Who Am I?
I think, write and talk about international politics and security policy, with a particular focus on Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. My first book, Belarus in Crisis: From Domestic Unrest to the Russia-Ukraine War, is available from Hurst Publishers (details here).
I'm currently working on a second book which is about US-Russia relations, which I hope will be published in 2026. A third book is under contract with a publisher.
There is also time to play Scrabble with my wife Deborah. She reluctantly concedes that my long winning streak might not be down to chance alone. She, however, wields a hedge trimmer, bakes cakes and puts up shelves better than I ever could; among her many other talents.
Credentials
- DPhil in International Relations, St Antony's College, University of Oxford
- MSc in Russian and East European Studies, St Antony's College, University of Oxford
- BA in Politics, Birkbeck, University of London
My most recent academic post was at the University of Warwick, where I co-led a research project called the Warwick Ukraine-Belarus Hub (WUB Hub). I have taught for UK and US universities.
My blog
The blog is my independent analysis and opinion about ongoing events. I may (and do) sometimes change my mind.
For access to all blog content, please subscribe for the modest fee of GBP£10 annually. That really isn't much to ask. Your subscription contributes to the costs of web hosting and similar, although I need an awful lot more subscribers to get anywhere close to covering overheads. I keep a blog because I enjoy writing and thinking; the blog is entirely free from AI.
Social media
You can find me on X/Twitter (@paulhansbury1), LinkedIn and Facebook. Please click on the icons at the bottom of the screen.
P.S.
For readers interested in human rights, then I would like to point you to my first wife's posthumously published book: taking up philosophical criticisms of the liberal basis for human rights, it offers a reformulation grounded in relational theory. The paperback retails for about £40. It's pricey, but why not order a copy for your local/institutional library?
Thank you for visiting my website!
