Prof James Crossland
Humanities and Social Science
Faculty of Arts Professional and Social Studies
Email: J.N.Crossland@ljmu.ac.uk
Telephone: 0151 231 3339
I am a Professor of International History, whose present interests lie in the history of terrorism, intelligence and propaganda. I am also a specialist in the history of international humanitarian law and the Red Cross movement, in particular its formative years (1860s-1914). Beyond my research endeavours, I am Co-Director of LJMU's Centre for Modern and Contemporary History and Associate Dean of Research for the Faculty of Arts, Professional and Social Studies.
My most recent book, "Rogue Agent: From Secret Plots to Psychological Warfare, the Untold Story of Robert Bruce Lockhart" (Elliot & Thompson, 2024) is the first full biography of the maverick spy, diplomat, propagandist and adventurer, Robert Bruce Lockhart, who was both "British Agent" in Bolshevik Russia and ran Britain's psychological warfare campaign against the Third Reich during the Second World War. The book has led to appearances on Sky News Breakfast, Scotland Tonight, BBC and Dan Snow's History Hit, and coverage in The Times, The Scotsman and the Daily Express.
Prior to publishing "Rogue Agent", I worked for some years on a study on the origins of terrorism, whilst led to the publication of "The Rise of Devils: Fear and the Origins of Modern Terrorism" (Manchester University Press, 2023). This book is part of a wider project that explores the political and societal impacts of fear narratives and fake news. As part of this research, in December 2022, I was awarded a Leverhulme Research Project Grant (£113,000) to look into the role of conspiracy theories, colonial anxieties and prejudice in shaping the institutional culture of the British intelligence community and the development of counter-terrorism doctrine in the 1920s. This project will be completed in 2026.
I am open to media appearances and consultations discussing the following areas:
- Intelligence, psychological warfare and propaganda
- Terrorism and political violence
- Humanitarianism in war
My current PhD students are:
Lukasz Grzymski - Paranoia, Anxiety, Prejudice: The Colonial Experience and Britain's Intelligence Community, 1883-1929
Louise Rimmer - Terrorism in Fiction
I lead the following modules at Undergraduate and Masters level:
- The Age of Terror, 1850-1914 (Level 5)
- Laws of War (Level 6)
- Theories, Philosophies and Approaches to History (Level 7)
Degrees
2010, Murdoch University, Australia, PhD
2007, University of Western Australia, Australia, BA Hons
Highlighted publications
Crossland J. 2024. Rogue Agent: From Secret Plots to Psychological Warfare, the Untold Story of Robert Bruce Lockhart (Elliot & Thompson, 2024) Elliot & Thompson Author Url
Crossland J. 2023. The Rise of Devils: Fear and the Origins of Modern Terrorism Manchester University Press 9781526160676 Publisher Url
Crossland J. 2020. The Red Cross Movement: Myths, Practices and Turning "Points Crossland JN, Wylie N, Oppenheimer M. , eds. Manchester University Press 9781526133519 Publisher Url
Crossland JN. 2018. War, Law and Humanity: the Campaign to Control Warfare, 1853-1914. Bloomsbury 9781350041233 Publisher Url
Crossland J. 2014. Britain and the International Committee of the Red Cross, 1939-1945 Palgrave 978-1-137-39957-1 Publisher Url
Books (authored)
Crossland J. 2024. Rogue Agent: From Secret Plots to Psychological Warfare, the Untold Story of Robert Bruce Lockhart (Elliot & Thompson, 2024) Elliot & Thompson Author Url
Crossland J. 2023. The Rise of Devils: Fear and the Origins of Modern Terrorism Manchester University Press 9781526160676 Publisher Url
Crossland J. 2020. The Red Cross Movement: Myths, Practices and Turning "Points Crossland JN, Wylie N, Oppenheimer M. , eds. Manchester University Press 9781526133519 Publisher Url
Crossland JN. 2018. War, Law and Humanity: the Campaign to Control Warfare, 1853-1914. Bloomsbury 9781350041233 Publisher Url
