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Christopher Featherstone

Associate Lecturer, Department of Politics, University of York
My research focuses on US and UK foreign policy, and foreign policy decision-making. In my teaching at the University of York, I teach on Policy-making and US Foreign Policy.

My PhD was on the US and UK decision-making processes that led to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. While international factors contributed to the decision to invade Iraq, to truly understand how these two governments made it, it is necessary to examine the individuals who made the decision. Theoretically, this research responds to the challenges laid down for FPA: to establish links between theoretical models, to compare national contexts, and to speak to policy practitioners. Empirically, this research contributes a rich analysis of both decision-making processes that led to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, using recently declassified documentary materials and interviews with decision-makers involved. This research forms the basis for a book proposal that is under review with Manchester University Press.

I have also co-authored two academic articles on the Trump administration's foreign policy, conceptualizing and explaining President Trump's leadership style in his foreign policy-making. In the first article, co-authored with Asaf Siniver, we argued that Trump’s plutocratic worldview means that he is transactional and money-first in his approach. Whilst this is a significant break from previous US Presidents, it provides much of the consistency within the Trump presidency. In the second article with Oz Hassan, we argue that whilst many think the Trump doctrine is a doctrine of unpredictability, Trump is in fact predictable in the light of his leadership style. These can be found at:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/23340460.2020.1734953?journalCode=rgaf20
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09557571.2020.1853054?journalCode=ccam20

Trump 2.0: what we learned from the 47th US president’s first day in office

Jan 22, 2025 05:07 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Donald Trump said hed be a dictator for a day when he returned to the Oval Office for a second term. And he certainly hit the ground running, signing scores of executive orders within hours of being inaugurated. One of the...

With Biden gone, Trump will need a new attack plan for the younger Kamala Harris

Jul 23, 2024 05:58 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

When Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential election race he changed the nature of the campaign. In the three weeks following the notorious presidential debate, Bidens withdrawal came to be seen as a matter of when, not...

The UK’s new prime minister Keir Starmer – hoping for a Democrat in the White House, preparing for Trump

Jul 08, 2024 09:19 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Keir Starmer, the UKs new prime minister, was quiet on the question of relations with the US prior to his election, choosing to avoid, in particular, talk of how he would manage a second Donald Trump presidency. Starmer...

Jill Biden: the woman with the US president’s ear as he doubles down on staying in the race

Jul 03, 2024 14:07 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The overwhelming majority of people who watched the first US presidential debate between incumbent Joe Biden and challengers Donald Trump concluded that it was a disastrous night for the 46th US president. Bidens voice was...

Economy

Oil Prices Soar Over 8% After Israel Launches Preemptive Strike on Iran

Oil prices surged sharply in Asian markets on Friday after Israel launched a large-scale preemptive airstrike on Iran, raising fears of a wider Middle East conflict and potential disruptions to global oil supply. As of...

Gold Soars as Israel-Iran Conflict Triggers Safe-Haven Rush

Gold prices surged in Asian trading on Friday as geopolitical tensions escalated following Israels preemptive airstrikes on Iran, targeting numerous military and nuclear facilities. The strikes triggered a wave of...

Dollar Gains with Yen and Franc as Israel Strikes Iran, Oil and Gold Prices Surge

The U.S. dollar rose sharply alongside safe-haven currencies like the Japanese yen and Swiss franc following reports that Israel launched airstrikes on Iran. Two U.S. officials confirmed the strikes to Reuters, clarifying...

Japan Denies Discussing U.S. Treasury Holdings in Tariff Talks

Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato clarified on Friday that Japans $1 trillion-plus U.S. Treasury holdings were not specifically discussed in meetings with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Speaking at a regular...

US Stock Futures Drop as Israel Launches Strikes on Iran

U.S. stock futures plunged late Thursday following reports that Israel launched military strikes on Iran. The SP 500 Futures dropped 1.5% to 5,961.75, Nasdaq 100 Futures fell 1.7% to 21,567.55, and Dow Jones Futures...

