Matthew-ford
Matthew Ford

War in the Smartphone Age: Conflict, Connectivity and the Crises at Our Fingertips

Matthew Ford

Sunday, 29 March 2026

4:00pm

1 hour

Weston Lecture Theatre

£10 - £18

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Military historian and expert on use of technology in war Professor Matthew Ford discusses the shape of war in the 21st century, including use of the smartphone.

Ford is associate professor in war studies at the Swedish Defence University, author of Weapon of Choice and co-author of Radical War. In War in the Smartphone Age: Conflict, Connectivity and the Crises at Our Fingertips, he explains the impact of the smartphone on modern warfare and how militaries are racing to adapt to the smartphone age. Ford says war in Ukraine has demonstrated the reality of a new hyper-connected battlefield. Anyone can view, analyse and comment on warzones from afar. Every smartphone is a potential weapon. Social media amplifies violence and shapes the legitimacy of war. Apps allow anyone to identify and attack perceived enemies.

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The Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

The Telegraph Festival media partner University of Oxford European Union 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 Spain Arts and Culture Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller Symington Wines of the Douro Valley HM Government of Gibraltar Compassion in World Farming Pasture to Plate 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 Gravita Accountants to the festival Mirabaud Private bank - London 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 Pol Roger Duff Cooper Prize Jim Mellon Miles Young Tim and Marion Stevenson Martin and Elise Becket Smith Jason and Heidi Smith David Isaac Other donors 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 Lincoln College Lincoln College founded 1427 Trinity College Trinity College founded 1555 Magdalen College Magdalen College founded 1458 Reuben College Reuben College founded in 2019 Harris Manchester College Harris Manchester College founded 1893 Pusey House Founded 1884 New Dutch Writing Human Ecology Project MACROVegan Colbenson 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 Italian Cultural Institute Oxford University Images Oxford University Images CAV Oxford The Litmus Partnership Schoolreaders Science Oxford Windrush Group The Oxford Times BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Conference Oxford Ox in a Box OX magazine