie in UK and US counter-narcotics policies, particularly in Afghanistan and South America. His interests also include the history of the UK’s international anti-drug efforts, Anglo-American relations and UK and US foreign, security and defence policy.

Philip’s academic work has been published in journals such as The International History Review, Diplomacy & Statecraft, Defence Studies, Studies in Conflict & Terrorism and Contemporary British History. His comment pieces have appeared in Foreign Policy, The World Today, The Independent, World Politics Review, The Conversation and on the RUSI website, among others.

His book: The War on Drugs and Anglo-American Relations: Lessons from Afghanistan, 2001-2011 was selected for Choice’s prestigious Outstanding Academic Titles list for 2020. Currently, he is writing a book about UK and US law enforcement efforts to combat the Afghan narcotics trade, which will be published next year by Milo Books.

His commentary on the illegal narcotics industry and Afghanistan have featured in numerous media outlets, including the Financial Times, Daily Mail, Los Angeles Times, Al Jazeera, France 24, Bellingcat, Nikkei Asia and The Huck Magazine, among others.

Philip holds a PhD in contemporary history from the University of Dundee, an MLitt from the University of Aberdeen and an undergraduate degree from the University of Dundee.

Research interests

• Afghanistan

• Counter-Narcotics Policy

• Anglo-American Relations

• UK and US Foreign and Security Policy

• UK and US Defence Policy

Teaching

• National Security Studies MA
• Political Violence, Counterterrorism and Human Rights MA 

Publications

Books

• Philip A. Berry, The War on Drugs and Anglo-American Relations: Lessons from Afghanistan, 2001-2011 (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2019).

Book Chapters

• Philip A. Berry, Alan P. Dobson, and Steve Marsh, “Far from ‘The Highest Level of Special’: Anglo-American Relations under Donald Trump,” in Foreign Perceptions of the United States under Donald Trump, ed. Gregory S. Mahler (Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books, 2021), 89-103.

Journal Articles

• Joe Devanny and Philip A. Berry, “The Conservative Party and DFID: party statecraft and development policy since 1997,” Contemporary British History 36, no. 1 (2021): 86–123.

• John Gearson & Philip A. Berry, “British Troops on British Streets: Defence’s Counter-Terrorism Journey from 9/11 to Operation Temperer,” Studies in Conflict & Terrorism 46, no. 10 (2021): 1984-2010.

• Joe Devanny and Philip A. Berry, “‘Gulf Security is Our Security’: Global Britain and UK Gulf Strategy, 2010-20,” Defence Studies 21, no. 2 (2021): 141-161.

• Philip A. Berry, “From London to Lashkar Gah: British Counter Narcotics Policies in Afghanistan (2001–2003),” The International History Review 40, no. 4 (2018): 713-731.

• Philip A. Berry, “Allies at War in Afghanistan: Anglo–American Friction over Aerial Poppy Eradication, 2004–2007,” Diplomacy & Statecraft 29, no. 2 (2018): 274-297.

Reports

• Philip A. Berry, John Cuddiy and Antonio Valverde, Findings of the Expert Working Group on Criminal Networks Involved in Cocaine Trafficking from South America to the Balkan Region and Europe (Vienna: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2025 forthcoming).

• Philip A. Berry and John Cuddiy, Findings of the Expert Working Group on Criminal Networks Involved in Opiate and Methamphetamine Trafficking from Afghanistan to the Balkan Region and Europe (Vienna: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2025 forthcoming).

• Philip A. Berry, Findings of the Expert Working Group on Criminal Networks Involved in Opiate and Methamphetamine Trafficking from Afghanistan along the Northern and Southern Caucasus routes (Vienna: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2025 forthcoming).

• John Gearson, Philip A. Berry, Joe Devanny, Nina Musgrave, The Whole Force by Design: Optimising Defence to Meet Future Challenges (London: King’s College London/Serco Institute, 2020).

Commentary

• Philip A. Berry, "How Britain and its allies can tackle the next synthetic opioid menace," The World Today, 15 December 2025.
• Philip A. Berry, "The Use and Abuse of 'Narco-Terrorism'", Foreign Policy, 7 November 2025.
• Philip A. Berry, "A New Front Opens in the Battle Against Synthetic Opioids," World Politics Review, 24 September 2025.
• Philip A. Berry, "Ecuador’s Cocaine Trafficking Crisis Is a Problem for the U.K., Too,"World Politics Review, 22 July 2025.
• Philip A. Berry, “How Trump the ‘master deal-maker’ failed when it came to negotiating with the Taliban in Afghanistan,” The Conversation, 26 February 2025.
• Philip A. Berry, “‘There has never been a more dangerous time to take drugs’: the rising global threat of nitazenes and synthetic opioids,” The Conversation, 7 February 2025.
• Philip A. Berry, “The politics of clothes in the House of Commons,” LSE British Politics and Policy Blog, 4 September 2024.
• Philip A. Berry and David Mansfield, “The Taliban’s Afghan Drug Ban Hasn’t Slowed Europe’s Heroin Trade,” World Politics Review, 19 August 2024.
• Philip A. Berry, “What Is the Future of UK Drugs Policy for Afghanistan?” RUSI Newsbrief 41, no. 7, 10 September 2021.
• Philip A. Berry, “The Review and Anglo-American Relations,” in The Integrated Review in Context: A Strategy Fit for the 2020s? Joe Devanny and John Gearson (London: King’s College London, 2021).
• Joe Devanny and Philip A. Berry, “The Review and International Development,” in The Integrated Review in Context: A Strategy Fit for the 2020s? Joe Devanny and John Gearson (London: King’s College London, 2021).
• Philip A. Berry and Joe Devanny, “What government cuts to the overseas aid budget means for Global Britain,” Civil Service World, 27 January 2021.
• Philip A. Berry, “Is the UK Engaging Meaningfully with Counter-Narcotics in Afghanistan?,” RUSI: The Informer, 16 December 2020.