Authored Books by Ian Hall
Narendra Modi’s energetic personal diplomacy and promise to make India a ‘leading power’, made so... more Narendra Modi’s energetic personal diplomacy and promise to make India a ‘leading power’, made soon after his landslide election victory in May 2014, surprised many analysts. Most had predicted that his government would concentrate on domestic issues, on the growth and development demanded by Indian voters, and that he lacked necessary experience in international relations. Instead, Modi’s time in office saw a concerted attempt to reinvent Indian foreign policy by replacing inherited understandings of its place in the world with one drawn largely from Hindu nationalist ideology. This book explores the drivers of this reinvention, arguing it arose from a combination of elite conviction and electoral calculation, and the impact it had on India’s international relations under Modi.
In just three decades, Great Britain’s place in world politics was transformed. In 1945, it was t... more In just three decades, Great Britain’s place in world politics was transformed. In 1945, it was the world’s preeminent imperial power with global interests. By 1975, Britain languished in political stasis and economic recession, clinging to its alliance with the United States and membership in the European Community. Amid this turmoil, British intellectuals struggled to make sense of their country’s decline and the transformed world in which they found themselves. This book assesses their responses to this predicament and explores the different ways British thinkers came to understand the new international relations of the postwar period.
Martin Wight (1913-1972) was one of the most original and enigmatic international thinkers of the... more Martin Wight (1913-1972) was one of the most original and enigmatic international thinkers of the twentieth century. He was the author of a number of seminal essays, including 'Why is there no International Theory?' (1960) and 'Western Values in International Relations' (1966). His international thought inspired a generation of students at the London School of Economics and continues to animate the so-called 'English school' of international relations. This new study, drawing upon his published writings and unpublished papers, examines his work on international relations in the light of his wider thought, his religious beliefs, and his understanding of history.
Edited Books by Ian Hall
This book advances a holistic conceptualisation of maritime security, under the term ‘Blue Securi... more This book advances a holistic conceptualisation of maritime security, under the term ‘Blue Security’, and situates it in states across the Indo-Pacific.
The Indo-Pacific encompasses a vast space, incorporating two of the planet’s biggest oceans, the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, as well as littoral and hinterland states home to half the world’s population. Security challenges abound across the maritime Indo-Pacific, ranging from the risk of inter-state war at sea to so-called blue crimes, like piracy, smuggling, and illegal fishing. Climate change and marine pollution, as well as the over-exploitation of scarce and sometimes fragile resources, also pose threats to human security, sustainability, and biodiversity. Using the concept of ‘Blue Security’, this book assesses these various challenges and analyses the approaches to their management used by Indo-Pacific states. It argues that we should embrace a holistic understanding of maritime security, incorporating national, regional, international, human, and environmental dimensions. To that end, it explores the Blue Security strategies of 18 Indo-Pacific states, examining their changing perceptions of threat, their approaches to managing those challenges, and their capabilities. The volume makes an innovative contribution to our knowledge of a region crucial to global security and prosperity.
This book will be of interest to students of maritime strategy, security studies, Asian politics and International Relations.
The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license.
Over the past twenty years, the history of international thought has emerged as a major subfield ... more Over the past twenty years, the history of international thought has emerged as a major subfield of International Relations (IR). But it has tended to concentrate its attentions on American and – to a lesser extent – British theorists and traditions, with the occasion foray onto the European continent to explore the contributions of Raymond Aron or Carl Schmitt. This book aims to break new ground in the history of international thought, broadening its focus from Anglo-American realism and liberalism to new thinkers, new topics, and new places. It does so in two ways. First, it argues that more needs to be done to explore radical and reactionary theories beyond the realist and liberal mainstream, to examine the paths not taken as well as paths, like those followed by continental European and Japanese fascists in the mid-twentieth century, that led to disastrous foreign policies. Second, and just as importantly, it argues that the field needs to follow the lead given by comparative political theorists, who have made significant contributions to our understanding of the history of political thought by beginning to explore non-Anglospheric theories and traditions.
India’s rise has changed the nature of its relationships with other major players in the Asia-Pac... more India’s rise has changed the nature of its relationships with other major players in the Asia-Pacific region. In response, regional states and great powers have moved to “engage” India. But what does “engagement” involve? And which “engagement strategies” – diplomatic, military, economic or public – have worked and which have not? Finally, what do the “engagement of India” tell us about India’s place in world politics and the best means by which it and others can manage its rise?
This book explores the various engagement strategies employed by key international actors, including those used by United States, Japan, Russia and China, as well as the responses these strategies have prompted from India in both its foreign and domestic policies. It draws upon a growing body of theoretical literature that explores the nature and utility of engagement in international relations, and employs it to make better sense of India’s rise, its causes and its consequences.
