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James Horncastle

Associate Professor, Global Humanities

Edward and Emily McWhinney Professor in International Relations

 jhorncas@sfu.ca

 AQ 6207

Profile

Research interests

  • Refugee and Migration Studies
  • Modern History of Greece
  • International Relations
  • Yugoslav Studies
  • Identity Formation
  • Conflict Studies

Education

  • PhD, History, 51猎奇入口
  • MA, History, University of New Bruswick
  • BA, History, St. Thomas University

Biography

I was born and raised in New Brunswick, Canada. After attending St. Thomas University, I was inspired by its emphasis on liberal arts education, which I applied to my Masters studies at the University of New Brunswick, where I examined the social, political and military dimensions of Yugoslavia鈥檚 collapse in the 1990s. Upon completion of my Masters at the University of New Brunswick, I set out for PhD studies at 51猎奇入口, where I examined the Macedonian Question in the Greek Civil War. After serving as a limited-term appointment at 51猎奇入口 for three years, I joined the Hellenic Studies Program as the inaugural holder of the Edward and Emily McWhinney Professorship in International Relations.

Publications

Monographs


Journal articles and book chapters

  • 鈥淲arfare in the Mountains to Wage War in the City: The Cypriot War of Independence and Lessons for Contemporary Counterinsurgency and Counterterrorism鈥� Inter Populum. 3 (2025): 37-53.
  • 鈥淪eeking Advantages Abroad: Ukrainian SOF in Africa鈥� Comparative Strategy 44 (2025): 643-661.
  • 鈥淩ussian warship, go f--- yourself!鈥� Human Factors in the Russia-Ukraine War and Ukraine Defying Expectations, February-December 2022" Journal of Slavic Military Studies 37 (2024): 267-86.
  • 鈥淲eaponization of refugees: Why now?鈥� Comparative Strategy. 42 (2023) 747-62.
  • 鈥淎n Ongoing Paradox: The EU鈥檚 Response to the Migration Crises, Rising Nationalism, and its Treatment of Greece.鈥� In Wallerstein 2.0: Thinking and Applying World-Systems Theory in the 21st Century. Ed. Frank Jacob. Wetzlar: Transcript, 2023. 99-120.
  • 鈥淭he Unsettled Foundation: Self-Management and its Implications for Yugoslavia鈥檚 policy of Total National Defence鈥� Defense & Security Analysis 38 (2022) 106-21.
  • w/ Jack MacLennan. 鈥淲here eagles err: Contemporary geopolitics and the future of Western special operations鈥� Special Operations Journal 7 (2021) 43-54.

Older

  • 鈥淐landestine 鈥淐omrades鈥�: The Comintern, Tito and the Underground Communist Party of Yugoslavia, 1939-1941鈥� in Between Two Fires: Neutral Countries as Clandestine Battlefields during the Second World War and the Cold War, 1939-1962. Ed. Andre Gerolymatos, Denis Smyth, and w/ James Horncastle (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2020) 155-72.
  • Turning off the Tap: The 1999 Bombing Campaign of Kosovo and the Securitization of Water" in Ethical Water Stewardship. Ed. Ingrid Stefanovic and Zadar Adeel (London: Springer, 2020) 179-94.
  • 鈥淭he Death of a City: The Yugoslav Peoples Army Siege of Vukovar, 1991, Refugee Crisis, and its Aftermath鈥� in War and the City (Leiden: Brill, 2019) 85-104.
  • 鈥淎 Measure of Success? Soviet and American Military Advising in Yugoslavia, 1945-1957鈥� Air Force Advising and Assistance: Developing Airpower in Client States(Solihull, UK: Helion, 2018) 73-88.
  • 鈥淢ajority Rule, Minority Issues: The Macedonian Question in the Dekemvriana,鈥� Defense & Security Analysis 33 (2017): 1-12.
  • 鈥淢apping a term: Geography and its role in the success and failures of the Yugoslav and Greek Resistance movements, 1940-1945鈥� in War and Geography: The Spatiality of Mass Violence (Paderborn: Ferdinand Sch枚ningh, 2017) 77-97.
  • 鈥淭ous Azimuts: Yugoslavia鈥檚 Defence Policy during the Cold War鈥� The Means to Kill Essays on the Interdependence of War and Technology from Ancient Rome to the Age of Drones. Edited by Gerrit Dworok and Frank Jacob (Jefferson, NC: McFarland Press, 2015) 182-196.
  • 鈥淯nfamiliar Connections: Special Forces and Paramilitaries in the Former Yugoslavia鈥� Special Operations Journal 2 (2016) 12-21.
  • 鈥淐roatia鈥檚 Bitter Harvest 鈥� Total National Defence鈥檚 role in the Croatian War of Independence鈥� Small Wars & Insurgencies 26 (2015) 742-761.
  • 鈥淩eaping the Whirlwind: Total National Defense鈥檚 Role in Slovenia鈥檚 Bid for Secession,鈥� Journal of Slavic Military Studies 26 (2013) 528-550.
  • 鈥淎 House of Cards: The Yugoslav Concept of Total National Defence and its Critical Weakness鈥� Macedonian Historical Review 2 (2011) 285-302.

