Lawrence Freedman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Lawrence Freedman
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Freedman in 2013
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| Born | 1948 (age 76–77) England
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| Education | Whitley Bay Grammar School |
| Alma mater | University of Manchester (BA), University of York (BPhil), University of Oxford (DPhil) |
| Occupation | Academic, historian and author |
| Spouse(s) | Judith Freedman |
Sir Lawrence David Freedman (born in 1948) is a famous British expert. He is a historian and author who studies foreign policy, international relations, and strategy. People call him the "dean of British strategic studies." This means he is a leading expert in understanding how countries plan and use their power. He was also part of the Iraq Inquiry, which was an official investigation. Sir Lawrence is now a retired professor of War Studies at King's College London.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sir Lawrence Freedman grew up in England. He went to Whitley Bay Grammar School. Later, he studied at several universities. These included the University of Manchester and the University of York. He also studied at the University of Oxford. At Oxford, he earned his DPhil degree, which is a very high academic qualification.
Career Highlights
Sir Lawrence Freedman has had a long and important career. He worked at places like the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He also worked at Chatham House, which is a famous think tank.
Professor of War Studies
In 1982, he became a Professor of War Studies at King's College London. He led the department for many years. He also became the first head of the college's School of Social Science and Public Policy. From 2003 to 2013, he was a Vice Principal at King's College London. He retired from King's in 2014.
Official Historian and Advisor
Sir Lawrence was the official historian for the Falklands campaign. This means he wrote the complete and authorized history of that war. His book, The Official History of the Falklands Campaign, was published in two parts.
He also helped Tony Blair write an important speech in 1999. This speech explained what became known as the 'Blair doctrine'. It was about how Britain would act in international affairs.
Key Areas of Study
Sir Lawrence is very interested in today's defense and foreign policy. He has written a lot about nuclear strategy. He also studied the Cold War, which was a long period of tension between countries. He often shares his thoughts on current security issues. He also reviews books for Foreign Affairs magazine.
Award-Winning Books
Sir Lawrence has written many important books. One of his books, Kennedy's Wars, won an award called the Arthur Ross Prize. This book looked at big crises in the early 1960s. These included events in Berlin, Cuba, and Vietnam.
Another book, A Choice of Enemies: America Confronts the Middle East, won two major awards in 2009. These were the Lionel Gelber Prize and the Duke of Westminster's Medal for Military Literature.
His book Strategy: A History was named one of the best books of 2013. It also won the W J McKenzie Book Prize.
Honours and Recognitions
Sir Lawrence Freedman has received many awards and honours. In 1995, he became a Fellow of the British Academy. This means he is recognized as a top scholar in his field.
He was also given two important British honours. In 1996, he became a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE). In 2003, he was made a Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG). Being knighted means he can use "Sir" before his name.
Chesney Gold Medal
In 2006, he received the Chesney Gold Medal. This award is given for a lifetime of important work in defense and international security. The award recognized his teaching and writing. It said he helped many students and military officers learn about war. He taught them about the changing nature of conflict. He also helped people understand new threats like terrorism.
Other Awards
He also received the Distinguished Scholar Award in 2007. In 2008, he got the first George G Bell Award. These awards recognized his leadership in strategic studies.
In 2009, he became a member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom. This happened when he was appointed to the Iraq Inquiry.
Family Life
Sir Lawrence Freedman is married to Judith Freedman. She is also a professor, specializing in tax law. They have two children, Ruth and Sam. Their son, Sam, is an expert in education policy. He worked as an advisor to Michael Gove, a former government minister.
Selected Books
- War, strategy, and international politics (1992)
- Strategy: A History (2013)
- The Future of War: A History (2017)
- Ukraine and the Art of Strategy (2019)
- Command: The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine (2022)
