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Nicholas Kerton-Johnson

Associate Professor of Political Science & International Relations

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Contact Information

Specialties:

international relations international security persecution of christians religion and international relations religious freedom

Education

  • PhD, Politics, University of Bristol
  • MA, War Studies, Kings College, London
  • Higher Diploma, Education—History & Mathematics, University of Cape Town
  • Honours Degree, History, University of Cape Town
  • BA, History, University of Cape Town

Featured Publications

Justifying America's Wars: The Conduct and Practice of US Military Intervention
Authors: Nicholas Kerton-Johnson
Publisher: Routledge, 2010

Career Highlights

Teaching at Taylor is my third career! My second in finance had many accomplishments with which I am pleased, but let me stay focused on my academic career. I was pleased to complete four degrees and a diploma in education without incurring any student debt. My studies were almost all funded through competitive scholarships. There is no doubt that attaining a PhD at a prestigious United Kingdom University while at the same time being the engrossed father of two beautiful but energetic children was an achievement which gave me great joy followed shortly thereafter with the publication of my first book on US military intervention post 1990, published by Routledge. During my PhD, I was also honored to be the only PhD student in my department and one of few across the entire university to be entrusted with graduate level teaching.

There are the usual accomplishments of writing papers, delivering these at major conference and seeing them published, along with book chapters, but I would say that my greatest accomplishment has been to walk the uncommon road; to see a vision for research that will build the kingdom and together with colleagues and students to see this vision become a reality. So I regard forming and leading the Ephesus Initiative as my greatest career accomplishment and while it is still small, I will celebrate what God has done, in order to anticipate Him doing so much more!

  • 2009–2012—Research database: Ephesus Initiative empirical study of religious freedom.
  • 2011—Article: “Governing the Faithful: A discussion of religious freedom and liberal democracies with particular focus on the United Kingdom,” International Journal for Religious Freedom, Vol. 4, Issue 2.
  • 2011—Research Agenda: “Responses to Persecution,” International Journal for Religious Freedom, Vol. 4, Issue 1. (with Tom Weingartner and Aaron Johnson)
  • 2011—Paper: “Governing the Faithful,” delivered at the International Studies Conference, Montreal.
  • 2010—Book: Justifying America’s Wars. Routledge: August 2010.
  • 2009—Article: “Justifying War in the Cold War: the shifting war discourse of US Presidents 1990-1999” Defense and Security Analysis, Volume 25, Number 4, December July 2009.
  • 2009—Book chapter: “Coercing Solidarism: The secular and religious in US exceptionalism,” in Durward, R and Marsden, L. (2009) Religion, Conflict and Military Intervention. Final manuscript submission May 2009.
  • 2008—Article: “Justifying the use of force in a post-9/11 world,” International Affairs, Volume 84, Number 5, Sept 2008.
  • 2008—Paper: “Coercive Solidarism and the US Pursuit of Freedom,” presented at the English School Workshop, Institute of Advanced Study, University of Bristol.
  • 2007—Paper: “International System Resurgent: Justifying the Use of Force in a Post-9/11 World,” presented at the 42nd Annual BISA Conference, University of Cambridge.
  • 2007—Paper: “Saving Bush from the Manicheans,” presented at the 6th Bi-AnnualCPS Conference, Chicago.
  • 2006—Paper: “Justifying and Practicing War: Retreating World Society?,” presented at the 41st Annual BISA Conference, University of Cork.
  • 2005—Paper: “Restoring Christianity to the English School,” presented at the 1st Annual WISC Conference, Istanbul, Turkey.

Biography

I specialize in religious freedom with a focus on Christianity. This work is best nurtured on a Christian campus which not only loves Christ, but lives to serve the global church. Here my work is welcomed and encouraged. Here too I am able to teach and interact with some of the best young Christians in the world. It is a blessing to be a part of young men and women’s lives; to see them grow in the Lord, in knowledge and wisdom; to help equip them for life.

Hobbies

It is often thought that South Africans are sport mad. I am not an exception! However, as a South African I have not yet come to love American sport. I love playing rugby and tennis and swimming in the sea, a river, a lake, a pond, or a dam (anything!). But I will try my hand at any sport.