Dr Stephen Marsh
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Teams and roles for Stephen Marsh
Reader in Politics
Overview
My principal research interests lie in international relations from World War Two through to the present, with a particular focus on transatlanticism and its impact on the wider world. Over the past three decades I have worked especially on Cold War history, the evolution of the European Union as a security actor, American foreign policy, and Anglo-American relations. More recently I have become particularly interested in the contribution of multi and interdisciplinary approaches towards understanding the ‘special relationship’ between Britain and the US.
I am Editor of the Journal of Transatlantic Studies (Journal of Transatlantic Studies | palgrave)
I am co-editor of the McGill-Queens Transatlantic Studies book series, with Professor Robert Hendershot (Browse Books | McGill-Queen’s University Press (mqup.ca))
I previously co-edited the Edinburgh University Press Anglo-American Relations book series, with Professor Alan P. Dobson (Edinburgh Studies in Anglo-American Relations (edinburghuniversitypress.com)
Publication
2026
- Marsh, S. 2026. “It doesn’t really matter whether someone calls it ‘the special relationship’ or not". In: Adam, T. ed. Yearbook of Transnational History. Bloomsbury
2025
- Marsh, S. and Culley, T. 2025. Steering the ‘Unwieldy Barge’: Britain, the US and the rise of post-Bretton Woods economic multilateralism. Diplomacy and Statecraft
- Marsh, S. 2025. Public faces of the Anglo-American special relationship. Contemporary British History (10.1080/13619462.2025.2597779)
- Marsh, S. and Hendershot, R. 2025. Britain’s ‘big gun’: Queen Elizabeth II and the Anglo-American special relationship. The English Historical Review
2024
- Marsh, S. 2024. The Anglo-American special relationship: Past, present, future. In: Johnson, G. ed. Locating the Transatlantic in Twentieth-century Politics, Diplomacy and Culture. London, UK: Bloomsbury Academic. , pp.211-228.
- Marsh, S. and Hendershot, R. 2024. Renewing the Cold War narrative of “special” Anglo-American relations. Commemoration, performance, and the American bicentennial. Journal of Cold War Studies 26 (1), pp.196-246. (10.1162/jcws_a_01196)
2022
- Dobson, A. P. and Marsh, S. 2022. Introduction. In: Dobson, A. P. and Marsh, S. eds. Anglo-American Relations and the Transmission of Ideas: A Shared Political Tradition?. Bergahn. , pp.1-20. (10.1515/9781800734807-002)
- Marsh, S. 2022. Anglo-American relations: a political tradition of special relationship(s). In: Dobson, A. P. and Marsh, S. eds. Anglo-American Relations and the Transmission of Ideas: A Shared Political Tradition?. Berghahn. , pp.294-318. (10.1515/9781800734807-012)
2021
- Berry, P. , Dobson, A. and Marsh, S. 2021. Far from ‘the highest level of special’: Anglo-American relations under Donald Trump. In: Mahler, G. ed. Foreign perceptions of the United States under Donald Trump. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books
- Marsh, S. 2021. Anglo-American relations and soft power: transitioning the special relationship. International History Review 43 (3), pp.525-546. (10.1080/07075332.2020.1771401)
- Marsh, S. 2021. Wilson, Callaghan and the management of Anglo-American relations, 1974-76. Contemporary British History 35 (1), pp.26-51. (10.1080/13619462.2020.1785292)
2020
- Culley, T. and Marsh, S. 2020. Anglo-American relations and a dilemma of diplomatic recognition: Royalists, Republicans and crisis in the Yemen, 1962-1963. International History Review 43 (1), pp.42-59. (10.1080/07075332.2018.1523215)
- Hendershot, R. M. and Marsh, S. 2020. Conclusion: culture, ‘specialness,’ and new directions. In: Hendershot, R. M. and Marsh, S. eds. Culture Matters: Anglo-American Relations and the intangibles of specialness. Manchester University Press. , pp.271-277.
- Hendershot, R. M. and Marsh, S. 2020. Introduction. In: Hendershot, R. M. and Marsh, S. eds. Culture Matters: Anglo-American Relations and the intangibles of specialness.. Manchester University Press. , pp.1-17.
