Dr Steven Hurst
Reader
My profile
Biography
I work in the Politics section of the Department of History, Politics and Philosophy and have worked at MMU since 1993. My research specialism is the foreign policy of the United States since 1945 and I teach undergraduate units on both US foreign policy and domestic politics. Outside of work my main interests are wine (a good hobby for academics since there’s lots of research to do), gardening and cycling.
Words of wisdom
Ignore all the rubbish about `but is it vocational?’. No- one in the cabinet has a degree in Business Studies but plenty of them studied politics. The skills you will learn on our Politics degrees - thinking critically, working with others, presenting your ideas clearly - are the skills employers want. Above all, remember that it is not what subject you do but how well you do it that matters, so choose something you are interested in and not something you think you ‘ought’ to do.
Academic and professional qualifications
After an undergraduate degree in History and a Masters in International Relations at the University of Birmingham I wrote my PhD on Jimmy Carter’s efforts to normalise diplomatic relations with Vietnam at the University of Lancaster.
Other academic service (administration and management)
I am Section Head of Politics and Programme Leader for the MA in International Relations and Global Communications.
Languages
French (moderately competent); Italian (moderately competent); German (beginners!)
External examiner roles
PhD thesis, Jumah Dakheel, School of Arts and Humanities, Nottingham Trent University, 2014.
PhD thesis, Sharifullah Dorani, Department of Government, University of Durham, 2015
PhD thesis, Sneha Chembayil-Rajan, Department of Government, University of Durham, 2016
Expert reviewer for external funding bodies
I have acted as a reviewer for the following academic journals: Security Dialogue, The Journal of American Studies, Review of International Political Economy, The Review of International Studies, International Politics, International Relations, The European Journal of International Relations and the American Historical Review.
I have also reviewed book proposals for Oxford University Press, Palgrave Macmillan and Routledge and I have acted as an independent Assessor for the AHRC/ESRC Kluge scholarship programme,
Consultancy and advisory roles
I was involved in the `Experts seminars’ convened by the Iraq Enquiry led by Sir John Chilcott, 5 and 10 November 2009.
Expert reviewer for external funding bodies
Independent Assessor, AHRC/ESRC Kluge scholarship programme, 2005-6.
Membership of professional associations
I am a member of the American Politics Group of the Political Studies Association (of which I am the former chair) (http://theapg.co.uk/) and of the US Foreign Policy Working Group of the British Internatiional Studies Association.
Teaching
Why do I teach?
I do what I do because I enjoy it. I became an academic because I enjoyed studying and it seemed rather attractive to get paid to do what you liked doing anyway. When I started I didn’t enjoy teaching that much - not being very good at it probably had something to do with that. Over the years my teaching methods have improved with experience (I hope), and now I enjoy it as much or more than my research. The students are very rewarding to work with and it is enormously satisfying to see them progress and fulfil their potential and ambitions.
How I’ll teach you
My teaching is a product of twenty years of trial and error. I have worked out what works for me (largely by trying lots of things that didn’t). My teaching style is fairly traditional: i.e I still give lectures (though I do have Powerpoints!), but I try to mix it up and keep it interesting - debates, mock trials and simulated negotiations are all techniques I use.
My key maxims would be; have high expectations of the students (don’t spoon-feed, don’t dumb it down); treat it seriously but try and keep it entertaining (it’s called a lecture theatre for a reason) and in seminars let the students do the talking.
Postgraduate teaching
I teach a unit on US foreign policy in the digital age on the MA in International Relations and Global Communications.
I am interested in supervising research students with interests in any area of US foreign and domestic policy.
Subject areas
Politics
Supervision
Completed:
Clair Wilkins: US Supreme Court (PhD) 2011.
