Robert Barnes

Dr Robert Barnes is a Senior Lecturer in History and Postgraduate Research Lead at York St John University’s School of Humanities. He holds a PhD in International History from the London School of Economics (2011) and a BA/MA from the University of Manchester. His research focuses on mid-20th century international history, particularly British Commonwealth dynamics, Cold War geopolitics, and UN diplomacy during conflicts like the Korean War. He has authored books including The US, the UN and the Korean War (2014) and a forthcoming monograph on Commonwealth-UN relations regarding South Africa pre-apartheid. Barnes has secured grants from the Scouloudi Award, Harry S. Truman Library, and York St John’s QR Fund. He supervises doctoral students on topics related to decolonization, Commonwealth security, and UN Cold War history.

Research interests include Cold War defense agreements (e.g., UK-Ceylon), British decolonization strategies, and the role of non-aligned states in international conflicts. His work bridges diplomatic history with postcolonial studies, emphasizing how smaller powers navigated Cold War alliances.

Barnes has presented at global conferences, including Brill’s UN/Korean War conference in South Korea (2022) and LSE’s 60 Years Post-Korean War conference (2013). He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and Royal Asiatic Society, and serves on the editorial board of the New Historical Perspectives series. Public engagement includes media commentary on North Korea, Brexit/Commonwealth relations, and Cold War legacies.