Ashley Jackson

Professor Ashley Jackson is a leading scholar in Imperial and Military History at King’s College London and a Visiting Fellow at Kellogg College, Oxford. His career spans academic roles including Director of Research, Vice Dean (Research), and external examiner for multiple universities. Jackson holds fellowships from the Royal Historical Society and Higher Education Academy. He specializes in British imperial history with a focus on wartime contexts, particularly in Africa, the Indian Ocean, and the Middle East. His research emphasizes colonial contributions to global conflicts and their underappreciated roles in World Wars.

Educated at New College, Oxford, Jackson has authored over 15 books including The British Empire and the Second World War and Ceylon at War, 1939–1945. Current projects explore the war’s impact on the British Empire and comparative global wartime experiences. He teaches at the Joint Services Command and Staff College and has lectured widely at military institutions and international forums like the Chalke Valley History Festival.

Administratively, Jackson has led research strategy groups, managed doctoral fellowships, and served on peer review panels. His editorial roles include the Journal of African Military History and the Helion book series on South Asian military culture. He co-founded the British Empire at War Research Group and contributes to institutions like the Bodleian Library and the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum.

His awards include British Academy grants and AHRC funding for collaborative projects. Jackson’s work bridges academia and practice, addressing contemporary security issues in post-conflict regions like Afghanistan and the Sahel. He regularly engages with policymakers on counterinsurgency, humanitarian engagement with armed groups, and climate adaptation in conflict zones.