Book Reviews

  • KITROMELIDES, P. AND S. MATTHAEOU (EDS). Greek-Serbian Relations in the Age of Nation-Building, Journal of Modern Greek Studies 1 (2020): 249-51.
  • WOLF-DIETER M脺LLER. The Unknown Eastern Front: The Wehrmacht and Hitler鈥檚 Foreign Soldiers, Global Humanities 2 (2015) 149-150.

Conference presentations

  • Presented 鈥淧resaging the Future: EOKA and Contemporary Irregular Warfare鈥� at SHoW 2024 in Nicosia, CY. 28 November 2024.
  • Presented "Presaging the Future: EOKA, Cyprus, and Contemporary Irregular Warfare鈥� at BC Hellenic Congress in New Westminster, BC. 24 June 2024.
  • Presented "Winter of Discontent: The Russia-Ukraine War鈥� at The Institute for the Humanities in Vancouver, BC. 21 November 2023.
  • Co-organized 鈥淓nvisioning the Greek Landscape: From Thera to Climate Change鈥� in Athens, GR. 19-21 October 2023.
  • Presented 鈥淔rom Gateway to Shield: Greece in the EU鈥檚 Perception on Migration鈥� at XENOS Workshop 2023. In Athens, GR. 28 May 2023.
  • Presented 鈥淩esilience as a Means of Obfuscation: Refugees in the International System鈥� at NEMLA in Buffalo, NY. 24 March 2023.
  • "Refugees and Migration in the Age of the Nation-State," Langara College, in Vancouver, BC, 5 October 2022.
  • "Present Problem, Future Conflict? The Republika Srpska and Russia鈥檚 Invasion of Ukraine,鈥� at Irish Association for Russian, Central and East European Studies 2022 Conference, in Maynooth, IR, 17 September 2022.
  • "Russia-Ukraine War: An old-new legacy of nationalism and state-building?" Douglas College, in New Westminster, BC, 12 July 2022.
  • "In the Shadow of Asia Minor: The Greek Population in Ukraine, Its History, and Future after the Russo-Ukrainian War,鈥� The Angelo K. Tsakopoulos Hellenic Studies Center, in Sacramento, CA, 12 May 2022.
  • "Understanding the War in Ukraine: A Panel with 51猎奇入口Experts," 51猎奇入口Public Square, in Burnaby, BC, 13 April 2022.
  • 鈥淯sing the Lion to Catch an Eagle: Greece鈥檚 use of the Macedonian Question in Greek-American Relations, 1947-1949,鈥� Cold War (A)Symmetries: Conflict, Cooperation, and Trade, in T芒rgovite, RO, 28 October 2021.
  • 鈥淕rabbing the Lion by the Tail: The Macedonians in the Greek Civil War, 1946-49,鈥� Association for the Study of Nationalities, in New York, NY, 8 May 2021.

