Biography
Dr David Morgan-Owen is a senior lecturer in the School of International Relations at the University of 58吃瓜. He researches the history of war and strategy, with particular interests in the maritime world. Prior to joining 58吃瓜 in 2025, David taught for over ten years in the Defence Studies Department at King鈥檚 College London, where he worked at the UK鈥檚 Joint Services Command and Staff College.
David is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the Higher Education Academy, and a Visiting Fellow at the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre. He has held visiting positions at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, the Modern War Institute, Westpoint, and the Centre for Future Defence and National Security at Deakin University.
Research areas
An historian by training, David鈥檚 research focuses upon the theory and practice of strategy. He is particularly interested in the forms of political and epistemic contestation that underpin processes of strategy-making, and in the production and application of knowledge about war. Within IR, his work falls into strategic studies and historical IR.
He has explored these themes in a range of publications focused around histories of nineteenth and twentieth century warfare, and in contemporary contexts. His first book, The Fear of Invasion: Strategy, Politics, and British War Planning won the Templer Medal for best first book from the Society for Army Historical Research in 2017.
He is currently pursuing a research project exploring the role of the sea in the First World War. This research positions the maritime world as central to how Britain made war in the industrial age. It seeks to explore several themes including the relationship between state and business, the tensions between global and national conceptions of wartime organisation, and the ideas about war that shaped British strategy-making. This research has been supported by funding from the British Academy, the William Lind Foundation, and the National Maritime Museum.
PhD supervision
- Stephen Campbell
Selected publications
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Finch, M. (Editor), Fox, A. E. (Editor) & Morgan-Owen, D. G. (Editor), 1 Nov 2025, University Press of Kansas. 328 p. (Modern war studies)
Research output: Book/Report 鈥� Anthology
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Open access
Morgan-Owen, D., 28 Jul 2025, 1914-1918-online. International encyclopedia of the First World War. Daniel, U., Gatrell, P., Janz, O., Jones, H. & Keene, J. (eds.). Freie Universit盲t Berlin
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding 鈥� Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary
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Finch, M., Fox, A. E. & Morgan-Owen, D. G., 1 Nov 2025, Framing the First World War: how divergent views shaped a global conflict. Finch, M. P. M., Fox, A. & Morgan-Owen, D. G. (eds.). Lawrence, KS: The University of Kansas, p. 1-26 27 p. (Modern war studies).
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding 鈥� Chapter (peer-reviewed) 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Finch, M. P. M. & Morgan-Owen, D. G., 1 Nov 2025, Framing the First World War: how divergent views shaped a global conflict. Finch, M., Fox, A. & Morgan-Owen, D. (eds.). Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, p. 245-268 24 p. (Modern war studies).
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding 鈥� Chapter
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Open access
Morgan-Owen, D., Fox, A. E. & Bennett, H., 2024, In: Cambridge Review of International Affairs. 37, 4, p. 520-545 26 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Morgan-Owen, D. G., Fox, A. & Gould, A., 18 Aug 2023, In: British Journal of Politics and International Relations. 26, 3, p. 864-885 22 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Morgan-Owen, D. & Dunley, R., 28 Oct 2022, Power and the maritime domain: a global dialogue. Moreira, W. S. & Kennedy, G. (eds.). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 163-177 15 p. (Corbett Centre for Maritime Policy Studies series).
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding 鈥� Chapter
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Open access
Morgan-Owen, D., 2022, In: Diplomacy and Statecraft. 33, 3, p. 442-473 32 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Morgan-Owen, D. & Gould, A., Nov 2022, In: European Journal of International Security. 7, 4, p. 551-571 21 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Morgan-Owen, D. & Finch, M., 28 Sept 2022, In: British Journal for Military History. 8, 2, p. 55-76 22 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review