Social and Political Sciences
The Department of Social and Political Sciences is home to a range of exciting and contemporary undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Our subject areas are Sociology, Politics, International Relations, and we are expanding our expertise in policy and practice to develop provision in Security Studies and Public Policy.
With proven excellence in both teaching and research, our team of subject specialists offer expert tuition in all core areas of our subjects as well as a range of research-informed specialisms. From global issues to local struggles, urban sociology to international security, our academic team provides engaged teaching and research in comparative politics, sociological theory, area studies, British and European politics as well as in gender, identity, sustainability, consumption and public policy. All students have the opportunity to apply their subject knowledge via our range of innovative practice-based learning opportunities on our core practice modules. In addition, our students develop research methods skills and knowledge via a suite of research methods modules that support and compliment subject specific modules.
We have a thriving post-graduate research community, host regular research seminars and lead the NTU REF submission for Politics and International Studies (C19). The Department is also currently home to Nottingham Civic Exchange (NCE) – an innovative think tank that connects research expertise across the School with internal and external partners to explore policy debates and to develop and progress practical projects at the local, city and regional level.
Our Subject Areas
Latest News
Nottingham residents’ right to clothing discussed ahead of Human Rights City launch
Thu 01 Dec 2022
New tools to identify non-compliant business locations created to support regulation and enforcement
Wed 30 Nov 2022
Mispronouncing student names can impact learning motivation and sense of belonging
Tue 04 Oct 2022
Social Vulnerabilities and Climate Change Adaptation: Gender Inequality, Poverty and Exclusion Workshop
Wed 18 May 2022
Expert blog: The Russian invasion of Ukraine and Hungary’s continuing dance between East and West
Wed 02 Mar 2022
Home Office funds Responsible Car Wash Scheme pilot to prove case for licensing
Mon 10 May 2021
Our Research Groups and Centres
Gender Research Group
Gender Research Group
The Gender Research Group’s aim is to promote social and democratic inclusion and transformation at global, national and local levels through critical examination of the myriad ways gender matters in shaping people’s identities, experiences and opportunities.
Citizenship, Democracy and Transformation
Citizenship, Democracy and Transformation
Democracies around the world are undergoing considerable transformation. The Citizenship, Democracy and Transformation group conducts research on urgent questions concerning these transformations, their challenges and opportunities, and the sustainable futures of democracies.
Identity, Territory and Social Justice
Identity, Territory and Social Justice
Driven by a commitment to social justice, members of ITSJ engage in research that seeks to explore and problematise the socio-political phenomena shaping peoples’ lives, with a particular interest in questions of identity and territory broadly construed.
International Security and Sustainability
International Security and Sustainability
(In)security as experienced by individuals, societies, states and others is changing. Individual, local, national and international policies taken to promote security, therefore, also need to change. With this in mind, our group investigates innovative and sustainable security policies to inform decision-makers.
Work Futures Research Group
Work Futures Research Group
The rapidly changing world of work remains a major topic of political and scholarly focus, and has been highlighted as an urgent concern across numerous organisations and professional bodies around the world. The Work Futures Research Group builds on and consolidates areas of strength within and beyond the School of Social Sciences at NTU, to address some of the most challenging issues these changes present.