Older

  • 鈥淒estroying a movement, building a nation: The events of 1924 and the founding of IMRO (United),鈥� 鈥�Lords of the border marches鈥�: Paramilitary mobilization, ethnic violence and nation-building in Anatolia and the Balkans during the European Civil War (1905-1949), in Bucharest, RO, 4 December 2020.
  • 鈥淕reece, Nationalism, and Migration: An Ongoing Paradox,鈥� World Systems Workshop, in Bod酶, NO, 12 November 2020.
  • 鈥淩ecreating the Past: Historiography in the People鈥檚 Republic of Macedonia, 1945-1991,鈥� Memory and Trauma Through History and Culture: Migrations, in Burnaby, BC, 9-10 October 2020.
  • 鈥淐omrade or Foe? Yugoslavia鈥檚 Involvement in the Greek Civil War, 1946-1949,鈥� Modern Greek Studies Symposium, in Sacramento, CA, 9 November 2019.
  • 鈥淭errorism and Refugees,鈥� International Security Preparedness Professional Development Conference, in Victoria, BC, 19 June 2018.
  • 鈥淭he Death of a City: The Yugoslav Peoples Army Siege of Vukovar, 1991, Refugee Crisis, and its Aftermath,鈥� War and the Urban Context, in New York, 19 May 2017.
  • 鈥淯nfamiliar Connections: Special Forces and Paramilitaries in the Former Yugoslavia,鈥� SORA, in Fort Walton Beach, FL, 11 December 2015.
  • 鈥淥nce again Comrades: Greek and Yugoslav Communist Party Relations, 1945-1946鈥�, ASEEES, in Philadelphia, PA, 19 November 2015.
  • 鈥淢apping a term: Geography and its role in the success and failures of the Yugoslav and Greek Resistance,鈥� War and Geography, in New York, NY, 1 May 2015.
  • 鈥淧oisoning the Well: The Macedonian Question in the Dekemvriana (1944),鈥� Western Consortium Graduate History Conference, in San Diego, CA, 25 April 2015.
  • 鈥淭he Dekemvriana and the Slavo-Macedonian Question,鈥� December to Varkiza: Memory, Political Discourse, and the Greek Civil War, in Burnaby, BC, 20 February 2015.
  • 鈥淒ifferent Visions, Same Problem: Yugoslavia and the Macedonian Question, 1945-1949,鈥� ASEEES, in San Antonio, Texas, 20 November 2014.
  • 鈥淎 Tout Azimuths: Yugoslavia鈥檚 Defence Policy during the Cold War,鈥� International Conference 鈥淲ar and Technology鈥�, in W眉rzberg, Germany, April 1, 2014.
  • 鈥淔raternal Discord: Yugoslavia鈥檚 Failed Intervention in the Greek Civil War, 1946 -1949鈥�, Northern Great Plains History Conference, in Hudson, WI, September 26, 2013.
  • 鈥淜eeping the Genie in the Bottle: The Greek Navy in the First Balkan War,鈥� Greece and the Balkan Wars, in St. Louis, MO, October 27, 2012.
  • 鈥淭he Mixed Harvest: The Role of Total Natural Defence in Croatia鈥檚 Secession from Yugoslavia,鈥� McGill-Queen鈥檚 University Graduate Conference in History 2012 鈥淪haping Space(s), Telling Time(s) /// Explorer l鈥檈space, d茅chiffrer le temps鈥�, March 2-4, 2012.
  • 鈥淪owing the Seeds of Chaos: Yugoslavia鈥檚 Defence Policy in the Cold War,鈥� the Great Northern Plains History Conference, October 13-16, 2010.
  • 鈥淏alkan Paper Tiger: Yugoslavia鈥檚 Military Strength鈥� at the UNB-University of Maine Annual History Conference, September 25-27, 2009.
  • 鈥淐ontested History: The Historical Development of Dubrovnik鈥� at St. Thomas Research and Ideas Fair, March 21, 2009.
  • 鈥淪trategic Perspective, Tactical Problems: Valentino鈥檚 Strategic Perspective on Genocide鈥� at St. Thomas Research and Ideas Fair, March 15, 2008

