Lawrence-freedman-2
Lawrence Freedman
Hew-strachan
Hew Strachan
Angela-saini
Angela Saini

The New Makers of Modern Strategy: From the Ancient World to the Digital Age

Lawrence Freedman and Hew Strachan chaired Angela Saini

Sunday, 17 March 2024

12:00pm

1 hour

Oxford Martin School: Lecture Theatre

£8 - £15

Military historians Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman and Professor Sir Hew Strachan talk about military strategy and their contributions to a new version of the definitive work on strategy and the key figures who have shaped the theory and practice of war over the centuries.

Freedman opens the book with a chapter on the history of strategy, in which he discusses the meaning of the word, and its origins in history.  He looks at its implications in war and in the armed forces more generally, ranging from ancient Greece to the nuclear age. Freedman is emeritus professor of war studies, King’s College London, and was a member of the official inquiry into Britain and the 2003 Iraq War.

Strachan’s contribution looks at the enduring relevance of the Prussian general and military theorist Clausewitz, including his influence on army commanders and the ‘purpose’ of war.  Strachan says Clausewitz’s focus was on understanding war as a phenomenon rather than something transformed by technological change. Strachan is professor of international relations at the University of St Andrews and before that was the Chichele Professor of the History of War at the University of Oxford. He was heavily involved with the preparations for the centenary of the First World War.

Discussions are chaired by Angela Saini, a science journalist and author of four books including The Patriarchs: How Men came to Rule.

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The Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

The Telegraph Festival media partner University of Oxford European Union Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK Cultural Relations Platform Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Oxford Mathematics Spanish Embassy The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture Cervantes Institute, London The Cervantes Institute, London Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller Symington Wines of the Douro Valley Compassion in World Farming Pasture to Plate Oxford Business College Where learning meets opportunity: education partners of the festival Old Bank Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Old Parsonage Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Oxford Brookes University Oxford International Centre for Publishing Critchleys Accountants to the festival Confucius Institute Voltaire Foundation Felicity Bryan Associates Goldmoney Properties Princeton University Press Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024 Oxford University Department for Continuing Education Jewish Book Week Partner of Oxford Literary Festival Jim Mellon Miles Young Tim and Marion Stevenson Martin and Elise Becket Smith Ian and Carol Sellars David Isaac Mary and Cecil Quillen Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Yale University Press London New College New College founded 1379 Exeter College Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314 Worcester College Worcester College founded 1714 Trinity College Trinity College founded 1555 Magdalen College Magdalen College founded 1458 Reuben College Reuben College founded in 2019 Pusey House Brasenose College Brasenose College founded in 1512 New Dutch Writing Human Ecology Project MACROVegan Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design Racalia Olive Oil Olive oil from Sicily Paul Bloomfield Ltd University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Oxford University Images Oxford University Images CAV Oxford The Litmus Partnership Schoolreaders Windrush Group The Oxford Times BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Conference Oxford Ox in a Box OX magazine