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Department of 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 courses

Politics, International Relations and Global Studies

Are you fascinated by our changing world? Passionate about current affairs? See yourself working in local government or at the UN? Our internationally recognised research directly feeds into your degree, making sure you’re learning about the latest findings in your field.

Sociology

Intrigued by the social world in which we live? Our courses will open your mind to a range of issues related to culture and society.

Our Research Groups and Centres

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.

Cities and Community

Driven by a commitment to social justice, members of this group 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

(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.

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.

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.

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