- Marsh, S. 2020. Beyond essential: Britons and the Anglo-American special relationship. Journal of Transatlantic Studies 18 , pp.382-404. (10.1057/s42738-020-00054-x)
2019
- Culley, T. and Marsh, S. 2019. To recognise, or not to recognise?: Macmillan's Yemen Arab Republic question. Middle Eastern Studies 55 (3), pp.339-356. (10.1080/00263206.2018.1547965)
- Marsh, S. 2019. Anglo-American relations and the past present: insights into an (ongoing) mythologisation of a special relationship. Journal of Transatlantic Studies 17 (3), pp.310-340. (10.1057/s42738-019-00021-1)
2018
- Marsh, S. 2018. The US, BREXIT and Anglo-American Relations. Journal of Transatlantic Studies 16 (3), pp.272-294.
- Marsh, S. 2018. The US, BREXIT and Anglo-American relations. Journal of Transatlantic Studies 16 (3), pp.272-294. (10.1080/14794012.2018.1482713)
- Marsh, S. and Culley, T. 2018. Anglo-American relations and crisis in The Congo. Contemporary British History 32 (3), pp.359-384. (10.1080/13619462.2018.1477598)
2017
- Marsh, S. 2017. Personal diplomacy at the summit. In: Dobson, A. P. and Marsh, S. eds. Churchill and the Anglo-American Special Relationship. Cold War History London: Routledge. , pp.116-141. (10.4324/9781315642673-7)
- Marsh, S. , Lorenzo-Dus, N. and Marchi, A. 2017. Churchill's inter-subjective special relationship: a corpus-assisted discourse approach. In: Marsh, S. and Dobson, A. eds. Churchill's and the Anglo-American Special Relationship. Routledge. , pp.171-201.
2016
- Marchi, A. and Marsh, S. 2016. Churchill, Fulton and the Anglo-American special relationship: setting the agenda?. Journal of Transatlantic Studies 14 (4), pp.365-382. (10.1080/14794012.2016.1230258)
- Marsh, S. 2016. The United States, Iran and the oil weapon. In: Lifset, R. ed. American Energy Policy in the 1970s. University of Oklahoma Press. , pp.93-122.
2014
- Dobson, A. and Marsh, S. 2014. Anglo-American relations: end of a special relationship. International History Review 36 (4), pp.673-697. (10.1080/07075332.2013.836124)
2013
- Marsh, S. 2013. Churchill, SACLANT and the politics of opposition. Contemporary British History 27 (4), pp.445-465. (10.1080/13619462.2013.825566)
- Marsh, S. 2013. The Anglo-American defence relationship. In: Marsh, S. I. and Dobson, A. eds. Anglo-American Relations: Contemporary Perspectives. Routledge Advances in International Relations and Global Politics Vol. 97.London: Routledge. , pp.179-206.
- Marsh, S. and Dobson, A. P. 2013. Fine words, few answers: NATO’s ‘not so new’ new strategic concept. In: Hallams, E. , Ratti, L. and Zyla, B. eds. NATO Beyond 9/11: The Transformation of the Atlantic Alliance. New Security Challenges Palgrave Macmillan. , pp.155-177. (10.1057/9780230391222_8)
2012
- Lorenzo-Dus, N. and Marsh, S. 2012. Bridging the gap: Interdisciplinary insights into the securitization of poverty. Discourse & Society 23 (3), pp.274-296. (10.1177/0957926511433453)
- Marsh, S. 2012. Anglo-American relations 1950-51: three strikes for British prestige. Diplomacy and Statecraft 23 (2), pp.304-330. (10.1080/09592296.2012.679484)
- Marsh, S. 2012. 'Global security: US-UK relations': lessons for the special relationship?. Journal of Transatlantic Studies 10 (2), pp.182-199. (10.1080/14794012.2012.678119)
- Marsh, S. 2012. Negotiating a unified Atlantic naval command: Anglo-American summit talks and the impact of domestic politics. Journal for Maritime Research 14 (2), pp.95-109. (10.1080/21533369.2012.726426)
2011
- Marsh, S. and Rees, W. 2011. The European Union in the security of Europe: from Cold War to terror war. Abingdon: Routledge.
