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Walter Ladwig III

Dr Walter Ladwig III

Senior Lecturer in International Relations

  • Course Director, BA International Relations

Research interests

  • Conflict
  • International relations
  • Security

Biography

Dr Walter C Ladwig III is a political scientist specialising in US foreign policy, South Asian security, irregular warfare, and the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific. His teaching primarily concentrates on the conduct of statecraft and Cold War history. His first book, The Forgotten Front: Patron-Client Relationships in Counter Insurgency (Cambridge 2017), examines the often-difficult relations between the US and local governments it is supporting in counterinsurgency. He is currently writing a book on Indian defence policy.

Walter’s scholarly works have been published in a number of academic journals including International Security, the Journal of Strategic Studies, and Asian Survey, among others. He has commented on international affairs for the Economist, the Washington Post, the Financial Times, and the BBC and his opinion pieces have appeared in a number of newspapers including the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.

In September 2013, Walter joined King’s from the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford where he was a Departmental Lecturer, teaching courses on insurgency, terrorism, Cold War history, and research methods.

Walter is a Senior Fellow with the South Asia program at the EastWest Institute in New York and an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies in London. He previously held fellowships at the RAND Corporation in Washington, DC, the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, and the Center for the Advanced Study of India at the University of Pennsylvania.

Qualifications:

  • PhD International Relations, University of Oxford
  • Masters in Public Affairs (MPA), Princeton University
  • BA Economics and International Relations (dual degrees), the University of Southern California.

Visit his personal website 

 

Research Interests

  • US foreign policy and defence politics
  • South Asian security
  • Irregular warfare and counterinsurgency
  • The geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific
  • Military strategy
  • Legislative behavior in developing democracies

Walter has two main research programs, one exploring intra-state conflict, and the other focusing on the political and military implications of India’s emergence as great power.  In addition, he has a minor line of research exploring legislative behavior in developing democracies.

 

Teaching

Module Convener:

  • 4SSW1007 History of the International System
  • 5SSW2062 Statecraft, War, and Diplomacy

Dr Ladwig is currently not taking on any new PhD students

 

Publications

Books

Edited Volumes

Research Articles

Book Chapters

For a full list of publications please see Dr Ladwig's Research Profile

Research

Indo-pacific reefs
Indo-Pacific research group

Examining the geo-political strategy of the Indo-Pacific and its relationship with other states.

News

King's academic uses simulation to inform UK's Indo-Pacific strategy

Professor Alessio Patalano and Dr Walter Ladwig III have played a pivotal role in shaping the parliamentary report "Tilting Horizons: The Integrated Review...

Tilt Report

India's foreign policy geared towards securing national interest and maximising opportunities

India’s High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami spoke about India’s foreign policy and trade relations, in a lecture hosted by King’s India Institute.

India's High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami delivering a lecture to an audience at King's

Lines in the Hills: Indo-Chinese Rivalry in the Himalayas

Following a clash at the Himalayan border in mid-June – the most violent confrontation between India and China in decades – the King’s India Institute and Lau...

A village in the Indian Himalayas

Events

28OctArmy India south asia KII

The Military and Politics in South Asia

Join the King’s India Institute and the Department of War Studies for a deep dive into the complex dynamics of civil-military relations in South Asia.

09MayA cover of the book 'The Unfinished Quest: India's Search for Major Power Status From Nehru to Modi'

Book talk: 'The Unfinished Quest: India’s search for major power status from Nehru to Modi'

Professor T V Paul discusses his new book on the dynamics of India's international status in domestic political contestation

Please note: this event has passed.

09FebUK and India flags

India’s Foreign Policy and Trade Relations

King’s India Institute will host India’s High Commissioner to the UK, His Excellency Vikram K Doraiswami for a lecture.

Please note: this event has passed.

25JanBoats on Indian ocean

Indo-Pacific webinar series: US' role in the Indo-Pacific

Dr. Walter Ladwig III will present his research on US' foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific.

Please note: this event has passed.

07JulIndia-China Flag

Lines in the hills: Indo-Chinese rivalry in the Himalayas

Join us for this discussion on the tension between India and China on the Himalayan border and how this effects Indo-Chinese relations.

Please note: this event has passed.

Research

Indo-pacific reefs
Indo-Pacific research group

Examining the geo-political strategy of the Indo-Pacific and its relationship with other states.

News

King's academic uses simulation to inform UK's Indo-Pacific strategy

Professor Alessio Patalano and Dr Walter Ladwig III have played a pivotal role in shaping the parliamentary report "Tilting Horizons: The Integrated Review...

Tilt Report

India's foreign policy geared towards securing national interest and maximising opportunities

India’s High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami spoke about India’s foreign policy and trade relations, in a lecture hosted by King’s India Institute.

India's High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami delivering a lecture to an audience at King's

Lines in the Hills: Indo-Chinese Rivalry in the Himalayas

Following a clash at the Himalayan border in mid-June – the most violent confrontation between India and China in decades – the King’s India Institute and Lau...

A village in the Indian Himalayas

Events

28OctArmy India south asia KII

The Military and Politics in South Asia

Join the King’s India Institute and the Department of War Studies for a deep dive into the complex dynamics of civil-military relations in South Asia.

09MayA cover of the book 'The Unfinished Quest: India's Search for Major Power Status From Nehru to Modi'

Book talk: 'The Unfinished Quest: India’s search for major power status from Nehru to Modi'

Professor T V Paul discusses his new book on the dynamics of India's international status in domestic political contestation

Please note: this event has passed.

09FebUK and India flags

India’s Foreign Policy and Trade Relations

King’s India Institute will host India’s High Commissioner to the UK, His Excellency Vikram K Doraiswami for a lecture.

Please note: this event has passed.

25JanBoats on Indian ocean

Indo-Pacific webinar series: US' role in the Indo-Pacific

Dr. Walter Ladwig III will present his research on US' foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific.

Please note: this event has passed.

07JulIndia-China Flag

Lines in the hills: Indo-Chinese rivalry in the Himalayas

Join us for this discussion on the tension between India and China on the Himalayan border and how this effects Indo-Chinese relations.

Please note: this event has passed.