PhD Strategy and Security

University of Exeter

Research degrees in this area of interest provide opportunities to study with leading academics and practitioners who are specialists in strategy and security, based in our Strategy and Security Institute.Academics in the Institute carry out research, consultancy and teaching in the fields of global security and strategy, particularly relating to how individuals and organisations deal with conflict under intense pressure.The SSI is at the forefront of research into the drivers of strategic decision-making by civilian and military leaders, and planners in the foreign and defence policy domains.The decision to use organised violence in pursuit of strategic goals is not just a matter of political will and equipment; it is also governed by a system of social norms and processes, including a complex body of domestic and international law. While the growing impact of legal rules and processes promises to strengthen the rule of law at the international level, it also imposes operational burdens and strategic costs on the use of force. The extent to which these developments undermine operational effectiveness and constrain national security choices has become a question of immense significance.