Matthew Jones

Professor Matthew Jones is Professor of International History at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where he joined in 2013. He previously held academic positions at the University of Nottingham and Royal Holloway, University of London. He was appointed Cabinet Office official historian for the UK strategic nuclear deterrent in 2008.

• University: London School of Economics and Political Science
• School: Department of International History
• Academic Rank: Professor
• Email: m.c.jones@lse.ac.uk
• Office: SAR.3.09
• Office Hours: Wednesday 1-2pm, Thursday 4-5pm

Education:

• Undergraduate Degree: University of Sussex
• DPhil in Modern History: St Antony’s College, Oxford

Professor Jones’s research focuses on 20th-century international history, particularly Post-WWII British Foreign and Defence Policy, Cold War Nuclear History, and British Decolonization in Southeast Asia. His work explores Anglo-American relations, nuclear strategy in Asia, and the political history of the UK’s nuclear deterrent. He has a sustained interest in the Vietnam War and US foreign relations after 1941.

His recent publications reveal a strong trend in official historical analysis of nuclear policy, especially through his two-volume Official History of the UK Strategic Nuclear Deterrent, based on full access to classified government records. His scholarship combines diplomatic, strategic, and political history with deep archival research, often uncovering new insights into high-level decision-making during the Cold War.

Scientific Awards and Recognition:

• Appointed Cabinet Office official historian of the UK strategic nuclear deterrent and Chevaline programme (2008)
• Recipient of grants from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, British Academy, JFK Library, LBJ Library, Gilder Lehrman Institute, and Eccles Centre

Professor Jones has supervised multiple PhD students, including Grant Golub, Alexandra Penler, and William King. His research is supported by major grants from national and international funding bodies. He has also served as Head of the Department of International History at LSE from 2017 to 2020.

He is actively involved in public engagement, having delivered talks at institutions such as the Woodrow Wilson Center, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the Royal United Services Institute. His work bridges academic scholarship and policy-relevant historical analysis.