Politics

Trump to Hold Security Meeting After Israeli Strikes on Iran Raise Tensions

U.S. President Donald Trump will convene a National Security Council meeting at 11 a.m. (1500 GMT) on Friday, following Israeli airstrikes on Iran that heightened fears of wider conflict in the Middle East. The White House...

Iran Vows Harsh Retaliation After Israeli Strike on Nuclear Sites

Iran has warned of a harsh and decisive retaliation following an Israeli airstrike on its nuclear facilities early Friday, escalating fears of a broader Middle East conflict. According to a high-ranking Iranian security...

Israel Coordinated Iran Strike with U.S., Denies Rift Claims

Israel fully coordinated its recent military strike on Iranian targets with the United States and informed Washington ahead of the operation, according to an Israeli official quoted by state broadcaster Kan on Friday. The...

South Korea’s Lee Jae-myung Vows Business-Friendly Trade Talks with U.S.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung reaffirmed his commitment to pro-business policies and trade reform on Friday, pledging to ease regulations and accelerate tariff negotiations with the United States. Speaking at a...

Senator Padilla Handcuffed During DHS Press Conference, Sparks Outrage

U.S. Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly removed, handcuffed, and briefly detained during a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press conference in Los Angeles on June 12. Padilla, a Democrat from California, attempted to...

Science

NASA Astronauts Wilmore and Williams Recover After Boeing Starliner Delay

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are steadily recovering after spending nine unexpected months aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to issues with Boeings Starliner capsule. Initially intended...

SpaceX Starship Test Flight Reaches New Heights but Ends in Setback

SpaceXs massive Starship rocket, central to Elon Musks vision for interplanetary travel, launched its ninth uncrewed test flight from Starbase, Texas, on May 27, 2025. The two-stage vehiclecomprising the upper-stage...

Trump’s nomination for NASA leader boasts business and commercial spaceflight experience during a period of uncertainty for the agency

Jared Isaacman, billionaire, CEO and nominee to become the next NASA administrator, faced questions on April 9, 2025, from members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation during his confirmation...

Lab-grown meat: you may find it icky, but it could drive forward medical research

Lab-grown meat causes heated debates. Proponents see benefits for the climate and animal welfare. Opponents worry about a Frankenstein food they regard as risky and unnatural. Whatever your opinion, the technology...

Kennedy Sets September Deadline to Uncover Autism Causes Amid Controversy

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a bold plan to identify the cause of autism by September 2025. Speaking at a cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump, Kennedy declared a global...

Technology

Apple Shifts iPhone Exports from India to U.S. to Bypass China Tariffs

Apple is ramping up iPhone exports from India to the U.S. to sidestep rising tariffs on Chinese-made devices. From March to May 2025, Foxconn exported $3.2 billion worth of iPhones from India, with a striking 97% headed to...

FAA Closes Investigation Into SpaceX Starship Flight 8 Engine Failure

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Thursday that it has officially concluded its investigation into the SpaceX Starship Flight 8 mishap, attributing the incident to a hardware failure in one of the...

Meta Invests $14.3B in Scale AI to Boost AGI Ambitions

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) has made a strategic $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI, valuing the AI data infrastructure startup at over $29 billion. The move marks Metas second-largest deal after its $19 billion...

Reddit User Growth Slows for Third Straight Month as Digital Ad Market Rebounds

Reddits user base declined for the third consecutive month in May, according to Piper Sandler. The platform lost 6 million users month-over-month, driven mainly by a 7 million drop in feed ad units. Conversation units,...

OpenAI Eyes $40B Fundraise with Backing from Saudi PIF, Reliance, and SoftBank

OpenAI is reportedly in discussions with major global investors, including Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Indias Reliance Industries (NSE:RELI), as it seeks to raise up to $40 billion in fresh funding,...