Section: Research Student Profiles

Chris Ogden

Name
Chris Ogden
Organisation
Politics and International Relations, School of Social and Political Science
University of Edinburgh
Address
4.16, Crystal Macmillan Building 15a George Square EDINBURGH EH8 9LD
Telephone
+ 44 (0)131 651 3203 (office)
E-Mail
Research Interests
Indian security and foreign policy,identity politics,political psychology
URL
http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/gradschool/research_student_profiles/politics_and_ir/chris_ogden
Chris Ogden

Chris is now Lecturer in Asian Security at the University of St Andrews


Qualifications

  • MSc by Research (Politics), University of Edinburgh
  • MA International Relations (East Asia), University of Durham
  • BA Social History, University of Sheffield

 

Thesis Title

'Gear Shift: Hindu Nationalism and the Evolution of Indian Security'

 

Thesis Abstract 

While scholars have analysed the impact of culture, beliefs and norms on foreign policy, few have connected domestic political identities to international politics.  My thesis makes this agenda explicit by showing how domestic policy sources directly impact upon a state's external security policies.  Rather than focusing on material factors (such as military expenditure or economic growth), I instead combine work concerned with constructed identities in international relations with accounts from social psychology of how identities develop and evolve over time.  Primarily using documents and extensive interviews with over 60 members of India's security community, I investigate how the identities, norms and ideologies of different political parties have influenced India's foreign policy behaviour.

Examiners: External - Stephen P. Cohen (Brookings Institution, Washington DC); Internal - Dr Wilfried Swenden (University of Edinburgh)

Submitted: June 23 2010

Viva: November 13 2010

Graduation: July 04 2011 

 

Research Interests

Chris' doctoral research looks at the impact of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance government of 1998-2004 on India's security identity.  He analyses how the BJP affected the core norms that have formed within Indian security since independence - and ask whether the BJP marks continuity or change from previous Congress regimes.  His other research interests relate to identity and security politics in East and South East Asia, as well as the theoretical and analytical uses of social psychology in International Security, Foreign Policy Analysis and IR Theory.  Chris is an Honorary Fellow of the University of Edinburgh's Centre for South Asian Studies (CSAS), a Research Associate with the Foreign Policy Centre in London and an Associate Fellow of the UK's Higher Education Academy.

 

Supervisors

 

Competitive Awards

  • ESRC 1+3 Quota Studentship (2005-10)

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles and Book Chapters


Policy Briefings, Book Reviews, Comment and Interviews


Selected Conferences, Organisation and Papers

Panel Convener:

  • (2010) 'South Asia's Changing Security Environment and the Role of Identity', 21st European Conference on Modern South Asian Studies (ECMSAS), University of Bonn, July 26-29.
  • (2007) 'Indian Security: Past-Present-Future', 32nd British International Studies Association (BISA) Annual Conference, University of Cambridge, December 17.

Guest Lecturer:

  • (2010) 'A Lasting Legacy? - the 1998-2004 National Democratic Alliance and Domestic Indian Politics', Centre for South Asian Studies (CSAS) Seminar Series, University of Edinburgh, October 7.
  • (2009) 'The New South Asian Security: India, Pakistan and the United States since 1998', School of Government & International Affairs, University of Durham, May 13.
  • (2009) 'The BJP and Indian Foreign Policy: Origins, Ideology and Agendas', Centre for South Asian Studies (CSAS) Seminar Series, University of Edinburgh, March 12.

Conference Co-Organiser:

  • (2007) Dynamics of Transformation in East Asia - Early Career Researchers Conference on East Asian Studies (ECRC), University of Edinburgh, October 24-26.

Paper Presenter:

  • (2010) 'Rules of Engagement: an Ideational Analysis of India-China Relations', School of International Relations Research Seminar, University of St Andrews, November 29.
  • (2010) 'Overcoming the Past: the Role of Myth and Memory in the India-Pakistan Relationship', 21st European Conference on Modern South Asian Studies (ECMSAS), University of Bonn, July 29.
  • (2010) 'Examining Ideational Sources of Security in South Asia', 21st European Conference on Modern South Asian Studies (ECMSAS), University of Bonn, July 28.
  • (2010) 'Identity, Norms and National Security in India', British Association for South Asian Studies (BASAS) Annual Conference, University of Warwick, March 30.
  • (2010) 'Anatomy of a Publication', Theory and Practice of Political Research Seminar, University of Edinburgh, March 10.
  • (2009) 'Defining (Indian) Security Identity', International Politics Research Group, University of Edinburgh, November 10.
  • (2009) 'From 1947 to 26/11: Tracing the Pakistan-Terrorism Nexus in Indian National Security', British Association for South Asian Studies (BASAS) Annual Conference, University of Edinburgh, April 1.  
  • (2008) 'The Impact of the BJP on the Political Dimension of India’s Security Identity', 2nd PhD Seminar on South Asian Studies, University of Ghent, September 19.
  • (2008) '"Fate has Marked us for Big Things": India’s Great Power Aspiration', 20th European Conference on Modern South Asian Studies (ECMSAS), University of Manchester, July 10.
  • (2007) 'Post-Colonial, Pre-BJP: Parameters of Indian Security Culture until the 1990s', 32nd BISA Annual Conference, University of Cambridge, December 17.
  • (2007) 'Approaching and Completing the MSc Research Proposal', Theory and Practice of Political Research Seminar, University of Edinburgh, April 19 [with Alistair Hunter].
  • (2007) 'Necessary Dialectics: Identity Dependence in Indo-Pakistani Foreign Relations', Europe and Global Politics - 57th Political Studies Association (PSA) Annual Conference, University of Bath, April 13.
  • (2006) 'Fear and Loathing: Pakistan as the "Other" in Indian Cultural Security', Contentious Politics - European Consortium of Poltical Research (ECPR) 1st Graduate Conference, University of Essex, September 8.
  • (2006) 'Cultural Politics of Fear: Differentiation, Threat Perception and Security', Overturning Orthodoxies - Centre for Peace & Conflict Studies (CPCS) Graduate Workshop, University of St. Andrews, April 21.

 

Teaching Experience

  • Lecturer (Undergraduate) (2008-10) International Relations in South Asia / Hindu Nationalism (South Asian Studies 2) - Centre for South Asian Studies (CSAS), University of Edinburgh.
  • Lecturer (Undergraduate) (2005-7) Chinese Politics and Governance - Department of Politics, University of Glasgow.
  • Module Convenor (Postgraduate) (2005-6) Identity and Security in East Asia - School of Government & International Affairs, University of Durham.
  • Senior Tutor (Undergraduate) (2004-5) The Politics of Pacific-Asia - School of Government & International Affairs, University of Durham.

Research Group Membership

Chris is a member of the International Relations Research Group.

 

Media

Chris is available for comment / interview on the following topics -

  • India's security and foreign policy practices (including current and historical relations with Pakistan, China, the United States and South Asia);
  • the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP); 
  • India's nuclear programme and development; 
  • nationalism in India; 
  • Chinese politics and governance; 
  • international relations and security practice in South Asia and East Asia. 
 

This page was published on 21 March 2011


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