Research Groups

Structure and Organisation

The Department organises its research through a deliberately constructed mix of research groups and centres. The five broad research groups (Comparative Politics, International Relations, Public Policy and Governance, Political Theory and Political Economy) constitute the base of the structure and represent the mapping of the Department´s research on to the main sub-fields of the discipline. They express the Department´s identity as a broad-based unit working across the field of Politics and International Relations.

Political Theory

Comparative political theory, conceptual and historical study of political ideologies, contemporary political thought, history of modern political thought.

Governance and Public Policy

Theories of governance (especially multilevel governance), comparative governance, policy analysis, Europeanization and the changing nature of the modern state in the UK and abroad.

International Relations

Security, foreign policy, democratisation, development, global governance.

Comparative Politics

Comparative democratisation, identity politics, electoral behaviour, public opinion, political parties, nationalism and ethnic conflict, political economy, public policy analysis, trade unions, social movements, environmental politics and policy.

Political Economy

The political economy of development, the comparative political economy of neoliberalism, the politics of international trade, the transition to democracy and everyday political economy.