2010
- Dobson, A. P. and Marsh, S. 2010. Churchill at the Summit: SACLANT and the Tone of Anglo-American Relations in January 1952. The International History Review 32 (2), pp.211-228. (10.1080/07075332.2010.489751)
2009
- Marsh, S. 2009. Thirty years on: Iran's "silent revolution". Iranian Studies 42 (2), pp.213-229. (10.1080/00210860902764904)
2008
- Marsh, S. 2008. EU-Russia security relations and the survey of Russian Federation foreign policy: One year on. European Security 17 (2-3), pp.185-208. (10.1080/09662830802538702)
2007
- Marsh, S. 2007. Anglo-American crude diplomacy: Multinational oil and the Iranian oil crisis, 1951–53. Contemporary British History 21 (1), pp.25-53. (10.1080/13619460600785259)
2006
- Marsh, S. 2006. The United States and the common European security and defence policy: no end to drift?. In: Baylis, J. and Roper, J. eds. The United States and Europe: Beyond the Neo-Conservative Divide?. Contemporary Security Studies Routledge. , pp.89-106.
- Marsh, S. and Baylis, J. 2006. The Anglo-American "special relationship": The Lazarus of international relations. Diplomacy and Statecraft 17 (1), pp.173-211. (10.1080/09592290500533841)
- Marsh, S. and Dobson, A. 2006. US foreign policy since 1945. The Making of the Contemporary World London: Routledge.
2005
- Marsh, S. 2005. Continuity and change: Reinterpreting the policies of the Truman and Eisenhower administrations towards Iran, 1950-54. Journal of Cold War Studies 7 (3), pp.79-123. (10.1162/1520397054377205)
- Marsh, S. 2005. Squaring circles: trends and transformation in postwar British foreign policy?. In: Dorey, P. ed. Developments in UK Public Policy since 1945. New York: SAGE Publications. , pp.67-91.
- Marsh, S. and Mackenstein, H. 2005. The international relations of the European Union. Harlow: Pearson/ Longman.
2003
- Marsh, S. 2003. Anglo-American relations and cold war oil: crisis in Iran. Cold War History Basingstoke: Palgrave.
- Marsh, S. 2003. September 11 and Anglo-American relations: reaffirming the 'Special Relationship'. Journal of Transatlantic Studies 1 (1), pp.56-75.
- Marsh, S. 2003. The United States, Iran and operation 'Ajax': Inverting interpretative orthodoxy. Middle Eastern Studies 39 (3), pp.1-38. (10.1080/00263200412331301657)
2002
- Marsh, S. 2002. The dangers of German history: Lessons from a decade of post-cold war German foreign and security policy. Perspectives on European Politics and Society 3 (3), pp.389-424. (10.1080/15705850208438843)
2001
- Marsh, S. 2001. HMG, AIOC and the Anglo-Iranian oil crisis: In defence of Anglo-Iranian. Diplomacy and Statecraft 12 (4), pp.143-174. (10.1080/09592290108406230)
2000
- Marsh, S. and Dobson, A. 2000. US foreign policy since 1945. The Making of the Contemporary World London: Routledge.
1998
- Marsh, S. 1998. The Special Relationship and the Anglo-Iranian oil crisis, 1950–4. Review of International Studies 24 (4), pp.529-544.