Community and professional outreach

  • 鈥淐anada should be wary of embracing 鈥榯otal national defence鈥� to ward off an American invasion鈥� The Conversation. 2 February 2026. . 
  • 鈥淒onald Trump鈥檚 Ukraine peace deal would leave the country vulnerable to future Russian attacks鈥� The Conversation. 7 December 2025. . 
  • "Les provocations de la Russie en Europe indiquent-elles un affaiblissement de sa position strat茅gique ? The Conversation. 16 October 2025. 
  • "Why Russia鈥檚 provocations in Europe actually signal a weakened strategic position". The Conversation. 13 October 2025. 
  • "A pro-democracy Venezuelan politician wins this year鈥檚 Nobel Peace Prize. Is it a rebuke to Trump?" The Conversation. 10 October 2025. 
  • "Warfare in the Mountains to Wage War in the City: The Cypriot War of Independence and Lessons for Contemporary Counterinsurgency and Counterterrorism" InterPopulum. 17 June 2025.
  • 鈥淭rump-Putin ceasefire conversation shows no initial signs of bringing peace to Ukraine鈥� The Conversation. 19 March 2025. . 
  • 鈥淲hat the U.S. ceasefire proposal means for Ukraine, Russia, Europe 鈥� and Donald Trump鈥� The Conversation. 11 March 2025. . 
  • 鈥淲hy is Trump鈥檚 preferential treatment of Russia shifting? Because there鈥檚 nothing in it for him鈥� The Conversation. 5 February 2025. .

