IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0100 KCLCA 1994 KDW/F, 1990 KDW
Held at: King's College London College Archives
Title: King's College London Department of War Studies Records
Date(s): 1953-1990
Level of description: sub-fonds
Extent: 13 boxes
Name of creator(s): King's College London Department of War Studies
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
A Department of Military Science existed from 1848-1859. Military Science was subsequently approved as a subject for the BA and BSc general degrees from 1913, and was taught under the Faculty of Arts and also the Faculty of Engineering. The Military Studies Department was established in 1926 and formed part of the Faculty of Arts. It became known as the War Studies Department in 1943 but was discontinued in 1948, although the subject continued to be taught under the Department of Medieval and Modern History. The Department was then reinstated in 1962 to offer postgraduate courses. A BA degree in War Studies was offered from 1992 onwards. The department became part of the School of Humanities in 1989 and the School of Social Science and Public Policy in 2001.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
The records of the Department of War Studies at King's College London consists of correspondence, printed reports and programmes, 1953-1990. These comprise correspondence and papers on course structure and syllabus, with reading lists, 1958-1969; papers relating to the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives and College Library, including Trustees' meetings, 1953-1971; correspondence and papers relating to research funding organisations including the Ford Foundation and the Social Science Research Council, 1962-1985; correspondence concerning conferences and seminars, with outlines of lectures and supporting materials, 1970-1989; agendas and briefing papers concerning Faculty of Arts' meetings, 1978-1982; papers and correspondence compiled by Professor Lawrence Freedman for a project on the Falklands conflict, 1982-1990 (closed); papers of the University of London Board of War Studies, 1980-1985, including on external monitoring of academic standards and the supervision of higher degrees; texts of two lectures by Professor Lawrence Freedman, including inaugural lecture, 1983-1986; papers relating to an invitation to tender for academic teaching at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, 1990.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
Boxed by year of accession.
Conditions governing access:
Administrative records are generally closed for 30 years except for published material and some committee and other minutes. Student and staff records are subject to an 80 year closure period after the date of leaving, but may be consulted by Departmental and other College staff with permission from the Head of Department.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Director of Archive Services.
Physical characteristics:
Finding aids:
A hand-list is available in hard copy in the College Archives reading room.
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:
Accruals:
Further accruals are expected.
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
King's College London Department of War Studies.
ALLIED MATERIALS
Existence and location of originals:
Existence and location of copies:
Related material:
King's College London Department of War Studies Student Records (Ref: KCLCA KDW/FP).
Publication note:
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Note:
Archivist's note: Sources used include King's College London Calendars. Entry compiled by Geoff Browell.
Date(s) of descriptions: March 2001