Articles
- Culley, T. and Marsh, S. 2020. Anglo-American relations and a dilemma of diplomatic recognition: Royalists, Republicans and crisis in the Yemen, 1962-1963. International History Review 43 (1), pp.42-59. (10.1080/07075332.2018.1523215)
- Culley, T. and Marsh, S. 2019. To recognise, or not to recognise?: Macmillan's Yemen Arab Republic question. Middle Eastern Studies 55 (3), pp.339-356. (10.1080/00263206.2018.1547965)
- Dobson, A. and Marsh, S. 2014. Anglo-American relations: end of a special relationship. International History Review 36 (4), pp.673-697. (10.1080/07075332.2013.836124)
- Dobson, A. P. and Marsh, S. 2010. Churchill at the Summit: SACLANT and the Tone of Anglo-American Relations in January 1952. The International History Review 32 (2), pp.211-228. (10.1080/07075332.2010.489751)
- Lorenzo-Dus, N. and Marsh, S. 2012. Bridging the gap: Interdisciplinary insights into the securitization of poverty. Discourse & Society 23 (3), pp.274-296. (10.1177/0957926511433453)
- Marchi, A. and Marsh, S. 2016. Churchill, Fulton and the Anglo-American special relationship: setting the agenda?. Journal of Transatlantic Studies 14 (4), pp.365-382. (10.1080/14794012.2016.1230258)
- Marsh, S. and Culley, T. 2025. Steering the ‘Unwieldy Barge’: Britain, the US and the rise of post-Bretton Woods economic multilateralism. Diplomacy and Statecraft
- Marsh, S. 2025. Public faces of the Anglo-American special relationship. Contemporary British History (10.1080/13619462.2025.2597779)
- Marsh, S. 2018. The US, BREXIT and Anglo-American Relations. Journal of Transatlantic Studies 16 (3), pp.272-294.
- Marsh, S. 2018. The US, BREXIT and Anglo-American relations. Journal of Transatlantic Studies 16 (3), pp.272-294. (10.1080/14794012.2018.1482713)
- Marsh, S. and Culley, T. 2018. Anglo-American relations and crisis in The Congo. Contemporary British History 32 (3), pp.359-384. (10.1080/13619462.2018.1477598)
- Marsh, S. 2007. Anglo-American crude diplomacy: Multinational oil and the Iranian oil crisis, 1951–53. Contemporary British History 21 (1), pp.25-53. (10.1080/13619460600785259)
- Marsh, S. 2012. Anglo-American relations 1950-51: three strikes for British prestige. Diplomacy and Statecraft 23 (2), pp.304-330. (10.1080/09592296.2012.679484)
- Marsh, S. 2021. Anglo-American relations and soft power: transitioning the special relationship. International History Review 43 (3), pp.525-546. (10.1080/07075332.2020.1771401)
- Marsh, S. 2019. Anglo-American relations and the past present: insights into an (ongoing) mythologisation of a special relationship. Journal of Transatlantic Studies 17 (3), pp.310-340. (10.1057/s42738-019-00021-1)
- Marsh, S. 2020. Beyond essential: Britons and the Anglo-American special relationship. Journal of Transatlantic Studies 18 , pp.382-404. (10.1057/s42738-020-00054-x)
- Marsh, S. 2013. Churchill, SACLANT and the politics of opposition. Contemporary British History 27 (4), pp.445-465. (10.1080/13619462.2013.825566)
- Marsh, S. 2005. Continuity and change: Reinterpreting the policies of the Truman and Eisenhower administrations towards Iran, 1950-54. Journal of Cold War Studies 7 (3), pp.79-123. (10.1162/1520397054377205)
- Marsh, S. 2008. EU-Russia security relations and the survey of Russian Federation foreign policy: One year on. European Security 17 (2-3), pp.185-208. (10.1080/09662830802538702)
- Marsh, S. 2012. 'Global security: US-UK relations': lessons for the special relationship?. Journal of Transatlantic Studies 10 (2), pp.182-199. (10.1080/14794012.2012.678119)
- Marsh, S. 2001. HMG, AIOC and the Anglo-Iranian oil crisis: In defence of Anglo-Iranian. Diplomacy and Statecraft 12 (4), pp.143-174. (10.1080/09592290108406230)
- Marsh, S. 2012. Negotiating a unified Atlantic naval command: Anglo-American summit talks and the impact of domestic politics. Journal for Maritime Research 14 (2), pp.95-109. (10.1080/21533369.2012.726426)
- Marsh, S. 2003. September 11 and Anglo-American relations: reaffirming the 'Special Relationship'. Journal of Transatlantic Studies 1 (1), pp.56-75.
