 The Centre for Social and Political Thought (formerly the Centre for Critical Social Theory) was established in 1997. Its interdisciplinarity, spanning social sciences and the humanities, is reflected by its co-directorship by Gerard Delanty (Sociology) and Andrew Chitty (Philosophy). Research in the Centre is diverse but is committed to critical social theory broadly construed. A list of our publications may be accessed online. The Centre is the home of the European Journal of Social Theory. It is host to a Marie Curie post-doctoral research fellowship.
The vibrant intellectual culture of the Centre for Social and Political Thought grows out of the best traditions of the University of Sussex: radical thinking and academic excellence in teaching and research. The Centre organises a by-weekly Research Seminar. SPT graduate students run and publish their own peer-reviewed journal - Studies in Social and Political Thought. |
 Since 1978, the Centre for Social and Political Thought has been home to the internationally renowned MA in Social and Political Thought, one of the only programmes of its kind in the world. The establishment of the MA was inspired by the idea that politics is inextricable from human society. Therefore, the academic division between sociology and social theory on the one hand, and political theory and political philosophy on the other is not just highly artificial, it is also a barrier to understanding. SPT aims to surmount this barrier with its interdisciplinary orientation to the subject.
Students may also undertake an MPhil or DPhil in Social and Political Thought. There are 10 core faculty in SPT, and a large cohort of post-graduate students. Many of our students have gone onto successful careers in research and teaching, the media, NGOs. Over the last 30 years a substantial number of leading academics in the UK and elsewhere have passed through the programme. |
The Centre for Social and Political Thought is a part of the School of Law, Politics & Sociology at Sussex.