Dan Bennett US-Russian relations since the end of the Cold War (MPhil) 2022
Mohamed Hagi-Mohamoud: Turkey’s relations with Sub-Saharan-Africa (PhD 2023)
Mahmoud Suleiman: The Kurdish referendum decisions of 2014 and 2017 (PhD 2023)
Current:
Adnan al-Abdullah: Turkey’s intervention in the Syrian Civil War
Youngdon Young: US-South Korean alliance relations
Research outputs
Books
with Matthew Alan Hill (eds) , The Trump Presidency: Continuity and Change in US Foreign Policy (Taylor and Francis: 2022)
The United States and the Iranian Nuclear Programme: A Critical History (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2018)
The United States and Iraq since 1979: Hegemony, Oil and War, (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2009).
US Cold War Foreign Policy: Key Perspectives (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2005).
The Foreign Policy of the Bush Administration: In Search of a New World Order, (London: Cassell, 1999).
The Carter Administration and Vietnam, (London: Macmillan, 1996).
Journal articles
with Edward Ashbee, “The U.S. - China Trade War and Policy Resilience”, Journal of East-Asian American Relations (forthcoming)
with Edward Ashbee, `The Trump Administration and China: Policy Continuity or Transformation?’ Policy Studies 42 (5-6) 2021 pp. 720-737.
with Edward Ashbee, ‘The Trump foreign policy record the and the concept of transformational change’ Global Affairs 6 (1) 2020, pp. 5-20
with Matthew Hill, ‘Introduction: The Trump presidency, continuity and change in US foreign policy’ Global Affairs 6 (1) 2020 pp. 1-4.
with Matthew Hill, ‘Conclusion: The Trump presidency, continuity and change in US foreign policy’ Global Affairs 6 (1) 2020, pp. 143-4.
with Andrew Wroe, ‘Partisan polarization and US foreign policy: Is the centre dead or holding?. International Politics 53 (5) 2016, 666-682.
‘US-Iranian Nuclear Negotiations as a Two-Level Game: The Importance of Domestic Politics’ Diplomacy and Statecraft 27 (3) 2016, 545-67.
`Obama and Iran: The Attraction of Sanctions’ International Politics 49 2012, 545-67.
`Is the Bush Revolution Over?’, International Politics, 46 (2/3), 2009, pp. 157-76.
`”Who started it?” Cold War historiography’, New England Journal of History 64 (1), 2007, 12-30.
`Myths of Neoconservatism: George W. Bush’s “Neo-Conservative” Foreign Policy Revisited’, International Politics 42 (1), 2005, 75-96
`The rhetorical strategy of George H.W. Bush during the Persian Gulf War of 1990-1991: How to help lose a war you won’ Political Studies 52 (2), 2004, 376-392.
with Michael Cox, `”His Finest Hour?” George Bush and the Diplomacy of German Unification,’ Diplomacy and Statecraft 13 (4), 2002, 123-50.
`Bush, Clinton and Western Europe: Cutting the Costs of Leadership,’ National Security Studies Quarterly V (2), 1999, 29-52.
`Impeaching the President,’ Talking Politics 11 (3), 1999, 188-92.
`The Carter Administration and Vietnam,’ Journal of Contemporary History 32 (1), 1997, 81-95.
Book chapters
with Edward Ashbee, `The Trump Administration and China: Policy Continuity or Transformation? in Toby S. James (ed) The Trump Administration The President’s Legacy Within and Beyond America (Routledge: 2022)
‘Obama and Iran: Explaining Policy Change’ in Edward Ashbee and John Dumbrell (eds) The Obama Presidency and the Politics of Change (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2017) pp. 289-306
‘Parties, Polarization and US Foreign Policy’ in Inderjeet Parmar, Linda Miller and Mark Ledwidge (eds), Obama and the World: New Directions in US Foreign Policy (London: Routledge, 2014), pp. 95-106.
`Reconstructing the National Security Bureacracy’, in Jon Herbert and Andy Wroe (eds), The Bush Presidency: A Tale of Two Terms, (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2009)
`Parties, Partisanship and US Foreign Policy’ in Inderjeet Parmar, Linda Miller and Mark Ledwidge (eds), New Developments in US Foreign Policy (London: Routledge, 2009), pp. 79-91.