- Marsh, S. 2002. The dangers of German history: Lessons from a decade of post-cold war German foreign and security policy. Perspectives on European Politics and Society 3 (3), pp.389-424. (10.1080/15705850208438843)
- Marsh, S. 1998. The Special Relationship and the Anglo-Iranian oil crisis, 1950–4. Review of International Studies 24 (4), pp.529-544.
- Marsh, S. 2003. The United States, Iran and operation 'Ajax': Inverting interpretative orthodoxy. Middle Eastern Studies 39 (3), pp.1-38. (10.1080/00263200412331301657)
- Marsh, S. 2009. Thirty years on: Iran's "silent revolution". Iranian Studies 42 (2), pp.213-229. (10.1080/00210860902764904)
- Marsh, S. 2021. Wilson, Callaghan and the management of Anglo-American relations, 1974-76. Contemporary British History 35 (1), pp.26-51. (10.1080/13619462.2020.1785292)
- Marsh, S. and Baylis, J. 2006. The Anglo-American "special relationship": The Lazarus of international relations. Diplomacy and Statecraft 17 (1), pp.173-211. (10.1080/09592290500533841)
- Marsh, S. and Hendershot, R. 2025. Britain’s ‘big gun’: Queen Elizabeth II and the Anglo-American special relationship. The English Historical Review
- Marsh, S. and Hendershot, R. 2024. Renewing the Cold War narrative of “special” Anglo-American relations. Commemoration, performance, and the American bicentennial. Journal of Cold War Studies 26 (1), pp.196-246. (10.1162/jcws_a_01196)
Book sections
- Berry, P. , Dobson, A. and Marsh, S. 2021. Far from ‘the highest level of special’: Anglo-American relations under Donald Trump. In: Mahler, G. ed. Foreign perceptions of the United States under Donald Trump. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books
- Dobson, A. P. and Marsh, S. 2022. Introduction. In: Dobson, A. P. and Marsh, S. eds. Anglo-American Relations and the Transmission of Ideas: A Shared Political Tradition?. Bergahn. , pp.1-20. (10.1515/9781800734807-002)
- Hendershot, R. M. and Marsh, S. 2020. Conclusion: culture, ‘specialness,’ and new directions. In: Hendershot, R. M. and Marsh, S. eds. Culture Matters: Anglo-American Relations and the intangibles of specialness. Manchester University Press. , pp.271-277.
- Hendershot, R. M. and Marsh, S. 2020. Introduction. In: Hendershot, R. M. and Marsh, S. eds. Culture Matters: Anglo-American Relations and the intangibles of specialness.. Manchester University Press. , pp.1-17.
- Marsh, S. 2016. The United States, Iran and the oil weapon. In: Lifset, R. ed. American Energy Policy in the 1970s. University of Oklahoma Press. , pp.93-122.
- Marsh, S. 2022. Anglo-American relations: a political tradition of special relationship(s). In: Dobson, A. P. and Marsh, S. eds. Anglo-American Relations and the Transmission of Ideas: A Shared Political Tradition?. Berghahn. , pp.294-318. (10.1515/9781800734807-012)
- Marsh, S. 2026. “It doesn’t really matter whether someone calls it ‘the special relationship’ or not". In: Adam, T. ed. Yearbook of Transnational History. Bloomsbury
- Marsh, S. 2017. Personal diplomacy at the summit. In: Dobson, A. P. and Marsh, S. eds. Churchill and the Anglo-American Special Relationship. Cold War History London: Routledge. , pp.116-141. (10.4324/9781315642673-7)
- Marsh, S. 2005. Squaring circles: trends and transformation in postwar British foreign policy?. In: Dorey, P. ed. Developments in UK Public Policy since 1945. New York: SAGE Publications. , pp.67-91.
- Marsh, S. 2013. The Anglo-American defence relationship. In: Marsh, S. I. and Dobson, A. eds. Anglo-American Relations: Contemporary Perspectives. Routledge Advances in International Relations and Global Politics Vol. 97.London: Routledge. , pp.179-206.
