Professor Duncan Bell joins The Hayseed Scholar podcast. Duncan grew up in the Midlands in a rural area of England. He was interested in international politics from a fairly young age. Duncan chose to pursue a degree in war studies at King’s College London, and considered joining the military thereafter. But the transition to London from a quieter area, and the experiences he had there, changed his plans. He tells Brent about getting his Master’s and then PhD at Cambridge, and a momentous year he spent in the US at Columbia during his studies and changing his PhD topic that led to several of his first publications.

Duncan reflects on attending the WPSA and ISA conferences and the role of the English School section, and organizing panels with Casper Sylvest. He discusses his books as a ‘loose trilogy,’ how he approaches writing including an intense few weeks in Berlin a few years ago where he finished Dreamworlds. He talks about what he does to unwind, and then spends time on the newest member of their family, Pablo the Poochon!