`Conservatism Resurgent? The Foreign Policy of the Bush Administration’ Iwan Morgan and Phil Davies eds) Right On? Political Change and Continuity in George Bush’s America (London: Institute for the Study of the Americas, 2006), pp. 41-58.
with Michael Cox, `Present at Disintegration: The United States and German Unification,’ in Klaus Larres (ed.), Germany since Unification: The Development of the Berlin Republic, 2nd ed., (London: Palgrave, 2001), 231-51. (80% Hurst 20% Cox)
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Books (authored/edited/special issues)
Hurst, S. (2018) The United States and the Iranian Nuclear Programme A Critical History. Edinburgh University Press.
Hurst, S. (2009) The United States and Iraq since 1979: Hegemony, oil and war.
Hurst, S.A. (2005) Cold war US foreign policy: key perspectives. Edinburgh University Press.
Hurst, S. (1999) The Foreign Policy of the Bush Administration. Pinter Pub Limited.
Hurst, S. (1996) The Carter Administration and Vietnam. Macmillan.
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Chapters in books
Hurst, S., Ashbee, E. (2023) 'The Trump foreign policy record and the concept of transformational change.' The Trump Presidency Continuity and Change in US Foreign Policy. Routledge,
Hurst, S.A. (2014) ''Parties, Polarization and US Foreign Policy'.' In Parmar, I., Miller, L.B., Ledwidge, M. (ed.) Obama and the World: New Directions in US Foreign Policy. London: Routledge, pp. 95-106.
Hurst, S.A. (2009) 'Reforming the national security apparatus.' Assessing the Gearge W. Edinburgh University Press,
Hurst, S.A. (2009) 'Parties, partisanship and US foreign policy: the growing divide.' New directions in US foreign policy. Routledge,
Hurst, S.A. (2009) 'Reconstructing the National Security Bureacracy.' In Herbert, J., Wroe, A. (ed.) Assessing the George W. Bush Presidency: A Tale of Two Terms. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, pp. 100-114.
Hurst, S.A. (2006) 'Conservatism Resurgent? The Foreign Policy of the Bush Administration.' In Morgan, I., Davies, P. (ed.) Right On? Political Change and Continuity in George Bush’s America. London: Institute for the Study of the Americas, pp. 41-58.
Hurst, S.A., Cox, M. (2001) '`Present at Disintegration': The United States and German Unification.' Germany Since Unification: The Development of the Berlin Republic. London: Macmillan, pp. 231-251.
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Internet publications
Hurst, S.A. (2013) Is the Republican Party Doomed?. http://www.e-ir.info/2013/02/23/is-the-republican-party-doomed/.
Hurst, S.A. (2003) The Presidential Election of 2004 and its Potential Impact on US Foreign Policy. http://www.erpic.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=123:the-presidential-election-of-2004-and-its-potential-impact-on-us-foreign-policy&catid=30:november-2003&Itemid=79.
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Journal articles
Ashbee, E., Hurst, S. (2023) 'The U.S.-China trade war and policy resilience.' Journal of American-East Asian Relations, 30(2) pp. 188-215.
Ashbee, E., Hurst, S. (2021) 'The Trump Administration and China: Policy Continuity or Transformation?.' Policy Studies, 42(5-6) pp. 720-737.
Hill, M., Hurst, S. (2020) 'The Trump administration: continuity and change in US foreign policy.' Global Affairs, 6(1) pp. 143-147.
Hill, M., Hurst, S. (2020) 'The Trump presidency: continuity and change in US foreign policy.' Global Affairs, 6(1)
Ashbee, E., Hurst, S. (2020) 'The Trump foreign policy record and the concept of transformational change.' Global Affairs, 6(1) pp. 5-19.