- Marsh, S. 2024. The Anglo-American special relationship: Past, present, future. In: Johnson, G. ed. Locating the Transatlantic in Twentieth-century Politics, Diplomacy and Culture. London, UK: Bloomsbury Academic. , pp.211-228.
- Marsh, S. 2006. The United States and the common European security and defence policy: no end to drift?. In: Baylis, J. and Roper, J. eds. The United States and Europe: Beyond the Neo-Conservative Divide?. Contemporary Security Studies Routledge. , pp.89-106.
- Marsh, S. and Dobson, A. P. 2013. Fine words, few answers: NATO’s ‘not so new’ new strategic concept. In: Hallams, E. , Ratti, L. and Zyla, B. eds. NATO Beyond 9/11: The Transformation of the Atlantic Alliance. New Security Challenges Palgrave Macmillan. , pp.155-177. (10.1057/9780230391222_8)
- Marsh, S. , Lorenzo-Dus, N. and Marchi, A. 2017. Churchill's inter-subjective special relationship: a corpus-assisted discourse approach. In: Marsh, S. and Dobson, A. eds. Churchill's and the Anglo-American Special Relationship. Routledge. , pp.171-201.
Books
- Marsh, S. 2003. Anglo-American relations and cold war oil: crisis in Iran. Cold War History Basingstoke: Palgrave.
- Marsh, S. and Dobson, A. 2006. US foreign policy since 1945. The Making of the Contemporary World London: Routledge.
- Marsh, S. and Dobson, A. 2000. US foreign policy since 1945. The Making of the Contemporary World London: Routledge.
- Marsh, S. and Mackenstein, H. 2005. The international relations of the European Union. Harlow: Pearson/ Longman.
- Marsh, S. and Rees, W. 2011. The European Union in the security of Europe: from Cold War to terror war. Abingdon: Routledge.
Research
I am engaged in a number of sole and collaborative research projects focused on Anglo-American relations and the ‘special relationship’.
I have recently driven several projects resulting in edited books designed to expand understanding of Anglo-American relations beyond traditional academic silos and foci:
- Marsh, S. and Dobson, A. eds. 2022. Anglo-American relations and the transmission of ideas: a shared political tradition?. Berghahn.
- Hendershot, R. M. and Marsh, S. eds. 2020. Culture matters: Anglo-American relations and the intangibles of 'specialness'. Manchester University Press.
- Dobson, A. P. and Marsh, S. eds. 2017. Churchill and the Anglo-American special relationship. Routledge.
My current projects are:
- An edited work investigating the impact of British Royalty on Anglo-American relations (Hendershot, R. M. and Marsh, S. eds. Forthcoming. British Royalty and Anglo-American Relations: From Rebellion to Renewal. McGill-Queens University Press).
- An invited book chapter examining ‘specialness’ in Anglo-American relations (‘It doesn't really matter whether someone calls it “the special relationship” or not.’).
- An article challenging traditional ‘layer-cake’ and ‘coral reef’ representations of Anglo-American relations (‘Anglo-American relations. Re-imaging in search of “specialness”.’)
- A co-authored book examining Anglo-American relations during the Gerald Ford presidency (Gerald Ford and Anglo-American Relations. Re-evaluating an Interim Presidency).
Teaching
I teach and supervise at all levels and across a variety of international relations modules. Over the years these have included Introduction to International Relations, Introduction to European Integration, Politics and Policies of the European Union, the European Union and Economic Globalisation, The European Union and European Security, United States Foreign Policy, Anglo-American relations, Transatlantic relations, Anglo-American Cold War Defence Relations.
Biography
After completing an undergraduate degree in History and Politics, I worked with Lloyds in the financial sector before returning to university to undertake a doctorate in Anglo-American relations at Swansea University. This focused on Anglo-American management of British relative decline in the Middle East and the security of international oil. I subsequently joined Cardiff University and, amongst other roles, became Director of European Union Studies and then Head of the Politics Department.
Supervisions
- Anglo-American Relations
- American Foreign Policy
- Cold War History
- British Foreign Policy
Current supervision
Contact Details
Research themes
Specialisms
- Anglo-American relations
- American Foreign Policy
- Cold War History