Coker on War: Strategic Thinking for Uncertain Times (Hurst & Co, 2025)

From the collapse of the Soviet Union and the ‘end of history’ to the rise of Islamist terrorism and the onset of the ‘war on terror’, and now finally a return to great power politics—the last thirty years have been some of the most unsettled in a generation or two. Through it all, Professor Christopher Coker’s thinking on war and strategy was among the most original and insightful. His impact on the contemporary understanding of conflict cannot be overstated.

Through his twenty-seven books, Coker’s ideas—and his captivating writing—have influenced politicians, generals and generations of scholars. This volume is an extended examination of the man and his oeuvre, written by those who worked with him, learned from him, and were intellectually inspired by him. 

Leading scholars will examine the implications of emerging technology in warfare; the challenges of war in an era of terrorism; the humanitarian dimension of war; and notions of war as risk management. In a homage to Coker’s engagement with literature and philosophy, additional chapters will explore how we write about war, the role or meaning of human nature in war, and the tragic in war.

'It is a testament to Chris Coker's singular contribution to the study of war and international relations that such a stellar collection of scholars have come together to explore the continuing relevance of his work.'

                    - Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman, Kings College London

Law, Science, Liberalism and the American Way of War (Cambridge University Press 2015)

“American military power has been a central geopolitical fact since the middle of the twentieth century and has defined the first decades of the twenty-first century. Situating American combat power in a long-term historical process, Stephanie Carvin and Michael Williams demonstrate how the United States' approach to war-fighting is not so much the product of its obsession with technology, as many have suggested, but its attempt to maintain its security while simultaneously sustaining its core liberal values. Carvin and Williams dissect the many difficulties which this American way of war, as a manifestation of fundamental forces in US culture, has engendered in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

                       - Professor Anthony King, University of Warwick

Praise for Science Law and Liberalism in the American Way of War: 

"How Scientists and Lawyers Shape the American Way of Warfare" on Lawfare by Kenneth Anderson, Washington College of Law, American University

International Affairs, by William Boothby, Geneva Centre for Security Policy

The RUSI Journal, by Jack MacDonald, King's College London

Power in World Politics (Routledge 2007/2010)

“Drawing from a variety of International Relations’ traditions and other fields and disciplines, this book contains some of the most cutting-edge and illuminating scholarship on power yet. It is no exaggeration to say, therefore, that after reading this book you will never think about power in simplistic and one-dimensional ways.”

— Emanuel Adler, University of Toronto, Canada

The Good War: NATO and the Liberal Conscience in Afghanistan (Palgrave 2011)

“At a time when innumerable newspaper articles, journal essays and political speeches have added more heat than light to the NATO intervention in Afghanistan, Williams gives answers with real expertise, the right historical perspective and a sound political judgement. Based on extensive research and interviews with key players on both sides of the Atlantic, this book is essential reading for anyone, layman or strategist, who wants to understand what is really at stake for the Western democracies in Afghanistan.”

— - Dr. Jamie Shea, Former Assistant Secretary General, NATO

Review of the Good War in E-IR, Martin Bayly, King’s College London

Reader Review of Good Reads “This is a hard nosed book written for study by citizens and hard nosed people who are going to have to make decisions for NATO and its members. Decisions regarding participation in future armed interventions, not for direct defense but for “nation building” as a way to deal with failed states and create security out of chaos.”

NATO, Risk and Security Management: from Kosovo to Kandahar, Routledge 2009

"Engaging and illuminating, Williams offers an original and stimulating take on NATO's evolution and the liberal conscience while at the same time delivering a serious reality check to advocates of democratic imperialism."

- Professor Christopher Coker, London School of Economics,

Other Writing

In addition to my books, I’ve published scholarly analysis in a number of outlets including German Politics, International Affairs, International Politics, Global Governance, Cooperation and Conflict, the RUSI Journal, and Parameters, as well as in a number of edited volumes including: The Oxford Handbook on NATO, Thinking Theoretically About NATO, Contemporary Challenges for the North Atlantic Alliance, and The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Military and Diplomatic History.

I’ve also produced expert analysis for the UK House of Commons, and I’ve written analysis for Foreign Policy, The Guardian the Straits Times, the International Spectator, the International Herald Tribune, the Scotsman, the Financial Times, the Independent, The Atlantic Council of the United States, the Royal United Services Institute, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Center for European Policy Analysis and the Brussels-based Center for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy.