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Christopher Featherstone

Associate Lecturer, Department of Politics, University of York
My research focuses on US and UK foreign policy, and foreign policy decision-making. In my teaching at the University of York, I teach on Policy-making and US Foreign Policy.

My PhD was on the US and UK decision-making processes that led to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. While international factors contributed to the decision to invade Iraq, to truly understand how these two governments made it, it is necessary to examine the individuals who made the decision. Theoretically, this research responds to the challenges laid down for FPA: to establish links between theoretical models, to compare national contexts, and to speak to policy practitioners. Empirically, this research contributes a rich analysis of both decision-making processes that led to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, using recently declassified documentary materials and interviews with decision-makers involved. This research forms the basis for a book proposal that is under review with Manchester University Press.

I have also co-authored two academic articles on the Trump administration's foreign policy, conceptualizing and explaining President Trump's leadership style in his foreign policy-making. In the first article, co-authored with Asaf Siniver, we argued that Trump’s plutocratic worldview means that he is transactional and money-first in his approach. Whilst this is a significant break from previous US Presidents, it provides much of the consistency within the Trump presidency. In the second article with Oz Hassan, we argue that whilst many think the Trump doctrine is a doctrine of unpredictability, Trump is in fact predictable in the light of his leadership style. These can be found at:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/23340460.2020.1734953?journalCode=rgaf20
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09557571.2020.1853054?journalCode=ccam20

Trump 2.0: what we learned from the 47th US president’s first day in office

Jan 22, 2025 05:07 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Donald Trump said hed be a dictator for a day when he returned to the Oval Office for a second term. And he certainly hit the ground running, signing scores of executive orders within hours of being inaugurated. One of the...

With Biden gone, Trump will need a new attack plan for the younger Kamala Harris

Jul 23, 2024 05:58 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

When Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential election race he changed the nature of the campaign. In the three weeks following the notorious presidential debate, Bidens withdrawal came to be seen as a matter of when, not...

The UK’s new prime minister Keir Starmer – hoping for a Democrat in the White House, preparing for Trump

Jul 08, 2024 09:19 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Keir Starmer, the UKs new prime minister, was quiet on the question of relations with the US prior to his election, choosing to avoid, in particular, talk of how he would manage a second Donald Trump presidency. Starmer...

Jill Biden: the woman with the US president’s ear as he doubles down on staying in the race

Jul 03, 2024 14:07 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The overwhelming majority of people who watched the first US presidential debate between incumbent Joe Biden and challengers Donald Trump concluded that it was a disastrous night for the 46th US president. Bidens voice was...

Economy

Saudi Aramco Q1 Profit Jumps 25% as Strait of Hormuz Crisis Reshapes Oil Exports

Saudi Aramco posted a strong 25% increase in first-quarter net profit for 2026, highlighting the companys resilience amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and major disruptions to global energy shipping routes. The Saudi...

Dollar Struggles to Rally Despite Strong US Data as Fed Hike Expectations Remain Limited

The U.S. dollar has continued to underperform even as economic data points to improving fundamentals, and BofA Securities believes the markets hesitation is tied to expectations surrounding future Federal Reserve rate...

Malaysia Unveils Energy Security Plan Amid Iran Conflict and Rising Oil Costs

Malaysia is preparing to introduce a comprehensive strategy to protect its oil supply as tensions surrounding the Iran conflict continue to disrupt global energy markets. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is expected to...

Russian LNG Shadow Fleet Expands Amid Arctic LNG 2 Sanctions

Russia is intensifying efforts to bypass Western energy sanctions after a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker operating under a newly adopted Russian flag was spotted loading fuel linked to the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2...

S&P 500, Nasdaq Hit Record Highs as AI Stocks Rally and Strong Jobs Data Boost Confidence

The SP 500 and Nasdaq closed at fresh record highs on Friday as investors poured into AI-related stocks and welcomed stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs data, reinforcing confidence in the resilience of the American economy....

Politics

Qatar Condemns Drone Strike as Iran Conflict Threatens Gulf Shipping and Global Markets

Qatar has strongly condemned a drone strike on a cargo vessel in its territorial waters, calling the incident a serious violation of international law and a dangerous escalation in the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict. The...

Iran Military Readiness Intensifies After Meeting With Mojtaba Khamenei

Irans military leadership has reinforced its warning against the United States and Israel following a high-level meeting between senior armed forces officials and Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, according to a report...

Qatar LNG Tanker Crosses Strait of Hormuz Amid Iran War Tensions

A QatarEnergy-operated liquefied natural gas tanker successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday for the first time since the Iran war began on February 28, signaling a possible easing of tensions in one of the...

Germany Rejects Putin’s Proposal for Schroeder to Mediate Ukraine Peace Talks

Germany has dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putins suggestion that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder could act as a mediator between Russia and the European Union in possible Ukraine peace negotiations....

Russia Accuses Ukraine of Ceasefire Violations Amid Drone and Artillery Attacks

Russias Defence Ministry claimed on Sunday that Ukraine breached a temporary ceasefire by carrying out drone and artillery attacks against Russian forces, according to reports from Interfax news agency. Moscow stated that...

Science

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

Technology

AI-Driven Inflation Raises U.S. Consumer Prices, Goldman Sachs Says

Artificial intelligence is starting to increase U.S. consumer prices through rising costs in electronics, software, and electricity, according to a new Goldman Sachs report. The investment bank said AI-related inflation...

Judge Delays SEC Settlement With Elon Musk Over Twitter Stock Disclosure Case

A federal judge has declined to immediately approve a proposed $1.5 million settlement between Elon Musk and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) tied to Musks 2022 Twitter stock purchase disclosures. The...

Broadcom Eyes $35 Billion AI Chip Financing Deal With Apollo and Blackstone

Broadcom Inc. is reportedly in discussions with Apollo Global Management and Blackstone Inc. to secure around $35 billion in financing for its expanding artificial intelligence chip business, according to a Bloomberg...

Dell Stock Hits Record High After Trump Endorsement, AI Server Demand Fuels Rally

Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE: DELL) surged to an all-time high on Friday after receiving a public endorsement from President Donald Trump during a White House event. The president encouraged Americans to go out and buy...

TikTok Nears $400 Million Settlement With Trump Administration Over Child Privacy Lawsuit

TikTok and the Trump administration are reportedly close to reaching a $400 million settlement tied to allegations that the popular video-sharing platform violated U.S. child privacy laws. According to ABC News, the...