"This edited collection explores the fruitfulness of applying an interpretive approach to the stu... more "This edited collection explores the fruitfulness of applying an interpretive approach to the study of global security. The interpretive approach concentrates on unpacking the meanings and beliefs of various policy actors, and, crucially, explains those beliefs by locating them in historical traditions and as responses to dilemmas. Interpretivists thereby seek to highlight the contingency, diversity, and contestability of the narratives, expertise, and beliefs that inform political action. The interpretive approach is widespread in the study of governance and public policy, but arguably it has not yet had much impact on security studies. The book therefore deploys the interpretive approach to explore contemporary issues in international security, combining theoretical engagement with good empirical coverage through a novel set of case studies.
Bringing together a fresh mix of world renowned and up-and-coming scholars from across the fields of security studies, political theory and international relations, the chapters explore the beliefs, traditions, and dilemmas that have informed security practice on the one hand, and the academic study of security on the other, as well as the connections between them. All contributors look to situate their work against a broader historical background and long-standing traditions, allowing them to take a critical yet historically informed approach to the material.
"
In the modern era, British thinkers have made significant - indeed perhaps even disproportionate ... more In the modern era, British thinkers have made significant - indeed perhaps even disproportionate - contributions to our understanding of the workings of international relations. This book brings together eleven original essays by an inter-disciplinary team of historians, political theorists and international relations specialists that reconsider some of those contributions and their legacies. It aims to provide new insights into the work of thinkers from Thomas Hobbes and Edmund Burke to Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson and Lewis Namier as well as to advance the study of the history of international thought.
Journal Articles by Ian Hall
International Affairs, 2025
Since the mid-2020, following a deadly clash between Chinese and Indian troops on the Line of Act... more Since the mid-2020, following a deadly clash between Chinese and Indian troops on the Line of Actual Control, New Delhi has developed a new strategy for managing its northern neighbour. This article argues that one hitherto overlooked element of this strategy is the systematic soft balancing of China’s power in a series of multilateral and minilateral groupings, including the Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral, the BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) grouping. In each, New Delhi has deployed different soft balancing tactics – termed here denial, delay, trivalisation, and exclusion – to undermine China’s power and frustrate Beijing’s pursuit of its diplomatic agendas. This article analyses India’s behaviour in each of these forums by reference to official statements, media reports, and interviews and comment from Indian leaders, as well as contemporary analysis, exploring how and why it has chosen to use different tactics in different forums. It argues that the evidence suggests New Delhi has carefully selected tactics depending on the perceived importance and usefulness of the forum to India’s interests.
The Review of Faith and International Affairs, 2024
India is investing more in religious diplomacy, arguing that the world might learn lessons from t... more India is investing more in religious diplomacy, arguing that the world might learn lessons from that country’s extraordinary repository of philosophical and spiritual traditions. This diplomacy has an increasingly Hindu character, reflecting the present government’s conviction that India is essentially a Hindu civilization. This article examines the drivers of India’s contemporary religious diplomacy, its target audiences, its practitioners within and outside the government, and its likely influence. It argues that India’s religious diplomacy is unusual in terms of its target audiences and the message aimed at each of them, and in terms of its messengers, which include several Hindu nationalist social movements and elements of the Indian diaspora. It argues too that the impact of these efforts remains unclear.
Asia Maior, 2024
India had a busy and increasingly tumultuous year in foreign policy. New Delhi played host to bot... more India had a busy and increasingly tumultuous year in foreign policy. New Delhi played host to both the Group of 20 and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, providing opportunities to shape agendas in multiple areas of global governance and international security. It used both presidencies to showcase the achievements of the Modi government, to demonstrate India’s «convening power», and, at times, to frustrate others, especially China. But, during 2023, India also attracted global attention for other reasons. In the middle of year, the killing of a Sikh separatist in Canada led some to conclude that New Delhi was running a covert programme of targeted assassinations. That incident led to a major diplomatic dispute with Ottawa and was followed by evidence, uncovered by United States authorities, of an unsuc- cessful plot to assassinate another Sikh separatist. These events cast a shadow over India’s strategic partnership with Washington. Towards the end of year, the outbreak of violence in Gaza brought the Modi government’s Middle East policy – especially the strong relationship forged with Israel – under greater scrutiny. Both could prefig- ure strategic setbacks for India, this article argues.
