This was my PhD thesis and the culmination of six years of doctoral research with the Defence Studies Department of King's College London. It explores the ethical legitimacy of utilising the private security sector in support of national military operations. You will see its findings are somewhat counter-intuitive (and quite possibly controversial). The thesis can be downloaded from King's College at no cost by clicking the image below.

Massey University's Post-Graduate Diploma in International Security & Intelligence is an excellent course. This was a taught process that covered international security concepts and structures; New Zealand's national security environment and associated threats; a history of Intelligence operations, with a particular emphasis on the Cold War; and how Intelligence plays in international security. Click the icon to see one of the essays submitted during this course. 

A short article published several years ago as part of the excellent 'Defence in Depth' blog at the UK Defence Academy in Wiltshire. In essence, the post would later be expanded significantly as part of my doctoral thesis. Click the picture below to access.

My first ever academic qualification was a Master's Degree in Security and Risk Management, awarded with Distinction by the School of Criminology at the University of Leicester. Click on the icon below to access the research dissertation that formed part of the degree... a salutory lesson in how to stop piracy off the Horn of Africa by providing the poorest of people a vision for the future.

In 2022, I recorded a number of interviews with leading private security practitioners whilst working in close collaboration with Professor Christopher Kinsey at the Defence Studies Department to expand a small working group into the Forum for Private Security Research. These podcasts can be accessed by clicking on the picture below.

In May 2019, I was invited to present at a working group in Vienna on Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs), along with Erik Prince (Blackwater/Frontier Resource Group), Professor Christopher Kinsey (KCL), Professor Sean McFate (Georgetown University), and others. This was an opportunity to test progress with my doctoral thesis. Click the picture below to access a transcript of my presentation.