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
Research Blog: Professor Matt Henn on Intergenerational Partnerships and Local Democracy
Fri 03 Jan 2020
Could Nottingham become a human rights city?
Mon 17 Jun 2019
Sustainable Energy and Climate Change in Russia: policies, discourses and narratives
Tue 18 Dec 2018
The student view of Parliament Week
Tue 27 Nov 2018
Doing politics: a hands on examination
Fri 23 Nov 2018
The Politics of Misogyny
Tue 13 Nov 2018
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.
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.
Work Futures Research Group
Work Futures Research Group
The rapidly changing world of work has been highlighted as an urgent concern by government, academics, workers’ organisations, and numerous professional bodies. The Work Futures Research Group brings together academics across the School of Social Sciences who are addressing some of the most challenging issues these changes present.
Citizenship, Democracy and Transformation
Citizenship, Democracy and Transformation
The Citizens, Parties and Political Participation (CPPP) unit is interested in the changing relationships between citizens and the democratic process and formal political institutions. Our research considers what opportunities exist for people to intervene in public and political life, and how and why they choose to participate
International Security and Sustainability
Scholars within this group engage in research covering a broad range of related issues including: terrorism, insurgency and civil wars; radicalisation and counter-radicalisation; regional foreign and security policy; democratisation and conflict resolution; and the politics of identity.