The RUSI Journal, 2023
Australian and British strategic interests diverged after the early 1970s. As London’s horizons n... more Australian and British strategic interests diverged after the early 1970s. As London’s horizons narrowed, Canberra held tight to Australia’s alliance with the US and looked to emerging Asia for economic opportunities. Recently, however, Australian and UK strategic interests have reconverged, as concern
grows in both countries about China’s growing assertiveness. The AUKUS arrangement is the clearest signal of this shift, but, as Ian Hall argues, the substance of Australia–UK strategic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific is yet to be determined and several challenges loom.
The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs, 2022
India's leaders have pursued a series of ambitious agendas in international relations, driven by ... more India's leaders have pursued a series of ambitious agendas in international relations, driven by a sense of national destiny and civilisational mission. This article explores these different agendas and the strategies they shaped, noting the underlying convictions that unite them: that India's civilisational inheritance has lessons for the world, that India's status is yet to be properly respected, and that New Delhi must strive for the highest levels of autonomy India can attain in international affairs. It argues, however, that their pursuit has been confounded by domestic challenges, which inhibit India's capacity to accumulate power and exert influence.
Journal of Indian and Asian Studies, 2021
Since the election of Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in May 2014, In... more Since the election of Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in May 2014, India's approach to East Asia has changed, principally in response to pressures exerted by China. The Modi government inherited an East Asia strategy that combined a push for greater diplomatic and economic linkages with the region, an effort to improve Sino-Indian relations through a mix of engagement and deterrence, and a strengthening of security ties with the United States (US) and its allies. During its first three years in office, this paper argues that the Modi government stuck with this approach but attempted to pursue it more energetically as well as to assert India's interests more clearly and forcefully in interactions with Beijing. After the Doklam standoff in 2017, however, India was pushed to assume a more clearly competitive stance, despite concerns about the reliability of Donald J. Trump's new administration in Washington, China's growing belligerence towards India and the rest of the region, and the impact of COVID-19. This stance entails both internal and external balancing, and a push for greater economic self-reliance that implies some decoupling from China, but which also has implications for India's relations with other countries in East Asia.
International Politics, 2021
Narendra Modi’s visit to Australia in November 2014 was the first for an Indian Prime Minister in... more Narendra Modi’s visit to Australia in November 2014 was the first for an Indian Prime Minister in almost three decades and promised much. Modi declared that Australia was no longer on the ‘periphery’ of New Delhi’s ‘vision’, ‘but at the centre of our thoughts’. He pledged to work with Canberra at the G20 and regional multilateral forums, deepen the bilateral security partnership, and conclude a free trade deal. These promises were only partly realised. Progress was made in defence and
security cooperation, within and outside the Quad, but a free trade deal proved too hard. Canberra struggled to maintain momentum in improving ties because of leadership challenges in Australian government and New Delhi’s preference for protectionism. This article examines these dynamics, looking back at the drivers of the strategic partnership, as well as at the challenges encountered in the Modi era.
Global Governance: A Review of Multilateralism and International Organizations, 2021
Despite its longstanding rhetorical support for an international criminal justice regime, India c... more Despite its longstanding rhetorical support for an international criminal justice regime, India continues to resist signing the 1998 Rome Statute that created the International Criminal Court. This article explores the reasons for this reluctance. It observes that during the negotiations that led to the Rome Statute, India voiced multiple objections to the design of the ICC, to the manner in which was to function, and to the crimes that it was to address. It argues that analyzing the negotiating strategy India employed during those talks allows us to discern which reasons mattered more to New Delhi and what accounts for its ongoing refusal to sign the Rome Statute.
Security Challenges, 2020
Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 2020
Third World Quarterly, 2020
Official figures claim that almost 3000 people were killed, and many more injured or displaced, i... more Official figures claim that almost 3000 people were killed, and many more injured or displaced, in four days of rioting aimed at the Sikh pop- ulation of Delhi in late October and early November 1984 following the assassination of Indira Gandhi. This article analyses the efforts made to address the human rights violations that occurred. It argues that as a divided democracy, India has struggled to do justice to the victims, despite multiple commissions of inquiry, compensation schemes and a prime ministerial apology. It argues that this has occurred not simply because of challenges commonly faced by democracies dealing with similar incidents, but also because of the particular problems faced in a context in which we see continuity of rule by a political elite allegedly implicated in the abuse and in which there is acute concern for the survival of a fragile divided polity.
Journal of International Political Theory, 2020
This article introduces the Special Issue on ‘Interpretivism and the English School of Internatio... more This article introduces the Special Issue on ‘Interpretivism and the English School of International Relations’. It distinguishes between what we term the interpretivist and structuralist wings of the school and argues that disagreement about its preferred approach to the study of international relations has generated confusion about what it stands for and weakened its capacity to respond to alternative approaches. It puts the case for a reconsideration of the underlying philosophical positions that the school wishes to affirm and suggests that a properly grounded interpretivism may serve it best. The final part of the article discusses the topics and arguments of the remaining pieces in the Special Issue.