Crossland J. 2014. Britain and the International Committee of the Red Cross, 1939-1945 Palgrave 978-1-137-39957-1 Publisher Url
Chapters
Crossland J. 2023. 'The Original “Spectacular”? The Intentions and Impacts of the 1858 Orsini Bombing' Wrightson (ed.) G. Terrorism Through the Ages (Brill) 9789004547803 Publisher Url
Crossland J, Rønnebu GL. 2020. 'The Red Cross “Shield”: The Semiotic Duality of the Red Cross during the Occupation of Norway, 1940-1945' Jacob (ed.) F. War and Semiotics Signs, Communication Systems, and the Preparation, Legitimization, and Commemoration of Collective Mass Violence (Routledge) 9780367504069 Publisher Url
Crossland JN. 2020. 'The Americans Lead the Way: The United States Sanitary Commission and the Development of the Red Cross, 1861-1871' in Crossland J, Wylie N, Oppenheimer, eds. M. The Red Cross Movement: Myths, Practices and Turning Points (Manchester University Press) 978-1-5261-3351-9 Publisher Url
Internet publication
Crossland J. 2023. 'How To Make A Devil: The Legend of Ravachol, the Terrorist "Mastermind" of the Fin de Siècle', History Today, Vol.73, Issue 7 Publisher Url
Crossland J. 2021. 'A Rebel with Every Cause: The Extraordinary Insurrections of Gustave Paul Cluseret', History Today, Vol.71, Issue 10 Publisher Url
Crossland J. 2021. 'The Women who Ended an Emperor', History Workshop Journal, Publisher Url
Crossland J. 2021. 'The First Bomb Disposal Expert: Colonel Vivian Majendie and the Original ‘"War on Terror’", The Conversation, Publisher Url
Crossland J. 2020. 'The Enemies Within: Reflections on a Terrorist Spectacular', History Today, Vol.70, Issue. 9, Publisher Url
Crossland J. 2018. 'Fake News is Old News: Britain's Psychological Warfare Campaign during the Second World War', History Today, Vol.68, Issue.11, Publisher Url
Crossland J. 2018. 'Syria’s White Helmets and the Long History of Attacking Wartime Humanitarians' Publisher Url
Journal article
Crossland JN. 2021. Radical Warfare’s First “Superweapon”: The Fears, Perceptions and Realities of the Orsini Bomb, 1858-1896 Terrorism and Political Violence, DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Crossland JN. 2019. Fearing for Merseyside: Liverpool and the French Invasion Scare of 1858-1859' Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, 168 :139-153 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Crossland JN, Wylie N. 2016. The Korean War and the Post-war Prisoner of War Regime, 1945–1956 War in History, 23 :439-456 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Crossland JN. 2013. The Mutiny that Never Was: The Special Operations Executive and the Failure of Operation ‘Kitchenmaid’ Intelligence and National Security, :808-823 DOI Publisher Url
w/ Edele M, Finaldi G, Crossland J. 2012. , eds. 'War and Peace, Barbarism and Civilization' Special Edition of the Australian Journal of Politics and History (editor) Australian Journal of Politics and History,
Crossland JN. 2011. 2011. A Man of Peaceable Intent: Burckhardt, the British and Red Cross Neutrality during the Second World War Historical Research, :165-182 DOI Publisher Url
Crossland JN. 2010. 2010. Expansion, Suspicion and the Development of the International Committee of the Red Cross, 1939-1945 Australian Journal of Politics and History, :381-392 DOI Publisher Url
Crossland JN. 2009. 2009. Beyond the Wire: Allied POWs in the Second World War, the POW 'myth' and Future Realities European History Quarterly, :662-669
Conference publication
Crossland J, Edele M, Finaldi G. 2012. 2012. War and Peace, Barbarism and Civilization in Modern Europe and Its Empires Crossland JN. Australian Journal of Politics and History, 58 (2012) DOI Publisher Url
Conference organisation:
Britain and the World (June 2025), Convener. 2025
Britain Afraid: Imperial Insecurities and National Fears, 1798-1945 - International Conference at LJMU, 21-22 June 2022, Convener. 2022
