Dr Mike Martin speaks and writes on conflict, particularly its causes. He regularly appears in international media, lectures and publishes on the subject.
Speaking: RUSI Conference
Interviews: Bitter Lake (BBC)
Documentaries: Jimmy’s War (DR)
News: Fall of Kabul (Sky)
Selected Radio / Podcasts
- Afghanistan: What Now? What Next? (BBC Radio 4: The Briefing Room)
- Why Humans Fight and Go to War (Something You Should Know Podcast)
- No one in the West understood what the war in Afghanistan was really about (NPR: The World)
- Dr Mike Martin (TRIGGERnometry Podcast)
- Out of control? (BBC Radio 3: Free Thinking)
- Where do we go from here? (Doomsday Watch Podcast)
Selected Articles / Interviews
- How the Long History of Human Violence Explains Why the Internet Causes So Much Chaos (TIME)
- Interview – Mike Martin (E-International Relations)
- Is fighting in our genes? A biological theory of warfare (Irish Times)
- The Taliban, not the West, won Afghanistan’s technological war (MIT Technology Review)
- The British soldier reading Afghan minds (Sunday Times)
See also Mike’s Google Scholar page and his articles at UnHerd and The Telegraph
Dr Mike Martin is a War Studies Senior Visiting Fellow at King’s College London, where he speaks and writes on conflict. Mike often comments in the international media about conflict, geopolitics, and military strategy.
Mike is the author of five books. His latest, How to Fight a War, has just been released.
Books
‘Colourful, punchy, admirably challenging and clear – essential reading for every soldier, officer and general.’ General Sir Patrick Sanders, Chief of the General Staff
‘At a time of high geopolitical worry and risk this book sets out clearly the complex considerations—too often insufficiently assessed—which ought to inform any decision, by anyone, about going to war.’ The Rt Hon. Charles Clarke, (Former) UK Home Secretary
‘Almost all of the wars that have been fought over the last thirty years have been unsuccessful. If the leaders, generals and statesmen had read this book, they might not have been.’ Rt Hon Johnny Mercer MP, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
Why We Fight (Estonian translation)
‘A pivotal book in the study of conflict … brilliantly deploys psychology and neuroscience to devastating effect. It has radical implications for policies for conflict reduction.’ Professor Sir Paul Collier
‘Why We Fight is an ingenious exposition of a long-standing philosophical problem and an evolutionary psychological explanation of war. It is an intriguing and unusual book.’ Parameters
‘Required reading for not just biologists, psychologists and historians, but military leaders and recruiters as well.’ British Army Review
Crossing the Congo (German translation)
‘A remarkable story of psychological and physical endurance, and a compelling account of what pushes people to embark on impossible journeys.’ Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE, FRGS
‘A deeply, brutally honest view of what it is like to complete a great journey. At times they were lucky to survive.’ Robin Hanbury-Tenison, FRGS
Shortlisted for the Edward Stanford Adventure Travel Book of the Year
‘This is the best book ever written on Afghanistan. Martin writes what I have been feeling since the ’80s, but have not expressed in such a clear way … a remarkable work of political anthropology.‘ Professor Olivier Roy
‘An extraordinary book … An Intimate War is the work of a wise and patient scholar.’ London Review of Books
‘An uncompromising, deeply thought and important contribution.’ The Times
Foreword to Taliban: A Critical History from Within
Chapter in Tribes and Global Jihadism
Speaking, Writing, Training, Legal Expertise & Media
Mike regularly speaks and writes on a wide range of issues relating to conflict. He delivers speeches to organisations, societies and institutions worldwide, as well as to governments and militaries, including those of the US, the UK and Australia. Mike also accepts commissions from publications and think tanks for written analysis on defence, conflict and foreign affairs.
With respect to training, Mike designs and delivers language immersion programmes, cultural intelligence/advisory courses, and conflict analysis courses to a wide range of audiences. These can be delivered face-to-face, online, or via blended learning.
Mike also acts as a legal expert where military or conflict expertise is required by the courts or counsel. Recent cases have included those pertaining to the wars in Afghanistan and Ukraine, and cover a wide range of issues from immigration, liability and insurance.
Mike often comments in international media including the BBC, TIME, NPR, DR, CBC, WSJ, Economist, Irish Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph, Vice, Information, Prospect, etc. He also works with film and documentary makers, for example, advising the cast and crew of the film War Machine featuring Brad Pitt, or appearing in Bitter Lake by Adam Curtis.
Should you wish to contact Mike, please see below.
Contact Mike
To contact Mike or enquire his availability, please either:
email mike@threshedthought.com
or use the contact form below.