Mark Lacy

Dr Mark Lacy is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion at Lancaster University's School of Global Affairs. His academic work focuses on the changing character of war and international politics in times of dramatic change across geopolitics, technology, and the 'anthropocene.'

Lacy's research interests span critical security studies, future warfare, digital geopolitics, and the intersection of technology with international relations. His work explores how accelerated changes in AI, drones, robotics, climate change, and critical infrastructures are reshaping global conflict. He is particularly interested in creative techniques used by militaries, states, and businesses to prepare for complex futures, including the use of science fiction to challenge geopolitical pathways.

His notable publications include Theorising Future Conflict: War Out to 2049 (Routledge, 2023), Security, Technology and Global Politics: Thinking with Virilio (2014), and Security and Climate Change (2005). His research reveals trends toward increasingly impure, granular, and machinic forms of warfare that challenge traditional security paradigms.

Lacy is currently working on a project funded by the Canadian Department of National Defence examining risks and opportunities of generative AI in military organizations. He serves as lead editor for the Routledge Studies on Conflict, Security and Technology series and is developing a textbook titled Future Wars and Global Politics: Critical Perspectives.

His teaching focuses on innovative approaches to international relations and security studies, with PhD supervision interests in critical security studies, European social theory, and digital geopolitics.