Dr Malcolm Craig
Humanities and Social Science
Senior Lecturer in American History (and has-been games designer)
My research interests lie in the Cold War period, with a focus on nuclear culture (particularly games), national security, and secret intelligence. I've had work published on the global arms trade, nuclear non-proliferation, Western interactions with the 'Islamic world', and domestic British intelligence issues.
My current research investigates tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) and their relationship with the nuclear age. Proposing new methodological approaches towards the nuclear age, my research will add fresh dimensions to knowledge of how the Cold War and the nuclear arms race affected the everyday lives and experiences of those who lived under the ever-present threat of nuclear war. It will implicitly and explicitly address everyday representations of what historian Daniel Cordle terms "the politics of vulnerability" in the nuclear age. In so doing, the project will deliver new insights into how people interpreted, understood, and attempted to confront this vulnerability, and the ways in which these understandings found expression in games, from both design and play perspectives.
I have also worked as a TTRPG designer (and continue to dabble in that area in a much more amateur way). My games include the dystopian science fiction game a|state (Contested Ground Studios, 2004), the Cold War meets the occult Cold City (Contested Ground Studios, 2006), and the post-apocalyptic Hot War (Contested Ground Studios, 2008), and a|state 2nd edition (Handiwork Games, 2022). I have also contributed material to other games such as the 1970s Germany themed Red Front playset for Bully Pulpit Studios' Fiasco!
Degrees
2014, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, PhD
2009, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, Masters by Research
1998, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK, BA (hons) History and Sociology
Certifications
2017, Higher Education Academy, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Academic appointments
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, University of Edinburgh, 2015 - 2016
Adjunct Lecturer, History, Classics, and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh, 2014 - 2015
Book review
Craig M. 2023. From Travancore to Pokhran and Beyond Diplomatic History: the journal of the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, DOI Publisher Url
Craig M. 2021. Kings and Presidents: Saudi Arabia and the United States since FDR Presidential History Network Review, 2 Publisher Url Public Url
Craig M. 2020. The Unfinished Atomic Bomb: Shadows and Reflections Journal of Contemporary History, 55 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Craig M. 2019. Benn Steil: The Marshall plan: dawn of the cold war Journal of Transatlantic Studies, 17 :424-425 DOI Publisher Url
Craig M. 2018. James Cameron, The Double Game: The Demise of America's First Missile Defense System and the Rise of Strategic Arms Limitation H-Diplo discussion network, Publisher Url
Craig M. 2018. Christopher Moran: Company Confessions: Revealing CIA Secrets Journal of American Studies, :261-261 DOI Publisher Url
Craig M. 2017. N. Piers Ludlow: Roy Jenkins and the European Commission Presidency, 1976–1980: At the Heart of Europe Journal of Contemporary European Research, 13
Craig MM. 2016. Review of David M. Watry, Diplomacy at the Brink: Eisenhower, Churchill, and Eden in the Cold War (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2014) History: the journal of the Historical Association, 101 :824-825 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Craig MM. 2015. Review of Eric Schlosser, Command and Control: The story of nuclear weapons and the illusion of safety (London: Penguin, 2014) Journal of American Studies, 49 :942-943 DOI Publisher Url
Craig MM. 2015. Review of Or Rabinowitz, Bargaining on Nuclear Tests: Washington and its Cold War nuclear deals (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014) History: the journal of the Historical Association, 100 :504-505
Craig MM. 2013. Review of Jonathan Lyons, Islam Through Western Eyes: From the Crusades to the War or Terrorism (New York: Columbia University Press, 2013) Journal of American Studies, 47 :863-866 DOI Publisher Url
Internet publication
Craig M. 2023. The United Kingdom, an Integrating Europe, and the NPT Negotiations Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Craig M. 2017. The United States Must Accept a Nuclear North Korea Publisher Url Public Url
Chapters
Craig M. 2022. The Atomic Spies The Federal Bureau of Investigation: History, Powers, and Controversies of the FBI [2 volumes] ABC-CLIO 9781440871610
Journal article
Craig M. 2020. “The Long Dreaded Islamic Bomb”: Perceptions of Middle Eastern nuclear proliferation, 1979-1989 Diplomatic History: the journal of the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, 44 :580-608 DOI Author Url Publisher Url
Craig MM. 2017. Spycatcher’s Little Sister: The Thatcher government and the Panorama affair, 1980-81 Intelligence and National Security, 32 :677-692 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Craig MM. 2016. ‘Nuclear Sword of the Moslem World’?: the United States, Britain, Pakistan, and the ‘Islamic Bomb’, 1977–80 International History Review, 38 :857-879 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Craig MM. 2016. ‘I think we cannot refuse the order’: Britain, America, nuclear non-proliferation, and the Indian Jaguar deal, 1974–1978 Cold War History, 16 :61-81 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Books (authored)
Craig MM. 2017. America, Britain, and the Pakistani Nuclear Weapons Programme, 1974-1980 Palgrave Macmillan. Basingstoke 978-3-319-51879-4 DOI Publisher Url
External PGR examinations performed:
University College Cork, Masters in Strategic Studies, German School Counter-insurgency: The development of occupation security between the Franco-Prussian War and National Socialism. 2023
University College Cork, Masters in Strategic Studies, German School Counterinsurgency: The Development of Occupation Security Between the Franco-Prussian War and National Socialism, 1870-1945. 2023