Hurst, S.A., Wroe, A.J. (2016) 'Partisan polarization and US foreign policy: Is the centre dead or holding?.' International Politics, 53pp. 666-682.
Hurst, S.A. (2016) 'The Iranian Nuclear Negotiations as a Two-Level Game: The Importance of Domestic Politics.' Diplomacy and Statecraft, 27(3) pp. 545-567.
Hurst, S. (2012) 'Obama and Iran.' International Politics, 49(5) pp. 545-567.
Hurst, S. (2009) 'Is the Bush Revolution over?.' International Politics, 46(2-3) pp. 157-176.
Hurst, S.A. (2007) '`Who Started It?': Cold War Historiography.' New England Journal of History, 64(1) pp. 12-30.
Hurst, S. (2005) 'Myths of neoconservatism: George W. Bush's 'Neo-conservative' foreign policy revisited.' International Politics, 42(1) pp. 75-96.
Hurst, S. (2004) 'The rhetorical strategy of George H. W. Bush during the Persian Gulf crisis 1990-91: How to help lose a war you won.' Political Studies, 52(2) pp. 376-392.
Cox, M., Hurst, S.A. (2002) '"'His finest hour?" George Bush and the diplomacy of German unification.' Diplomacy and statecraft, 13(4) pp. 123-150.
Hurst, S.A. (1999) 'Bush, Clinton and Western Europe: Cutting the Costs of Leadership.' National Security Studies Quarterly, 5(2) pp. 29-53.
Hurst, S.A. (1999) 'Impeaching the President.' Talking Politics, 11(3) pp. 188-192.
Hurst, S. (1997) 'Regionalism or globalism? the Carter administration and Vietnam.' Journal of Contemporary History, 32(1) pp. 81-95.
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Other
Hurst, S. (2012) Assessing George W. Bush's Legacy: The Right Man?.
Hurst, S. (2011) An Outsider in the White House: Jimmy Carter, His Advisors, and the Making of American Foreign Policy..
Hurst, S. (2010) Ambition and Division: Legacies of the George W. Bush Presidency.
Hurst, S. (2004) The United States and Europe in the twentieth century.
Hurst, S. (2002) Ronald Reagan and the politics of freedom.
Press and media
Media appearances or involvement
‘Existing narratives of the effect of partisan polarization on US foreign policy are too simplistic’ Blogpost, LSE USApp, December 2014 http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2014/12/03/existing-narratives-of-the-…
‘The Iran deal: Driven by international factors for the US and domestic ones for Iran’ Blogpost LSE USApp December 2015 http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2015/12/01/the-iran-nuclear-deal-drive…
Interview, BBC Radio Manchester 8 November 2016 on US elections.
Interview, Talk Radio, 10 November 2016 on US elections.
Interview, BBC Radio Manchester, 20 January 2017, President Trump’s Inauguration and implications.
Interview, BBC Breakfast, 21 January 2017, President Trump’s Inauguration and implications.
Interview, Talk Radio 7 February 2017, Trump-Bercow incident.
Interview Sky Sunrise 26 May 2017 - Manchester bomb UK-US intelligence sharing dispute.
Interviewed and quoted in ‘Iran nuclear deal: Donald Trump ‘decertifies’ 2015 pact’ Al-Jazeera.com 13 October 2017, http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/10/iran-nuclear-deal-donald-trump-de…
‘Priti Patel’s resignation: Will Israel-UK relations ever be the same again? Op-Ed, International Business Times, 11 November 2017 http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/priti-patels-resignation-will-israel-uk-relati…
‘If Donald Trump’s “Great Satan” interferes in Iran, it will play right into the regime’s hands’, Newsweek UK, 4 January 2018 https://www.newsweek.co.uk/if-donald-trumps-great-satan-interferes-iran…
Interview, BBC Radio Manchester, 14 March 2018, Sergei Skripal poisoning and possible British response.
Interview, BBC Radio Stoke, 16 March 2018, Sergei Skripal poisioning and the British response.