Andrew John Williams

My main interests lie in the following areas of the study of international relations:

-  A strong interest in the ways in which France has related to the 'Anglo-Saxon' powers since 1900. I am writing a two volume study about the relationship between France, Britain and the United States in the past hundred years and have published Volume 1 (Palgrave - Macmillan, July 2014)and Vol 2 (1940 - 61). This is in addition to a number of articles (see Bibliography).

- The relationship between the study of international relations and that of international history, about which I  published a textbook, International History and International Relations, with Amelia Hadfield and Simon Rofe, Routledge, 2012. 

- The ways in which the global order has evolved over the past century, and in particular how that order has been developed under the leadership of the United States and, to a lesser but still important extent, the U.K.

- The principle ways in which the international community, led by the liberal democratic Powers, has developed methods of dealing with the aftermath of major wars. In particular I am interested in the ways that such notions and practices as 'reconstruction' have evolved. 

 - The culture and practices involved in the practical and theoretical issues surrounding international conflict resolution and transformation. My main hands-on experiences have been in Eastern Europe since the end of the Cold War, and especially in Moldova, but also in Eritrea. My book (with Roger Mac Ginty) on 'Conflict and Development', was published by Taylor and Francis Routledge in April 2009.A second edition has been published (2016).

- A continuing interest in the Commonwealth and the World, including the Commonwealth's relationship with La Francophonie.

I am engaged on a long term research project to explore the relationship between the United States, the UK and France over the last century - a relationship that I believe can be said to have played a determinate role in the creation of the 'West' with all its unities and discords. This has also led to a number of publications and will produce more.

In connection with this project I am working on a proposal for a book on French thinking about international relations, both as a field of study under the rubric of what is usually called the history of international thought and as a present practice.  

I am interested in  further studying the problems that link 'conflict' and 'development' (about which I published a book with Roger Mac Ginty, see above and below), and in particular as that applies to the current issues of reconstruction (Iraq etc) and conflict resolution and peacebuilding. This will continue as a major interest for the forseeable future.

I have had quite a lot of experience in dealing with high level conflict resolution. especially in Moldova;

In the 1990s I was part of team that helped train the Eritrean Foreign Ministry and I have been involved in similar work in the past; I gave a two day workshop for the European Union Commission as part of its new diplomatic training programme, on "mediation' in October 2008

I also have a deal of experience in dealing with the United Nations, and other international organisations such as the Commonwealth, mainly as a result of my ten years spent in Geneva and many subsequent contacts since.