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Authored Books by Ian Hall
Edited Books by Ian Hall
The Indo-Pacific encompasses a vast space, incorporating two of the planet’s biggest oceans, the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, as well as littoral and hinterland states home to half the world’s population. Security challenges abound across the maritime Indo-Pacific, ranging from the risk of inter-state war at sea to so-called blue crimes, like piracy, smuggling, and illegal fishing. Climate change and marine pollution, as well as the over-exploitation of scarce and sometimes fragile resources, also pose threats to human security, sustainability, and biodiversity. Using the concept of ‘Blue Security’, this book assesses these various challenges and analyses the approaches to their management used by Indo-Pacific states. It argues that we should embrace a holistic understanding of maritime security, incorporating national, regional, international, human, and environmental dimensions. To that end, it explores the Blue Security strategies of 18 Indo-Pacific states, examining their changing perceptions of threat, their approaches to managing those challenges, and their capabilities. The volume makes an innovative contribution to our knowledge of a region crucial to global security and prosperity.
This book will be of interest to students of maritime strategy, security studies, Asian politics and International Relations.
The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license.
This book explores the various engagement strategies employed by key international actors, including those used by United States, Japan, Russia and China, as well as the responses these strategies have prompted from India in both its foreign and domestic policies. It draws upon a growing body of theoretical literature that explores the nature and utility of engagement in international relations, and employs it to make better sense of India’s rise, its causes and its consequences.
Bringing together a fresh mix of world renowned and up-and-coming scholars from across the fields of security studies, political theory and international relations, the chapters explore the beliefs, traditions, and dilemmas that have informed security practice on the one hand, and the academic study of security on the other, as well as the connections between them. All contributors look to situate their work against a broader historical background and long-standing traditions, allowing them to take a critical yet historically informed approach to the material.
"
Journal Articles by Ian Hall
grows in both countries about China’s growing assertiveness. The AUKUS arrangement is the clearest signal of this shift, but, as Ian Hall argues, the substance of Australia–UK strategic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific is yet to be determined and several challenges loom.
security cooperation, within and outside the Quad, but a free trade deal proved too hard. Canberra struggled to maintain momentum in improving ties because of leadership challenges in Australian government and New Delhi’s preference for protectionism. This article examines these dynamics, looking back at the drivers of the strategic partnership, as well as at the challenges encountered in the Modi era.
The Indo-Pacific encompasses a vast space, incorporating two of the planet’s biggest oceans, the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, as well as littoral and hinterland states home to half the world’s population. Security challenges abound across the maritime Indo-Pacific, ranging from the risk of inter-state war at sea to so-called blue crimes, like piracy, smuggling, and illegal fishing. Climate change and marine pollution, as well as the over-exploitation of scarce and sometimes fragile resources, also pose threats to human security, sustainability, and biodiversity. Using the concept of ‘Blue Security’, this book assesses these various challenges and analyses the approaches to their management used by Indo-Pacific states. It argues that we should embrace a holistic understanding of maritime security, incorporating national, regional, international, human, and environmental dimensions. To that end, it explores the Blue Security strategies of 18 Indo-Pacific states, examining their changing perceptions of threat, their approaches to managing those challenges, and their capabilities. The volume makes an innovative contribution to our knowledge of a region crucial to global security and prosperity.
This book will be of interest to students of maritime strategy, security studies, Asian politics and International Relations.
The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license.
This book explores the various engagement strategies employed by key international actors, including those used by United States, Japan, Russia and China, as well as the responses these strategies have prompted from India in both its foreign and domestic policies. It draws upon a growing body of theoretical literature that explores the nature and utility of engagement in international relations, and employs it to make better sense of India’s rise, its causes and its consequences.
Bringing together a fresh mix of world renowned and up-and-coming scholars from across the fields of security studies, political theory and international relations, the chapters explore the beliefs, traditions, and dilemmas that have informed security practice on the one hand, and the academic study of security on the other, as well as the connections between them. All contributors look to situate their work against a broader historical background and long-standing traditions, allowing them to take a critical yet historically informed approach to the material.
"
grows in both countries about China’s growing assertiveness. The AUKUS arrangement is the clearest signal of this shift, but, as Ian Hall argues, the substance of Australia–UK strategic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific is yet to be determined and several challenges loom.
security cooperation, within and outside the Quad, but a free trade deal proved too hard. Canberra struggled to maintain momentum in improving ties because of leadership challenges in Australian government and New Delhi’s preference for protectionism. This article examines these dynamics, looking back at the drivers of the strategic partnership, as well as at the challenges encountered in the Modi era.