University College Cork, Masters in Strategic Studies, Bosnia Alone: Genocide in Europe. 2022
University College Cork, Masters in Strategic Studies, Politics and Ports: Military Relations between the Irish Free Sate and Great Britain, 1925-1938. 2022
University College Cork, Masters in Strategic Studies, BETWEEN COOPERATION AND COMPETITION: THE US, CHINA, AND CLIMATE CHANGE. 2022
University College Cork, Masters in Strategic Studies, Good Neighbour: The Ideologies and Strategies behind US Foreign Policy towards Nicaragua under the Reagan Administration. 2022
University College Cork, Masters in Strategic Studies, Identifying Counter Improvised Explosive Device Strategic Principles for East Africa. 2022
University College Cork, Masters in Strategic Studies, Ireland’s counterterrorism strategy from 1970 to 1985: An attempt to address the causes of terror or its symptoms?. 2022
University College Cork, Masters in Strategic Studies, The Obama Administration’s Strategic Communication Campaign To Normalise Targeted Killing. 2022
University College Cork, Masters in Strategic Studies, The Effects of Problematic Syrian Government Policies on Rural Populations Experiencing Climate Change Driven Drought in Pre-Civil War Syria 2006-2011. 2022
Industrial connections:
Handiwork Games, Public talk on 'Games in History, History in Games'. 2023
Conference presentation:
Britain, the NPT, and European Integration, Re-writing the Constutional History of the NPT, Washington DC, Oral presentation. 2022
Howling Wilderness: Roleplaying Games, Cold War, and the Nuclear Age, HOTCUS Winter Symposium 2022, Liverpool, Oral presentation. 2022
The Nuclear 1979: Revolution, Islam, and 'The Bomb', Reddit AskHistorians digital conference, Online, Oral presentation. 2020
Conference organisation:
Historians of the Twentieth Century United States (HOTCUS) - Winter Symposium 2022, Organiser and speaker, https://hotcus.org.uk/2022-winter-symposium/. 2022
Historians of the Twentieth Century United States (HOTCUS), 2019 conference, Liverpool, Conference organiser, https://hotcus.org.uk/events/annual-conference/. 2019
Historians of the Twentieth Century United States (HOTCUS), 2018 Conference, Cambridge, Conference organiser, https://hotcus.org.uk/2018-annual-conference/. 2018
British International Studies Association Global Nuclear Order Working Group symposium ‘Nuclear Identity: Interdisciplinary Perspectives'., Organiser. 2015
Edinburgh University symposium on ‘Conflict in History'., Co-organiser. 2011
Victoria University of Wellington ‘New Historians’ Conference'., Co-organiser. 2009
Membership of professional bodies:
Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (FRHistS), The Royal Historical Society. 2021
Fellowships:
CRISES Visiting Fellowship, University of Jyväskylä (Finland), https://www.jyu.fi/hytk/en/research/research-networks/crises/visiting-programme. 2020
External collaboration:
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/re-writing-constitutional-history-nuclear-non-proliferation-treaty, Carnegie Corporation of New York and University of Southampton, Kendrick Oliver (Southampton), Jonathan hunt (US Air War College) and 17 other international colleagues (listed on the URL below). 2020
Research Grants Awarded:
University of Jyväskylä, Finland, CRISES Visiting Research Fellowship, Grant value (£): 6750, Duration of research project: Two months. 2019
Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs, Atomic Ayatollahs: US-UK nuclear non-proliferation policy and the greater Middle East, 1970-1992, Grant value (£): 1500, Duration of research project: 5 years. 2017
British Association for American Studies/British Library Eccles Centre, 'Dreams and Nightmares: Defending the Secret State from Public Scrutiny, 1979-1990', Grant value (£): 2250, Duration of research project: One year. 2016
Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, University of Edinburgh, 'Banning Panorama The BBC, the Thatcher government, and secret intelligence on TV, 1980-81', Grant value (£): 9000, Duration of research project: Nine months. 2016
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, The United States, the United Kingdom, and Nuclear Proliferation in South Asia: The Case of Pakistan, 1974-1980, Grant value (£): 1500, Duration of research project: 3 years. 2012
Teaching qualification:
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. 2017
Award:
‘Best Course’ for The Nuclear Cold War at the Edinburgh University Students’ Association Teaching Awards, Edinburgh University Students' Association. 2015
University of Edinburgh Dalziel Prize for British History, University of Edinburgh. 2013
The Professor James F. McMillan Scholarship, University of Edinburgh. 2012
Media Coverage:
2018, March 27, BBC News Online, 'Cold War: How do Russia tensions compare to Soviet era?'
2020, January 3, BBC Radio Merseyside, discussing the Solemani assassination and the Trump administration.
April 19, 2016, BBC Radio Merseyside, discussing nuclear non-proliferation, the Cold War, and North Korea
April 6, 2016, TBS Radio South Korea, ‘Primetime News’, discussing nuclear terrorism and nuclear proliferation.
April 8, 2016, BBC Radio Scotland, ‘Good Morning Scotland’, discussing Edinburgh Spy Week 2016 and the history of secret intelligence.
January 26, 2017, France24, discussing the US-UK ‘special relationship’
January 26, 2017, Sky News, discussing the US-UK ‘special relationship’
January 26, 2017, Sky News, discussing the US-UK 'special relationship'
January 26, 2017, TRT World television (Turkey), discussing the United States and immigration
January 26, 2017, TRTWorld, discussing and providing historical perspective on Donald Trump's 'Mexican wall' and torture statements.
January 27, 2017, BBC News 24, discussing the US-UK ‘special relationship’
January 27, 2017, BBC Radio 5 Live 6pm news, discussing the Trump-May press conference
January 27, 2017, BBC1 Breakfast, discussing the US-UK ‘special relationship’
January 7, 2017, TRTWorld, providing an historical perspective on the national security implications of Donald Trump's election.
March 1, 2017, Al Jazeera, discussing Donald Trump’s first address to the United States Congress