Older

  • 鈥淧ourquoi la chute de Bachar Al-Assad ne m猫nera probablement pas 脿 la paix en Syrie鈥� The Conversation. 11 December 2024. . 
  • 鈥淧or qu茅 es poco probable que la ca铆da de El Asad lleve la paz a Siria鈥� The Conversation, 10 December 2024..
  • 鈥淲hy the fall of Bashar al-Assad is unlikely to lead to peace in Syria鈥� The Conversation. 9 December 2024. .
  • 鈥淎mid the West鈥檚 wavering aid to Ukraine, North Korea backs Russia in a mutually beneficial move鈥� The Conversation. 29 October 2024. .
  • 鈥淯kraine drone strikes demonstrate its continuing intent to fight the long war against Russia鈥� The Conversation. 23 September 2024. . 
  • 鈥淯krainian special operations abroad are part of its broader war effort against Russia鈥� The Conversation. 14 August 2024. . 
  • 鈥淩ussian airstrike against a Ukrainian children鈥檚 hospital reveals Russia鈥檚 eroding military might.鈥� The Conversation. 16 July 2024. . 
  • 鈥淒elays in western aid have put Ukraine in a perilous position. The Conversation. 16 May 2024. . 
  • 鈥淚srael hits back at Iran: How domestic politics is determining Israeli actions.鈥� The Conversation. 19 April 2024. . 
  • 鈥淟鈥檃ttaque de l鈥櫭塼at islamique (EI-K) 脿 Moscou risque d鈥檃ggraver la guerre entre la Russie et l鈥橴kraine.鈥� The Conversation. 26 March 2024. . 
  • 鈥淚SIS-K鈥檚 attack in Moscow risks escalating the Russia-Ukraine war鈥� The Conversation. 24 March 2024. . 
  • w/ Jack Maclennan. 鈥淲estern leaders threaten to undermine Navalny鈥檚 legacy in Russia鈥� The Conversation. 21 February 2024. . 
  • 鈥淒omestic and international developments risk undermining Ukraine in a critical year鈥� The Conversation. 15 February 2024. .
  • 鈥淶elensky鈥檚 tensions with his top military commander could undermine Ukraine鈥檚 war efforts鈥� The Globe and Mail. 6 February 2024. .
  • 鈥淲estern strikes against Houthis risk igniting a powderkeg in the Middle East鈥� The Conversation. 22 January 2024. .
  • 鈥淯kraine can still defeat Russia, but it needs the right tools to do it鈥� The Conversation. 21 December 2023. .
  • 鈥淚srael鈥檚 ground offensive in Gaza City is ignoring the past lessons of urban warfare鈥� The Conversation. 28 November 2023. .
  • 鈥淗ow Serbia-Kosovo tensions hang like a spectre over the European Union鈥� The Conversation. 16 October 2023. .
  • 鈥淶elenskyy鈥檚 meetings with Trudeau and Biden are aimed at winning the long war鈥� The Conversation. 22 September 2023. .
  • 鈥淩egardless of Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin鈥檚 fate, Vladimir Putin benefits鈥� The Conversation. 24 August 2023. .
  • 鈥淯kraine鈥檚 slow advance doesn鈥檛 signal failure in its counteroffensive against Russia鈥� The Conversation. 18 July 2023. .
  • 鈥淓l desaf铆o del Grupo Wagner puede darle a Putin una excusa para salir de Ucrania鈥� The Conversation. 25 June 2023. .
  • 鈥淲hat the Wagner Group revolt in Russia could mean for the war in Ukraine鈥� The Conversation. 24 June 2023. .
  • 鈥淧aramilitaries in the Russia-Ukraine war could escalate and expand the conflict鈥� The Conversation. 7 June 2023. .
  • 鈥淏akhmut is increasingly a quagmire that works to Russia鈥檚 advantage鈥� The Conversation. 13 April 2023. .
  • 鈥淟鈥檌nculpation de Poutine par la Cour p茅nale internationale est symbolique. Mais les symboles ont aussi leur importance鈥� The Conversation. 21 March 2023. .
  • 鈥淲hy the International Criminal Court鈥檚 indictment of Putin has symbolic importance鈥� The Conversation. 20 March 2023. .
  • 鈥淭he Battle of Bakhmut exposes Russia鈥檚 fault lines鈥� The Conversation. 8 March 2023. .
  • 鈥淭he EU shows its weaknesses again amid another looming migration crisis鈥� The Conversation. 7 February 2023. .
  • 鈥淩ussia is using drones to target Ukrainian electricity and erode morale,鈥� The Conversation. 16 January 2023. .
  • 鈥淭he Russian draft isn鈥檛 likely to help Vladimir Putin win the war in Ukraine,鈥� w/ Jack MacLennan. The Conversation. 12 October 2022. .
  • 鈥淲hy North Macedonia is the European Union鈥檚 latest self-inflicted wound鈥� The Conversation, 19 July 2022. .
  • 鈥淏osnia-Herzegovina could be the next site of Russian-fuelled conflict.鈥� w/ Jack MacLennan. The Conversation. 13 April 2022. .
  • 鈥淩ussia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine fuels a refugee crisis that could help Putin win the war,鈥� The Conversation. 28 February 2022. .
  • 鈥淣ot the 1990s Again: Rethinking US Strategy for Afghanistan under the Taliban鈥� w/ Jack MacLennan. Modern War Institute. 10 November 2022. .
  • 鈥淓urope鈥檚 Refugee Crisis, North America鈥檚 Refugee Opportunity,鈥� ELIAMEP. 3/4 (2015) 11-14.
  • 鈥淟ocal Politics, Global Dimensions: Canada and the Fight against ISIS,鈥� Bridging Europe. 26 May 2015. .
  • 鈥淎n Insidious Threat: The ambiguity of the term Terrorism and the Threat this poses to Democratic Institutions,鈥� Bridging Europe. BREF Commentary 23. 4.11.14.  . 
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