“The so-called ‘war on terror’ in France was a turning point for my interest for war studies”

In September 2017, the first cohort of the dual Master’s degree programme between Sciences Po and King’s College London will start classes on the Parisian campus of Sciences Po.  Capucine Amez-Droz is currently on an exchange programme in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London. She shares her reasons for choosing War studies.

Why did you choose to spend your third undergraduate year in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London? Where does your interest for war studies come from?

Usually when people ask me this question, they assume that my interest comes from having relatives with a military background. But hopefully, you are allowed to study this field even if neither of your parents have served in the military. Furthermore, I would say it’s even more important if you are not familiar with military affairs to pay increased attention to it.
Since I started at Sciences Po in 2014, I’ve had a growing interest in issues of war and society for several reasons. First, when I came to learn about theories of the state at Sciences Po, I realised how much politics has, for decades, been intertwined with the military and used it as a key tool of statecraft. I then understood that these theories were far from being outdated despite the fact that post-war societies ought to be regulated through peaceful processes thanks to international order and law. However, the outbreak of the so-called “war on terror” in France was a turning point for my interest in this field. I realised how much the unfamiliar feeling of “being at war” was bewildering for a whole generation of Europeans. Unprepared to think about it, we found ourselves overwhelmed by the complexity of such uncharted waters. So I eventually understood that I needed to prepare my own weapons in this era of turmoil, that is, the appropriate academic tools to cope with some of the most divisive issues of humankind. 
The Department of War Studies at King’s College London is the best place in Europe to learn to come up with more informed questions, or at least well-founded doubts.  

Is your choice to do war studies related to your career plan?

Yes, it is to some extent. I suppose there is a common belief that career opportunities in military affairs are too complex for civilians, who, when studying the phenomena, face a clear-cut dilemma: whether to be the soldier or the state (to paraphrase Huntington). I have my doubts about this idea. However, what I know for sure is that I’d like to address these issues at one point in my career with a clear insight into both the military and civilian agendas. 

What exactly are you focusing on at the Department of War Studies? What courses are you taking?

I follow the main courses recommended by the second-year War Studies students: Military Strategy, War and Global Conflict, Intelligence in War Studies and War and Society. Each course offers a specific approach to addressing the issues related to the nature of war, its conduct and its consequences in the short and long terms.

Can you tell us about the teaching methods at King’s? Are they different from what you experienced at Sciences Po?

They are indeed very different, despite the fact Sciences Po arguably offers an academic framework close to that of the Anglo-Saxon culture. At King’s College, most of our time is dedicated to the readings because students have fewer compulsory classes and more free time. The week is divided between lectures and their related seminars. A lecture does not exceed an hour or an hour and a half, which is very short in comparison to the “cours magistraux” at Sciences Po. As a result, students are expected to be much more autonomous in their learning methods. Actually, most people deem the Anglo-Saxon educational system to be very interactive but I found it quite exclusive and solitary, although I think it has its advantages too.

What are your plans for the next academic year?

I would like to take a gap year to enrol for a one-year contract in the French Navy. As I mentioned before, I think it is tremendously important to get a comprehensive overview of the bodies involved in the challenges facing the state, both now and in the future. I would be curious to see to what extent I’ve learned and understood the principles, as taught to me by the Department of War Studies, and how this is relevant to the everyday military commitment. Furthermore, I personally consider this duty to serve as a milestone in my process of identifying with full citizenship. I suppose experiencing a set of principles and values which are sometimes at odds with our daily routine will help me to bridge the gap between the military and the civilian mind-set, and thereby help me to become a citizen who is fully aware of the issues I’d like to address.

How is life outside the classroom at King’s? Do you enjoy London?

Students at King’s College are very lucky. The university is located in central London and offers a wide range of entertainment activities in the immediate vicinity. I personally love the urban lifestyle because of the many opportunities on offer every week: new exhibitions, food of the world, cafés and tearooms and the nightlife. Most of all, London is such a pleasant city to live in with its vast parks and gardens, with lovely bridges and squirrels, which transport you to a long-forgotten time!  

Related links
Application to the dual Master’s programme between the Sciences Po Paris School of International Affairs and the Department of War Studies at King’s College London is open until 15 december 2016. Learn more about this programme

Learn more about undergraduate and graduate dual degrees at Sciences Po