Histories of the Red Cross Movement Since 1919 - International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (June 2019), Convener. 2019
Public engagement:
Public talk or lecture, Podcast, Interview, Dan Snow's History Hit - "The British Agent who tried to kill Lenin", https://shows.acast.com/dansnowshistoryhit/episodes/the-british-agent-who-tried-to-kill-lenin. 2024
Public talk or lecture, Podcast, Interview, "Rogue Agent - The life of Robert Bruce Lockhart" - Podcast interview on Behind the Lines with Arthur Snell, https://shows.acast.com/behind-the-lines-with-arthur-snell/episodes/rogue-agent-the-life-of-robert-bruce-lockhart. 2024
Public talk or lecture, Podcast, Interview, History Rage - "The First War on Terror", https://www.historyrage.com/episodes/episode/499e05f7/dynamite-wars-to-global-fear-the-origins-of-terrorism-with-james-crossland. 2024
Public talk or lecture, Podcast, Interview, International Spy Museum - "Rise of Devils: The Origins of Modern Terrorism", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eagYW4j6HcI. 2024
Public talk or lecture, Podcast, Interview, Versus History - "History of Modern Terrorism", https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/history-of-modern-terrorism-with-dr-james-crossland/id1300269710?i=1000615800142. 2023
Public talk or lecture, Podcast, Interview, "Origins of Modern Terrorism" - podcast interview on Dan Snow's History Hit, https://shows.acast.com/dansnowshistoryhit/episodes/modern-terrorism. 2023
Public talk or lecture, Radio, Interview, Talk Nation Radio - "War Reformers and War Abolishers", https://davidswanson.org/talk-nation-radio-james-crossland-on-war-reformers-and-war-abolishers/. 2018
Media Coverage:
"Proud Scot’s failed plot against Lenin redeemed by his anti-Nazi efforts", The Scotsman Newspaper 2024
"How a cavalier Scot used fake news to fool Nazis', The Times 2024
"The Fettes-Educated Spy Accused of trying to Kill Lenin", The Scotsman Magazine 2024
"The Secret Life of Robert Bruce Lockhart" review, Daily Telegraph 2024
Interview discussing online radicalization, BBC Merseyside, 18 March 2024 2024
Interview discussing 80th anniversary of Rudolf Hess' flight to Scotland - BBC, 10 May 2021 2021
Other invited event:
"Martyrs, Monster, Mothers: Violent Extremism and Gender" Terrorism Masterclass, Charles Sturt University, Canberra, Australia, Invited Talk. 2023
"Lessons from the First War on Terror", National Security College, Australian National University, Canberra, Invited Talk. 2023
Historical Association Annual Conference, Majestic Hotel, Harrogate, Talk on 'Fear, Fake News and the First Age of Terror'. 2023
Handa Centre For the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence Speaker Series, University of St Andrews, Talk on 'Dangerous Knowledge: Reportage of Political Violence and the Spread of International Terrorism'. 2023
Historic-All Festival, Cambourne Village College, Talk on 'The First War on Terror'. 2022
'Truth, Lies and History: Being an Historian in the Age of Fake News', Rylands Library, Manchester, Panel discussion for Institute of Historical Research. 2019
Research Grants Awarded:
Everett Helm Fellowship, University of Indiana, The Life and Times of Robert Bruce Lockhart, Grant value (£): 2,500, Duration of research project: 1 year. 2022
Leverhulme Trust, Research Project Grant, Anxiety, Prejudice, Paranoia: Shaping British Intelligence Culture, 1880s-1920s, Grant value (£): 113,000, Duration of research project: 3 Years. 2022
British Academy, Small Grant, 'Humanizing Hell: The International History of the United States Sanitary Commission, 1861-1871', Grant value (£): 9,952, Duration of research project: 3 years. 2018
Murdoch Distinguished Collaborator Fund, Murdoch University, 'Humanitarian Diplomacy, 1864-1945', Prof Nevile Wylie, Grant value (£): 15,000, Duration of research project: 3 years. 2013
Membership of professional bodies:
Fellow, Royal Historical Society, (RHS).